Goodbye Mali

"Goodbye is the saddest word I'll ever hear..." -Celine Dion

After cleaning we walked to the river again. Our normal spot was full of boys fishing with pieced together sticks, homemade floating buoys, string and bait. The clouds were thick, full and only slightly tinged with color like a meringue and the sun was warm but not too warm. We could hear birds calling and frogs in the undergrowth of the reeds. Behind us a man in a blue garment and straw hat ressembling an upside down bowl with a brim around it weeded his hillside garden.

For the first time I started to get sad and nostalgic about leaving. I learned so much during my time. I met many wonderful people and some not so wonderful. And somehow I had connected with the land and with the people and though I was ready to move on, it would not prove effortless to do so. We searched for the last two kittens, having found a home for them too. When neighbors found out what we were doing they told us where the kittens were, dirtied from the mud of recent rains.

They mewed all the way to Constance's place. The one we left there, had been 'borrowed' by a customer who had mice and we demanded that he return it in exchange for the other two.

...The second to last day Rodney and I went out to dinner to eat. We found ourselves in the upscale part of Bamako, frquented by tourists, foreign nationals, and English-speakng Malians. I joked to Rodney that I wouldn't know how to act in a restaurant anymore. We liked the menu at the first one we saw, Le Relais, and sat down to eat at a table covered with a pristine, white tablecloth next to a window paned in glass and put white cloth napkins on our laps. Ah the luxury! We giggled to ourselves the whole time. We were given bread and butter and tall chilled glasses by jacketed waiters and then our sumptuous meals came. I had Pasta Arriabiata and Rodney had mashed potatoes, rice pilaf, and sauteed vegetables. Of course we spent what we normally spend in 7-10 days all in one evening, but it was a nice way to spend the second to last evening. We certainly had a one-sided view of what life in Mali was like, living as we did, but the truth is that most Malians would nt be able to afford the restaurant meal so we experienced the country as residents and not visitors...

After dropping the cats off at Constance's we returned home and started cooking. Another big pot of stew and big pot of rice and fried plantains and sodas. I cooked an extra pot of rice just to be safe. As we were cooking Andrew came to the kitchen door and said he was leaving. We had invited him to join the party knowing that he wouldn't leave for the airport until around midnight, but it was only 7 and he said he had already taken his bags downstairs and was now saying goodbye. Ok goodbye we said. Bon voyage! Safe travels to you too he said. And then he was gone. We were quiet for a few moments and then Rodney turned to me and asked who does that? Who just leaves for good without a moment's notice? That's rude! I said Rodney are you really that surprised? He's been rude the whole time. C'mon we have a party to get ready for...

The time for the party came and went and no one arrived. Ah yes...the concept of time. Half an hour later Maxime and Constance came in. Constance was wearing a dress and heels and looked a little nervous. Maxime had slacks and a traditional print shirt. We waited and no others came so we served food at the table American style. I got up to get more soda and spied Tacao in the hallway, also dressed very nicely looking nervous.

I had to convince her to go in the livingroom. She said she was ashamed and embarrassed. Of what I asked? She couldn't or didn't explain. So I told her that we were friends and just like I had to trust her plenty of times, she had to trust me. She accepted and I ushered her in and introduced her and served her plate. Just as the first crowd finished, Amadou and Mamadou came in and we served them too. The timing worked out because we only had 4 plates. We sat around and talked a bit but people who were usually talkative with us proved shy in front of others so it was a little awkward.

I thanked them all for coming, and for their hospitality and kindnesses towards us. I explained that there was no way to explain what that had meant to us but that the dinner was a token of our appreciation. They all smiled and said thank you. And then they begain to leave. Maxime and Constance took us over their house where they surprised us with a store bought cake inscribed with 'Au Revoir' and cider. We ate and toasted each other and slapped at mosquitoes into the night.

The next morning I awoke early with a stomachache (probably from the cake) and I stayed in bed until the last possible minute. Rodney kept coming in and worrying me about when I was going to finish packing. Tacao came over and did a extravagant intricate henna design on my feet to bless my travels. I told her I couldn't do my hands too as I still needed to pack and the henna has to dry. SHe came back in my room with me and helped me finish packing. Rodney and I stocked her with extra toiletries and things that it did not make sense for us to try to carry home.

I took one last walk down the street. I said goodbye to Moses at the Togolese restaurant, goodbye to Amadou, Mamadou, the baker and the young teen at the phone card stand, goodbye to Safi and her daughter Awa, goodbye Ouima and her nieces and nephews, goodbye to the all the guys around the cyber cafe and the mechanic shop and then down to Constance's store. I didn't say goodbye to her, rather see you later. She told me to go by the house to say bye to the kids. I did. They all followed me back to the store, Papi (Michel), Sophie, Jean, and Bintou, the 13 year old house help. And then Maxime arrived. He drove me back down to the apartment to load my things where I said goodbye and talk to you later and so glad you were here I couldn't have done it without you to Rodney who handed me a tupperware full of food for the trip.

Everyone waved as we rode past and I waved all the way down the street. Sophie burst into tears which broke my heart. Even as we were 10 minutes away I hear 'fanta' and looked out the window. Ouima's sister Safaraou was on the back of a moped heading somewhere and she happened to see me. At the airport, Maxime gave me a book of Malian artists with a lovely inscription from his whole family and kissed both my cheeks. After running back after him to get the money he had exchanged for me, I was on my way to Ghana!