just the way things can go in kampala

Sometimes time seemed to stretch out forever when I was in Kampala. Like when I was waiting for a meal at a restaurant or waiting for the internet to kick in or waiting for the power to come back on or waiting for (at the very least) some lukewarm water to dribble out of the showerhead. Other times things happened quick as lightening, like when I needed a ride somewhere and out of nowhere appeared a fantastically friendly boda-boda driver or when I decided I wanted a massage, and I was at the place getting it within one hour or when my shoes were muddy the wonderfully kind housekeeper, Bertha, cleaned them and lined them up for me by my bed (without me even asking her to do so) so that I could wear them first thing in the morning.

Sometimes I felt extremely safe, like when I put my well being into the hands of a perfect stranger, Moses, as we set out for that crazy day in Jinja or when I walked down the street at night to get something to eat. Other times I was nervous, as when Moses suggested I not have my camera sitting in my lap in the car with the window rolled down (a passerby could just snatch it right out of the car) or when I realized once I was walking back the wrong way to the hotel and it was nighttime and for a few seconds I wasn’t sure if I was going to remember which way to go.

Things can happen in a mixed up kind of way in Kampala, I suppose. At least, mixed up compared to what I am used to. Eventually, though, things just seem to sort of come together and happen the way you guessed or hoped they would.

I heard some fantastic stories from some of the people I met in Uganda – fantastic because I could never have imagined them happening to me or anyone I know. Eventually, I started to get used to them, figuring life (and the hardships associated with it) in this exotic place couldn’t even come close to mine by comparison.

Denis, the local Ugandan who assisted us during the workshop and who became a friend to each of us, made arrangements for me to go on a chimp trek. I had given him a substantial amount of money to make a deposit for the trip. I changed my mind when those mysterious calls from Charles, the computer nabber, started coming in, for I felt I needed to be in Kampala in case he was going to arrange for a place to meet (can’t you just see me with a black briefcase full of unmarked bills meeting him on a dark corner at the appointed hour?) Anyhow, Denis got all of the money back except $100.00, which he promised to deliver to me the evening he was supposed to drive me to the airport for my departure from Africa.

Denis never showed up that night. I had to scramble at the very last minute to secure a ride to the airport and I figured I was out the money he owed me. I trusted Denis and was actually pretty worried that I hadn’t heard from him.

This e-mail just arrived from him via Thatcher. I am sharing it with you because I think it sort of sums up the way things can go in Kampala…

NOT EVERYTHING HAS BEEN FINE FOR ME SINCE THAT MONDAY YOU LEFT. I HAVE BEEN BED RIDDEN WITH A HURTING FINGER ( A DEEP WOUND) WHICH WAS INFLICTED BY A GROUP OF THUGS ON ME.THAT MONDAY MORNING I LEFT FOR THE TOUR COMPANY TO GET GLORIA'S REFUND OF$100. UNFORTUNATELY THE ACCOUNTANT HAD LOST A CHILD. THEN I WAS RESHEDULED TO PICK THE MONEY AT 6:30 PM WHICH I DID PICK. ON MY WAY BACK TO MEET GLORIA, I THOUGHT I SHOULD PICK FIRST MY UNCLES CAR FROM THE GARAGE FOR IT WAS TAKEN FOR SERVICE THEN DASH TO GLORIA AND GIVE HER THE $100.I WENT TO THE GARAGE PICKED THE CAR AND A FEW YARDS FROM THE GARAGE I STOPPED TO PEE. THREE YOUNG MEN APPROACH ME AND ASK ME FOR SOME LITTLE MONEY TO KAMPALA. I TELL THEM I DIDN'T HAVE ANY MONEY ON ME AND I WAS RUSHING TO MEET A GUEST WHO WAS FLYING OUT SOON.THEY SEEM TO LET ME GO AND I DIDN'T SUSPECT ANYTHING.AS I OPEN THE CAR DOOR TO DRIVE AWAY, ONE GRABS ME BY MY COLLAR AND A STRUGGLE ENSURES. BUT I WAS ALONE. ONE PULLS OUT SOMETHING LIKE A PISTOL AND TEASES ME THAT HE IS GOING TO SHOOT ME IF I DIDN'T SURRENDER EVERYTHING I HAD. IN THE PROCESS THEY HIT MY FINGER HARD WITH THE CAR DOOR AND REMOVED EVERYTHING ON ME INCLUDING MY PHONE. I HAD $150 ON ME GLORIA'S MONEY INCLUSIVE. NOW I TYPE THIS EMAIL TO YOU WITH ALOT OF PAIN IN MY FINGER BUT I THOUGHT I SHOULD LET YOU KNOW ABOUT THIS UNFOLDING. AM SINCERELY VERY SORRY TO GLORIA.I WILL TRY TO PULL RESOURCES AROUND AND TRY TO PAY HER THAT $100.WHAT I CHERISH MOST IS A CLEAN RECORD WHICH I CAN'T ALLOW IT BE TURNISHED BECAUSE OF $100. SINCERELY IF THAT UNFORTUNATE UNFOLDING HAD NOT HAPPENED, GLORIA WOULD HAVE RECEIVED HER MONEY IN FULL AND I WOULD HAVE DROPPED HER TO THE AIRPORT.