EID AL ADHA OR TOBASKI 2014 (PART TWO: 'AND I LIFT MY GLASS TO THE AWFUL TRUTH...')

So…

We’re back in The Gambia after only a year being away and not much has changed apart from the children have got a bit bigger all around the village.

Times have got a bit harder for the population because it would seem that all the money goes to feed and pay the army and everybody else gets to wait.

There is definitely an undercurrent of desperation all over, and we, living in the UK as we do, are regarded as rich.

That’s a laugh because if they only knew what we have to go through to get it, then maybe they wouldn’t think it, but because Haddy is in touch with most of them by ‘phone our closer friends know the truth.

Ok, we don’t live under a dictatorship but the way things are going UK wise right now, I wouldn’t be surprised if we flew back to find ourselves in one ?

It’s hard wherever you are right now and nobody is winning it would seem, except politicians and bankers…

So we go through the congratulations on new babies and commiserations over family bereavements and try and stay sane in the face of it all.

Because everything has been done in a bit of a rush we haven’t had any time to order anything up for Tobaski, but one of our neighbours has sorted some lamb out for the kids and now we are there we can chip in for some chicken for the following day.

Once Tobaski is out of the way we can relax.

Sainabou and Granddaughter Adama are going to be with us along with Baddou and most of his family and in all honesty that will do.

Sainabou and Adama

Mariama and Jalika look very pretty in their matching new outfits as does Ida when she pops over to join them, but Awa cannot decide which of hers to choose ?

Mariama, Jalika and Ida

Her husband had sent her money for one and she'd got the other done herself.

Decisions, decisions... 

Awa and Mum

Awa

Much to their disappointment the twins matching outfits were still at the tailors shop and not finished and so they were a little put out to say the least.

I know who WON'T be getting the contract to make them next year, so let's leave it at that...

Some of Baddou’s family are visiting friends.

In the compound with some of Baddou's family

Omar, the lad who had ‘nutted’ one of the nuisances last year was back but in Western clothes this year. 

Omar on the left and friend

He’s off with one of his mates and won’t be hanging about.

Too many and nobody will be able to get a word in…

Baddou's eldest daughter Haddy

Still, everybody who’s been told we’ve arrived seems happy to see us again and that’s a plus.

The minus is that I got put in charge of some of the cooking.

Now let’s get one thing straight from the start.

I CAN actually cook.

My problem is cooking with charcoal.

It’s alright being told how long to do it but the variables that come up regarding how much heat you are going to need mean that if I do it then it’s not going to be foolproof and it could come out a burnt mess ?

It didn’t, but I listened to Sainabou…

‘Uncle Chris, stop cooking it now or it will burn…’

‘Ok, I’m on it’.

As for our Granddaughter Adama, she still hasn’t got used to me and even cries if I give her wonjor, but she’ll get used to me eventually…

Hopefully ?

Kawsu

Tufa

Buba' Sanneh

And let's not forget all the children...

Little 'Tapha

Bubacarr

Pa Musa

 And then there’s the cat.

A very heavily pregnant Princess is definitely about to drop kittens which she proceeds to do on the second day of Tobaski.

If it’s not one thing, it’s another…

She’d made herself a bed in the darkest corner of one of Haddy’s two unrented shops where we store all the stuff we send out there, and about three days later she’d proudly picked up her kittens one at a time and taken them all into the house and into one of the girl’s bedrooms.

Unseen by any of the family of course, and so the first we knew about it was when the girls heard their piteous mewing when Princess had gone to eat…

Aaaaaarrrgh !!!

Ok you lot, out you come...

Much to their Mother’s annoyance of course.

But now they’re back safely in the corner of the shop.

Princess, the other new 'Mum'

Poor old Princess looks exhausted, as well she might with six new babies so I think we’ll have to do a cat food run on Monday when all the shops re-open.

And so Monday we went to the bank and then went shopping or at least we tried to, but everything we needed they were sold out of or they’d stopped selling it.

What the fuck is going on ?

Ok, it’s the end of the rainy season and the tourist season starts in about three weeks hence the astronomical air-fares but you’d think…

No.

Hang on…

It’s The Gambia so DON’T think, just go with it.

Which we would if we could, but it seems impossible ?

Try another supermarket…

Same as.

And another ?

That one is shut and looks like it’s closed down…

We’re not doing too well here, are we ?

Let’s go home before I blow a frigging gasket…

So back we go with pretty much sod-all of what we went out for.

