Fifteen Kids, a Bull Cart and a PCV (Part 2)

Friday was a little different. At 6:30, no one was out waiting, so I just start walking, Malinda and others catch up and Marva catches me to say she’s getting some things and will come along just now, but we shouldn’t wait. We start walking. I expect to meet Russian with the cart at the same location, but he wasn’t there. We keep walking. Did we get left behind? I wonder, Was the plan to meet him further up the road? What else was there to do but keep walking? Though I walked with my “on a mission” walk, I know I held the kids up; they all somehow manage to make the trek look like a short, fun trip with running, skipping, walking and exploring all part of it.

Even though Q is 7 miles from Y, many people walked or biked there, fairly easily. I could have done so myself, though I was grateful for the alternative transportation. While, admittedly, I’m not in the best shape the village seems to find me even less so and doesn’t think me able of certain tasks. Either way, it was with relief on different level at reaching Russian’s house and seeing he hasn’t left yet. We get going and this day, I remember my camera. Since the cart is returning for other cargo, we walk the last leg of the journey, having arrived early, despite the slow pace.

More people are here this day and there’s even an opening ceremony with marching and everything. A lot of the events are for older students, and they’re more exciting. Also, though, the nursery school kids had running competitions which was a highlight. I got some great pictures I’m happy with. More camaraderie with the kids and me and Russian kept getting more and more excited as Pheasant House took and maintained the lead in points. At the end of the day, the score totals were: Eagles 312, Macaw 316, and Pheasant 331! Russian and Monique had pondered what we could do to celebrate if we won and they decided to do a lap around the track shouting “We’re number 1!” So, we did. Russian asked if I would (could) and I said sure (though I wasn’t quite so sure) but we took off with the banner, all the kids and changing “Who brought first? – Pheasants! Who brought second? – Macaws!” At the last 1/4th of the track, Russian looks at me (maybe I was puffing extra hard or something, I dunno) and calls “Stop!” and we walk a bit, then he looks at me, as if to check and starts jogging again to the finish. I actually think I could have ran/jogged the whole thing, though I was appreciative of Russian’s consideration and his quiet way of doing it. And because he wasn’t driving the cart home, he made sure I had a ride back in a truck.

I learned some new things about my counterpart these two days – he’s very good with kids, he knows how to raise morale and get people energized, he can be thoughtful ---- and he’s one bad ass bull cart wrangler.