Catchup Tuesday

01/05/2013 – Worker’s Day Wednesday
An unexpected statutory holiday in the middle of the week suits me just fine. Christine and her boys are taking me swimming then to Tinapa for shopping. They were to be here by 10am. It’s coming on 11:30. Gotta love that Nigerian time thing.

Tinapa = great steals. How about this bag of Ruffles plain potato chips for JUST $18.00 USD

02/05/2013 – Thunder storm Thursday

Thor’s on a rampage this evening. Christine’s hubby Dr. Bassey, Psychiatrist, stops by for a prearranged interview. I’m writing a Canadian piece on mental fitness in Nigeria. We take off to a nearby medical clinic when the good doctor is summoned to see a patient. It’s the perfect chance to check out how the industry functions. While waiting in the waiting room power disappears as it does regardless of where you are or what time it might be. Patients shift uncomfortably. A big boisterous dark-black man walks in with what I can only guess are his two wives; one is carrying a newborn, both sport modest head scarves. His booming bullying gets little reaction from the nurse, though she sizes things up quickly and directs all questions to Mr husband who answers for his ladies.

This medical clinic's paper filing system is just a few paces away from Ontario's still-paper system. Ok, well, maybe giant steps away. How do they ever find who they're looking for?

Doctor B comes racing out of the consult room when he realizes the sky is darkening and rain is imminent. “Let’s get out of here before it gets bad.” The sky’s a thick pea soup green, the kind of colour that warns of imminent wild weather.

“Do you get hurricanes or tornadoes around here?”

A couple of crash and booms and we’re into torrential rain that’s insane.  Water pours from the sky like the walls of a falls. Palm trees bend, pedestrians drench, wires snap and slither to the road that’s fast become a running stream. Bassey slams on the brakes to avoid live wires, backs up and slams into the car behind him. The driver races around beside him and starts hollering. Bassey hollers back about the fallen wire. Angry driver puts on his emergency signals and meekly pulls away.  End of today’s story.