Comes the rain

 

Well I’ve been out of contact through internet for a few days because this week the rains started so either I don't want to walk to the internet cabina with my laptop or the lights are out. The first few days were cloudy with occasional light rain. I loved it, the breeze was fresh, and the temperature dropped to the high 70’s, what a treat. Folks around me complained of being cold… Then the rain started in earnest, torrential rains that come in the night and pound on the tin room. The big surprise is that when the rain starts to pour the electricity goes off. Wham, the lights go out for the night. I actually don’t understand the explanation but given the shoddy state of the electrical system, it’s probably for the best. My family always seems to know when the electricity will come back on, “Oh, they’ll turn it on at 10AM”.
Last night, I was about to go nuts from the television in my house and a very noisy circus half a block away. The circus goes on until about midnight with a tremendous speaker system blaring music. Then the rain started, the lights went out, the music and TV stopped. That didn’t mean quiet in my house because the usual family uproar continued by candlelight but the circus folded for the night. When I woke to the sound of rain in the night I realized the roof over my room was leaking in places but I couldn’t tell where in the dark so in a moment of paranoia, I took my computer to bed with me! I could take anything else getting soaked but not my laptop. When morning came I really only had a puddle on one side of the room.
The rain is a welcome change from unrelenting sun bringing fresh air and water for the plants but there’s also a down side. The dry riverbed that runs through the town is used as a garbage dump so it is filled with garbage, vultures and huge pigs. When the rains come, the river bed fills and the garbage goes to the sea. So today, the paradox of a gorgeous marine blue sea contrasted with the swelling rivers carrying garbage. I walked along the shore this evening at sunset with one of the children chasing the crabs that scuttle along the beach and splashing in the warm water. Now I’m waiting for water, hoping for a bucket bath and water to wash clothing tomorrow. And waiting for the circus to end.