We definitely need advice as to where to shop because I have no intention of going all the way to Sennagambia just to buy a few bits of food for us and the cats especially when they will all be marked up for tourists.

Right, we’ve taken advice and and neither of us has actually gone to where we’ve been sent, but we’ll have a go this afternoon …

Taxi back to our bank in Westfield and then a couple of roads walk and Voila !

There it is, but has it actually got anything we want ?

Yes, it has at least sixty per-cent of our shopping list including cat food.

I think we’ll have to ask somebody what’s going on when we get back because this has never happened before, well, not to us anyway ?

What an absolute pain in the arse.

We’ve wasted nearly one whole day trying to find somewhere that has a few ‘specialist’ food bits, like a small jar of Basil, some frozen chicken frankfurters and even cat food, but at least this place seems to have some of them, including the cat food…

Right… That’s that, so let’s get home before the rush hour starts, shall we ?

Well, that was a first-class failure.

We are now totally jammed in, cars are stuck front, behind and right.

I haven’t the faintest idea why it was so heavy on the road and neither has Haddy but the truth is that if we hadn’t had the shopping we could have walked it quicker than that taxi ride, but finally we’re back.

God knows what time Sibo will be back from school if it carries on like this ?

About nine fifteen and the poor girl is exhausted...

Come on Sibo, just get in the top twenty five and all this will stop.

It's going to be easier said than done if it carries on like this, though...

   

The reason the supermarkets haven’t got any stock is because they all seem to be changing hands ?

Apparently the President didn’t like the fact that most of them were Liberians and sending money home to their families.

So he basically ‘asked’ them to leave the country and that occurrence was quite recent, hence no bloody stock…

So now we know.

The following day is spent sorting out the boxes of clothing that we’d sent out.

There are three boxes going to Killy, mostly children’s clothes and the rest will be given out in the village to those that Haddy knows need it.

If you’ve ever tried sorting out eight boxes of clothing into male and female and then approximate sizes then you will know what it does to your arms and back.

Needless to say, I don’t recommend it.

The only thing we’ve kept back is the one bag from one box which are the clothes for the girls and which we’d bought specially, and those will have to wait until the following weekend when at least we can all be together, although the possibility is that we’re hitting one of the hotel’s swimming pools with the younger ones on one of the days ?

It hasn’t been decided yet but it does look likely.

EID AL ADHA OR TOBASKI 2013 PART THIRTEEN: 'ISN'T GOING HOME A LOW AND LONELY RIDE...'

So there we were…

Ready to leave again, except we weren’t really.

We’re going to miss the kids, it’s as simple as that.

There is something intrinsically wrong with a system that only allows one-way traffic.

We have to fly two thousand, nine hundred miles to see our children for the price of an air ticket and that is apparently no problem ???

There is the small matter of over two hundred and fifty pounds plus each on a six hundred pound ticket going toward ‘Green Taxes’ which is just one more reason that ‘The Greens’ are NEVER going to get my vote because there are sod-all other countries doing it, but…

It doesn’t work in reverse.

If the kids want to come and see us then they have to pay approximately the same, plus they have to fill in the form and pay for a visa to do it.

No matter that we support them, pay for their food, schooling and living expenses, they still have to pay our government for the privilege of doing so and this visa lasts six months.

In that time they can do a small number of things but most are denied them.

You can always read the damn documentation for yourselves…

https://www.gov.uk/check-uk-visa/y

Of course if they were European children then they can come here without a visa and their families can do anything they choose, including claim all the benefits that our own citizens receive and then jump in front of our own social housing queue !!!

And all because Gordon Brown signed a treaty ?

There is seriously something wrong with that system, not least because it is discriminatory and the UK government could be accused of running an ‘Apartheid’ system on immigration.

Think I’m joking ?

Ok, consider this…

Pre nineteen ninety seven we had a normal immigration system.

It seemed to work pretty much like every other country’s, in that if you had relatives in the UK then you could join them and there wasn’t too much of a problem doing so.

When the Labour government under Tony B’liar came to power he flung open the borders to all and sundry.

(Ok, it’s a bit simplistic but it IS accurate)

You also have to remember that back then the UK saw a rise in membership of the British National Party or B.N.P.

This so-called ‘political party’ called for an end to immigration and the repatriation of every black and brown person in the country.

Which was a bit silly in that many of those they wanted repatriated were actually second, third and fourth generation British !!!

