In Which There Are 16 Very Good Reasons To Love Maria
on Zoe Page (Sierra Leone), 08/Oct/2010 20:48, 34 days ago
Maria is leaving and I am sad, but in a slightly superficial way, the pain is lessened when she comes over with some goodies including more than a dozen books (though, ok, one is the Bible, and another is a book of Psalms...) She also brings pots, pans, stationery– accumulated over the last year by her, and by Lindsay before her. At the bottom of a box is secondKrio In A Nutshelltext. We got the first one at ICT but this is the much more useful part, with phrases in. So I start to study and it’s pretty frickin’ funny.I wouldloveto be a text book writer. Think about it: you could put down anything you wanted and convince others that’s the way people speak (akin to my telling German teens in circa 1998 that ‘You’re a silly billy’ is the rudest insult imaginary). This is a concept the Nutshell author has clearly embraced with both arms, so in the dialogues we get such gems as:Good afternoon, madam. You all have Star beer?Yes, Star beer is there, but it is not cold wellOh God it is a cold one I want. I am not drinking hot beer.Well let I show you. It is cold a little. We had a little light (=electricity) this morning.Alright I will manage it. bring one other one for me, please. I came with my friend, but he went to buy bread and roast meat.Seriously? How amazing is that?And it gets better. Later on, we visit the tailor:Morning tailor.Yes, morning. I can help you.I want to let you sew a suit for me. Look the material. It is two yards but it is double yards.I will manage it for you. What kind style you want?I want straps on the shoulders and two chest pockets. How much will it be?Well, you will pay me 3000 LeonesAlright, but you will less me. Let I pay 2500No, bo. It is too small. Pay 2800. And you should advance me 1000 now.It is not bad.Next page...it’sDialogue Eleven:“Giving To a Beggar”This is ace. We never got this inEncore Tricolore.Master, hello, sir.HelloMaster, good is not there todayBo, I do not have anything today. Next time please.Any small thing. I will manage it. my foot troubles me. I am not able to work.Ok, look, 10 LeonesIt is not bad sir. God will bless you sir.Alright, let God help you.They go on, in the most eclectic of orders:Dialogue 12: Taking a LorryDialogue 13: Greeting The Paramount ChiefDialogue 14: Visiting a FarmDialogue 15: Cooking PlassaDialogue 16: Talk With The House BoyI’m glad of the distraction as otherwise it’s a same old sort of day: keeping an eye on the workmen (today they’re painting, yesterday they painted. In true grammar lesson style it’s probably fair to say tomorrow they will paint) plus waiting for Daniel to bring me furniture. Every time it looks enticingly hot, I head out only for the rain to come within 10 minutes. Eventually, at 5pm, everything is done. I have a new ‘work desk’ for my room (aka a table) and a cupboard for the kitchen, though the varnish is still wet on both. Daniel is now leaving for Freetown, which means I’m intrigued by if/when the rest of the window mesh will arrive, not the mention the other table for the kitchen and all the furniture for my new housemates who will be coming at some point, but I’m just glad it’s all sorted for now, and I can get my house back to being a home rather than a waiting room for various people – Junior waits for Mr Barry, Daniel waits for the carpenter, Maria waits for my internet to start working again so she can email in her final report... After tea I start nesting. I make a bookshelf. I file away my scrapbook stuff (sadly small so far, just my boarding pass and ticket for the Sea Coach). I empty all my bags and stow my suitcase and backpack. I find more plasters, padlocks and hair bobbles than I remember packing, but now at least there’s a place for everything, and everything in its place. Once I can see the tiles on my floor (for the first time in theweek since I’ve moved in) I flop into bed, feeling like I deserve a weekend as much as anyone who’s actually gone to the office this week...