12:52 p.m. - November 30, 2002
Debriefing me and the toilet seat
Arrived home via taxi from the airport, chatting en fran�ais with Said and perhaps causing him to reformat assumptions on the overwhelming ignorance of Americans when I addressed him in Swahili with jambo, habari gani. Too-tall man whose seat was positioned closest to the steering column, his legs folded like grasshoppers, simply for passengers to be able to stretch their legs in the back seat. Do customers complain about things like that I asked, and he said Americans complain about everything, the Japanese nothing at all, the Arabs because they cannot smoke. The worst? The wealthy, because they tip little to nothing. A fun ride.
Took taxi home because didn't want to look like fool and call friend to reschedule pick-up time; once again, I didn't pay attention to important details. Thought I departed at 8:30 p.m., arriving 10:30; on cursory glance late last night saw that the flight was scheduled for 8:30 a.m. Why? Why am I like this? Going east instead of west, south instead of north, dinner in microwave set to thirty minutes instead of three. Too many examples come to mind and it is embarrassing; it bothers me. It is not endearing; it is alarming.
But in the spirit of relaxation and learning-to-unclench, I will not apologize for my foibles like a thirsty sycophant eyeing your bathwater. I mean after all, things could be worse.
Exactly how, I'm not willing to entertain at this juncture.
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House is freezing cold. Plants live. The kitchen mopped; some kind of new mop-thing in laundry room--a gift? Sister's handiwork evident in my bathroom in the form of new towels, bath mat, and those awful furry toilet seat covers. I like being spoiled, but I prefer my toilets undressed.
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Time to go back to work.