They had been born in the UK and were as English, Scots, Irish or Welsh as I am.

The reality of living through those times and the arguments that ensued are still reverberating to this day.

So B'liar and his successor Gordon Brown threw open the UK’s borders to all and sundry, but what they did not do was make it a condition of entry that these new entries were not entitled to the UK’s benefit system until they had been in the country for a few years.

This was the stumbling block and one that the B.N.P. capitalised on.

All these black and brown immigrants whose ideas, traditions and culture were sometimes diametrically opposed to the UK’s were being funded by the population of the United Kingdom and that is where the B.N.P. actually scored the point that is still causing the problems that my own family face today.

The Labour Party’s rationale had been that all these immigrants were going to be so pleased to be there and receiving the same benefits and social security as every other citizen that they would show their gratitude by voting for them ad-infinitum.

Unfortunately, the general population weren’t exactly enamoured of the idea.

But Labour, choosing the moral high ground, decided to brand everybody who queried what was going on, a racist.

What was THAT Gordon Brown quote again ?

'Bigot' wasn’t it ?

And lurking in the background was Europe…

Most of whose countries do not have the same generous benefit system as the UK.

So when Gordon Brown signed away many of the decisions to be taken by the UK government to a European Union, there were many people who were not terribly impressed.

But he signed it KNOWING that it would bring even more immigration, because now we were a member, everybody in the European Union can move freely between their member states and live (and claim benefits) wherever they reside.

And in the background we still have the B.N.P…

But like any other small club that wants to get bigger, the European Union kept taking on more members and some of those were not exactly up to par on their own benefit systems.

And what colour were over ninety per-cent of these new immigrants from Europe ?

White.

(You can check out the percentages just as I did)

And these people do not need documentation.

These people could just turn up, and as a country we could not turn down any request for benefits or even housing even though they already had one somewhere else.

And as the country was swamped by white immigration, the demographic slowly changed back to predominantly white and the B.N.P. lost its power to spread its racist doctrine.

Think about it.

It’s a bloody good trick if you can get away with it ?   

But they couldn’t, and after Gordon Brown had sold off the UK’s gold reserves at a fraction of their worth, plundered everybody’s pension fund to prop up his failed economy, presided over the banking collapse and tried to cover up the scandal of M.P’s expenses, most people had had enough and the worst and most venal government this country has ever had since the days of the ‘Rotten Boroughs’ were voted out.

And in came the Tories…

Assisted by the Liberal Democrats so as to gain a larger majority in parliament, we now had a coalition.

And that’s where OUR troubles really began, because all the main political parties wanted to remain members of the European Union !!!

And so up went the prices of visas to all the countries that needed them while the Europeans all arrived here for free.

Every year the price would be increased and every year even more obstacles would be put in people’s way.

The B.N.P. was now not much more than a bunch of posturing racists but they had been superseded by another right-wing organisation, The English Defence League.

These people just wanted all immigration stopped, especially from the posturing Muslim countries and they were beginning to cause questions to be asked in parliament.

And waiting in the wings was U.K.I.P. The United Kingdom Independence Party who wanted us OUT of Europe. 

The infrastructure of the country was now seriously overloaded by immigration caused by being in the European Union.

Because white people who don’t even have to speak English are pouring into the country, and black people who DO have to speak English have to fill in forms and take ‘Englishness’ tests before they are allowed to stay, the whole demographic of the country is changing.

Haddy and I have now become third class citizens in my country.

She is not allowed the benefits that the Europeans are given because she is African and/or Black.

She cannot buy a UK passport like the Russian and Chinese oligarchs are being offered.

She has to pay to go through a series of tests before she is even allowed to stay in the country, despite us being married, despite us both having jobs and not relying on government handouts, and we are both of us definitely being denied a family life because all our taxes go towards funding the European immigrants and their children as opposed to our own…

And does any political party want to cry foul ?

Do they fuck !!!

They all want to stay in Europe so they are quite happy to let the situation continue as it is.

The biggest irony of all is that both the Liberal Democrats and the Labour Party would be the first to start screaming if it were happening in any other country (South Africa springs to mind…) but because the Lib/Dems want to continue to stay in power and the Labour Party have still yet to come to terms with the European monster they have unleashed, they are both more than happy to remain silent on the issue.
(And their silence IS deafening, isn't it ?)

