Saturday, June 23, 2007

A tribute to Willy



"Willy, Willy, Willy". You are usually only a few feet away but my calls get ever louder. Until you finally turn, oblivious to the preceding efforts to grab your attention. A face that bears a remarkable resemblence to the President. A face though that seems to have a natural warmth and smile. This, your aimable personality and your array of sons and daughter has been your job security Willy. Little do you know my angst and long discussions with your boss about hearing tests.


With your attention, we embark on another fruitless exchange of instruction and confusion. During which I ask myself yet again, "Why did I end up with a driver hard of hearing and with no periforal vision?" Thankfully, I turned the guard with one eye away or I'd be having the double the challenges.

Persistance sometimes is rewarded. Your face is illuminated with understanding. The smile and laughing 'ahhh' makes it worthwhile. But more often than not the instruction or conversation is abandoned. Sometimes because I've lost the will, sometimes because it's no longer relevant - we have already almost hit the cow or flown over the improvised speed bump log across the road that I was trying to alert you to.


That we have navigated our way around Northern Uganda, without hitting anything or breaking an axel, is something of a miracle. It's a shame conversation was so hard because I'm sure I could have learnt so much from you. From your 60 years in Uganda, travelling its length and breadth.

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