Incommunicado

So, why have we not been heard from lately? A combination of reasons (excuses really), but the one we will offer (because it comes with a ridiculous story) is that our computer was destroyed.


Get this: while Sam rode back from her workplace in Bamako one day she was struck at high speed by a motorcyclist. She was thrown from her bike a remarkably long distance. So far, in fact, one marvels at the fact that she was not seriously injured. How? One reason was Sam’s apparent bike surfing capabilities. Not unlike the wake surfing she did in Sierra Leone, she rode atop the skidding bike as long as possible until, like a wave, it all crashed down around her. She was thrown from the bike, skidding and rolling the rest of the way to a stop. She was shaken, with a tasty bit of road rash on her left arm and right palm. Miraculously, she received only bruises on her legs, no cuts (or even any rips to her pants)! Truly amazing for those who are familiar with Malian cloth (which is not exactly Carhart-type stuff or even cheesecloth-type stuff, for that matter). Another reason was that a goodly part of the collision was absorbed by our computer in the side-mounted saddlebag. There are certainly other reasons that she was not hurt badly that only Allah knows (we will certainly give him all due credit for the magic pants). She is unlikely to thank Him for the discomfort of having road debris cleaned out of her skin (which she did not appreciate) but in a place of such dubious sanitation that it has rarely been more necessary to thoroughly clean a wound (which she did appreciate).

Sam is now completely healed and even has a new bike to replace her broken one (courtesy of Kelly Jones leaving hers behind and is herself healed, great to hear!) which is why this incident is safe to report, as parents will always worry no matter the age their child.

The computer has been replaced, so our list of excuses dwindles...