Distraction

I grabbed my backpack out of the shared taxi and moved to get on the bus. The taxi driver blocked my way, insisting that it wasn't worth it, that we were really leaving this time. "Unless you can tell me we are leaving right now," I replied, "I'm getting on the bus."

"Yes, we're going to leave right now"

"RIGHT now??"

The hesitation ran across his face, "we're leaving very, very soon"

"Sorry, but I must leave now," I said, pushing past him and onto the bus that was already pulling away.

Settling in my seat, I found a movie playing directly above me. A South African slapstick comedy, it wasn't my genre but the screen still drew me in. Head craned, neck bent at an awkward angle, I missed the little girl in front of me as she got out of her seat and stood in the aisle. Suddenly, my feet felt like they were getting sprayed by something -- I looked down to find the child mid-stream. I pulled my legs up to the seat, thankful that I hadn't set my bag on the ground (a rule since sitting next to a man with a plastic bag leaking fish juice. That he so kindly pointed out 1/2 hour later). Trying to mask my disgust and keep my cool with my legs in the air, I texted a friend. "TIA," I said to her. The boys across from me giggled at my position. Karma, I thought to myself. Maybe next time I'll wait with the first driver I agree to.

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I've been checking my phone manically the last couple of days. Time - email - viber - facebook - time. Just in case something changes, something goes wrong, and someone decides to tell me. Because OHMYGOD my dad is coming to visit this week. Everyone knows. I'm not sure that they all care, but I've been telling them anyways. I've tried to do some work, opened up excel files and jotted down clinics in my little notebook, only to find myself sitting back down and looking at it all an hour later, wondering what I was trying to do and why I got up in the first place. But oh look there's my smartphone, time-email-viber-facebook-time. Nothing. And it still isn't Thursday.

I'm looking forward to a fresh set of eyes, to remember what this all looks like from a new perspective. My camera will be glued to my side for his entire stay so that I remember to take photos of things I no longer consider unusual, things I no longer notice. I am looking forward to showing him what my life is like, to showing off my home (first time my dad will be staying at a place that's "mine" and he had to fly across the world to see it). Mostly I'm looking forward to hugging him. Walking home this evening, I told myself to blog, felt like writing. Instead I'm scrolling through my tabs -- it's 9:15, no new emails, no new viber messages, no new facebook messages. And it still isn't Thursday. Clearly, any productivity will have to be postponed.

Peace & Love
Elyse