To put it plainly, the U.K. now has a system of  ‘whites in’ and ‘blacks out’, and if that upsets you then it’s tough shit because YOU VOTED FOR IT.
Anybody who voted Tory, Labour or Liberal Democrat in the last election is equally guilty.

A friend asked me once, would I betray my country ?

Well since my country has already betrayed me, I’m not really sure how to answer that question…

I have already said it would be nice to live in a country where EVERYBODY was treated the same without fear or favour, but I don’t believe it will ever happen in the UK.

There are far too many gutless cunts in both the opposition and government to allow that scenario to occur, and far too much fawning obeisance to other people’s lifestyles.

And all this 'Apartheid' shit was what we’d be flying back to.

It’s not really that impressive, is it ?

So we said goodbye to everybody first thing in the morning as Housai’ and Awa went off to work and Mariama and Jalika went off to school.

Hassa’ would be accompanying us to Latrikunda at the top of the road when we left at midday, and Amadou would be ‘phoned later because he’s at work too.

A quick walk around the area to say goodbye to our friends and our time was up, so it’s into the taxi and away to the airport.

I took some film on the way, so if you’ve never seen what it looks like in The Gambia, then you can watch this.

It’s only predominantly the right hand side of the road on the way, but it will give you some idea...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u8uj78tGdRA&feature=youtu.be
Did you bother to watch it ?
Going back to that 'far too much fawning obeisance' quote a few lines back, did you notice what the women were wearing ?
Yeah, I do, all the time, which is why I filmed it.
I want people to see for themselves.
The vast majority of women DO NOT wear the bloody things !!!
So to be told by those Guardian reading Liberal fuckwits in the UK that I'm a racist for mentioning the FACT that they don't, and why would anybody want to unless they lived on a building site covered with sand, is a little unhelpful to say the least... And a downright lie of the worst kind.
I wish those who make up these claims would check their facts before they made those sort of accusations, because the truth is actually out there and it's not that hard to find...
It's just being used as a political tool so some people can get their own way.
('Help... Help... I'm being oppressed...')
It would be funny if it wasn't taken so seriously by our media and our 'Establishment'.
The fact is, outside of about four countries it's total bollocks.

So we got to the airport and checked in.

Hit the duty free shop for a couple of bottles of grade A ‘Anejo’ (that’s top of the range tequila to you) and we’re done.

Now it’s time for a baguette and cup of tea at Luigi’s, sitting outside awaiting our flight.

Listening to the other passengers at the tables, it would seem that they all enjoyed their stay, and I’m glad.

The Gambia might be a small country, but it has a lot going for it if only it could get the investment.

Unfortunately, for various reasons, it doesn’t look as if it’s on its way which is a shame.

So tourism is its only real source of foreign currency coming in.

Tony, one of the guys I work with, had been twice now with his family and they were confirmed fans after their first trip, so it must have something going for it ?

One day people will get wise and realise the country does have opportunities.

The flight back was uneventful as usual, but all the fun usually begins after we touch down.

First there’s the usual half mile walk to Immigration control and then we split into two parts.

I go through one system (the E.U. one) and Haddy goes through the second-class citizen one

(Non-E.U.)

You can tell the way it works in that there are about ten officers dealing with E.U. passport holders and only the one dealing with non E.U.

This obviously causes a massive build-up on her side which won’t abate until they can get more officers over there, and that won’t happen until all us E.U types have been processed.

I just sit in a convenient chair watching the proceedings until she’s through, usually being quizzed every ten minutes by an immigration officer asking why I’m hanging about with a very bored and pissed off look on my face ?

The words ‘I’m waiting for my wife, she’s in your second-class citizen queue’ usually get me an understanding grimace from the officer concerned.

But finally she’s through, so now let’s collect our luggage and hit the ‘red zone’ once again.

Declare the five boxes of tobacco, declare the tequila and brandy, and that’s our lot.

We walk out past those who have fucked up in going through the ‘nothing to declare’ green zone.

The guy whose luggage has shown up some cellophane packages is not too happy, he’s probably facing about five years inside but that’s his problem.

With all the security and scanners in place now, you’d think that a bit of common sense would prevail, but apparently not ?

And we’re out.

And it’s a lot cooler than it was in The Gambia…

(Well it would be, it’s past midnight)

Catch the coach back to where we parked the car, and it’s back home via the M.25 which thankfully is an easy run at that time of night.

We get in at about half past three, dump the luggage and sleep.

Haddy is not working tomorrow, but I am...

At least it's the late shift.

EID AL ADHA OR TOBASKI 2013 PART FOUR: A CLASSIC WIND-UP AND A KID'S PUNCH-UP...

It’s Tobaski…

Crunch time !

Do I or don’t I ?

First things first, cold shower because the kids have nicked all the hot water, get dressed and think about breakfast…

Sardines in baguette thingie (the bigger one than a tapa-lapa) which I’m always forgetting the name of, followed by a large cup of tea and wander outside into direct sunlight.

I think it’s going to be a hot one because it’s not so muggy as yesterday, besides we are still in the rainy season so when it builds up it really does build up.

Banging on the gates !!!

It’s Fansu from over the road, and he’s brought a friend with him…

Fansu delivering dinner...

Four legs, ugly, and bleating away like a good’un.

Which brings all the kids out and Fansu’s mate is immediately christened…

I knew this was going to happen.

Now it’s got a name I might not want to kill it, but on the other hand we called it ‘Gaddafi’ so I still might ?
I've paid out about a hundred quid for this ?

Anyway, Fansu says it needs a wash, and so the scrubbing brush comes out while ‘Gaddafi’ starts eating every bit of leaf it can reach on Haddy’s shrubs.

Finally the job is done and Fansu says he’ll be back in about an hour, while ‘Gaddafi’ is tethered to where he can do the least harm.

Gaddafi

More banging on the gates and Baddou and his family have arrived. 

N'Dey, looking a bit sad...

Yama

His sister has recently died and so he has taken over the looking after of her two children also, so we’ve got N’Dey and his sister’s two, plus baby Awa and wife Yama.

Baby Awa

Baddou's late sister's pair (sorry kids, but I don't have your names)

Eldest daughter Haddy has gone to one of her friends where she has an invite so she’ll be the missing one today.

It’s a shame but Baddou’s sister’s little girl is definitely not well.

I think it’s probably just a cold, but we’ll keep an eye out to make sure she’s alright.

The lad is fine though, doesn’t seem as if anything is wrong with him ?

He looks about eight to ten years, but is quite striking in his outfit, and he does look out for his little sister.

Kawsu’s arrived…

Something is going on.

And it’s not just Gaddafi, I can smell it ?

And finally…

No.

I will not be killing Gaddafi because I am not a Muslim and to be done properly he needs the prayer before they do it !!!

YOU RATBAGS !!!

Cue laughter track... (from EVERYBODY ELSE in the compound)

You’ve all kept me wound up for the last how many months telling me that because I’m head of the household I have to do it, and now I don’t ?

And what’s more even Sibo and Jalika were in on it ?

Ha bloody ha !

Good joke.

Just don’t ask me for any pocket money because I’ve seriously been having kittens over having to do it, now I’m going to get my own back…

Ok, the butt of the joke is me, but how they all managed to keep straight faces through God knows how many skype calls over the last few months is beyond me ?

That has to be one of the best wind-up’s ever.

But I will have my revenge…

I think it’s Awa and the twins who perpetrated it with Haddy’s collusion ?

Damn !!!

I need a beer…

So… Everybody has been offered a drink and everybody is here except Fansu, therefore I’m going to sort out today’s 'sounds' which are a judicious mixture of Gambian stuff that they know, Youssou N’Dour which they also know, a few of the kid’s favourites and a few of Haddy’s and mine.

Want to know what the playlist included ?

Youssou N’Dour, Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, Mickey Hart Band, Grateful Dead, Los Lobos, Dr John, Levon Helm, Fairport Convention, Sona Jobarteh, Afro Manding of The Gambia, Fatoumata Diawara, Rokia Traore, Tinariwen, Emmylou Harris, Dolly Parton, Jackson Browne and CSNY off the top of my head…

It was quite varied to say the least.

And now Fansu’s back…

A quick conversation with Kawsu, and the pair of them take Gaddafi around the back of the house along with Baddou and a very sharp knife.

Fansu says he’ll be back for the knife later…

All the rest of the food has been prepared by Awa, Yama and Hassanatou.
If it hadn't been censored to nonsensical ends by Youtube, you could have watched a video of the occasion, but unfortunately it fell foul of the 'copyright' laws, having a musical soundtrack as it did.
Bummer ! 

Haddy has taken charge of the meat.
Anyone for a lamb chop ?

Most of it has vanished over the road to the compounds opposite via the Sibo delivery service.

I have however requested a leg to be placed in the freezer for later…

A LOT later.

That comes out when Tobaski has been and gone, and THEN I’ll cook it.

The problem is that people walk by and smell it cooking and then invite themselves…

I don’t think I’ll ever get used to that ?

Visitors come and go...

Pa Musa

 Pa Musa...

Buba' Sainey

Buba'  Sainey

But I have to confess I am totally stuffed when we finish eating…

BURP !!!

And I don’t think I’m the only one ?

Of course all the local children make a bee-line for our compound when they realise we’re actually there.

All of them are dressed to the nines.

Smart new outfits, wraps and dresses. 

Fatou Bintou and the girls

It’s all there.

Baby Sarjo, and the lads

Here’s a few shots of some that we know. 

A very shy group led by Binta on the left who seems to have turned into a young lady from her 'Dennis the Menace' persona eighteen months ago...

And they all go off happily after Haddy has paid them…

Trouble is, they then tell all their friends and so it’s never ending…

It’s going to happen again tomorrow but with ‘Western’ or ‘European’ dress.

I think the money will run out first.

Ok, it’s middle to late afternoon and most of the local children we know have been in and admired and paid for their efforts.

Our lot and Baddou’s bunch are quite happily playing and messing about as kids do, but there’s a bunch outside, all boys, who despite being asked constantly not to, keep opening our compound gate and shouting that they want meat, and to be honest they are getting on my tits somewhat.

Not just mine, but they are disturbing our nice mellow atmosphere we’ve got going.

Haddy has already told them to get lost and they still haven’t, so when they swing the gate open again, I’m behind it…

‘Oi, come on you lot, scram… You’re beginning to annoy people…’

‘Give us meat, toubab…’

‘Toubab, you have meat and we don’t… Give us meat…’

‘Wanna ask politely, or is that beyond you… I don’t mind, but I will smack you in the gob if you speak to me rudely again… Now piss off before my wife sees you off, and if that happens you’ll definitely regret it…’

And I went and sat down again…

Haddy looks up and says ‘They didn’t listen, did they ?’

‘Nope’.

‘I’ll sort it out…’

‘Ok…’

And out of the compound she walked…

But the little buggers wouldn’t cease and the gate swung open again.

I got up to do something but Baddou’s late sister’s little lad got up first and started walking toward the gate, Jalika falling in behind him and Little ‘Tapha bringing up the rear.

Little 'Tapha

The gate swings open again and the kids walk outside.

There is an almighty thudding sound followed by a scream, another thudding noise followed by more yells and then the scream of brakes followed by a loud torrent of abuse and the three kids come walking back into the compound, closing the gate behind them.

It turns out that Baddou’s sister’s lad had grabbed the nearest one and ‘nutted’ him full on.

One of his friends has raised his fist toward him and so Jalika had swung one punch and the second one has flown backwards into the road and into the path of a passing taxi…

Whoops !!!

At that point all hell broke loose and the rest ran away.

Little ‘Tapha just watched it happen.

Talk about a mutual admiration society…

I think Jalika has just made a friend for life.

High five’s and big grins between the pair of them.

Baddou’s sister’s lad cannot get over the fact that a girl, and a small one at that, can actually fight…

Well, it’s not the usual hair-tugging is it ?

Jalika, off to prayers...

But then we don’t call her ‘Little Miss Ali’ for nothing.

And then Haddy comes back.

‘It's sorted dear, the kids sorted it…’

‘I’ve spoken to their parents, they won’t be rude again’

‘You’re probably right, but there’s a couple nursing bruises right now…’

‘Why, what happened  ?’

And it all went round again with actions this time.

Sibo, Awa and the twins are in absolute hysterics, Yama is shaking her head and Baddou is looking on proudly.

Poor N’Dey doesn’t quite know what to make of it all.

Haddy just shakes her head…

‘Eeee that child… Jalika must stop hitting people’

‘I think you ought to give her a hug and say thank you for sticking up for the family, though… And to be honest she was just protecting the lad from getting thumped, there were five of them…’

‘It’s not ladylike…’

‘No, it’s not… But it got the required result…’

‘Hmmmm…’

And so we settled down again until the evening.

When it was time to leave and pick up their Haddy, Baddou and Yama were loaded, but they’ll all be back tomorrow for Tobaski’s second day.

The one thing you can say in all honesty is that it’s never dull around here…