This is the 6th or 7th time I've seen this lady. When I first noticed her (who wouldn't?) she was wearing a bright colored dress, with a purse over her shoulder. She is tall, I'm talking 6 feet at least and her skin a beautiful deep black. Going to school this week, with the dog and kids, she's passed me by and I try to catch her eye to say hi... but she looks straight ahead. The thing that catches my breath the most is the way she walks. or should I say her relaxed stride. I saw her down the sidewalk coming towards us (half a block away), trees, concrete, school fence, children running to school around her but all I saw was an African savanna, dry umbrella trees and a slim, tall, brightly dressed Dinka women (staff in hand for the goats?) walking with a gait that eats up miles with no effort at all. That vision faded as she was passing by and I finally caught her eye, she mine and I said "Hi there!". She smiled, interest and happy surprise covering her face, and returned the greeting. On I went, on she went....first contact filling my heart with the wonder of mystery. Who is she? Where is she from? What does she think of this crazy Canadian scene? I have so many questions, so curious.
some weeks ago, I read about a Lost Boy from the Dinka tribe (from Sudan) that made it to U.S. as a refugee. Government supported tribal raiders came in one nite to their village and changed their lives forever with terror and death. He was one of thousands forming miles long lines of young boys, hounded by starvation and raids, trying to reach the border refugee camps. My heart goes out to this lady (I'll name her Gazelle), to the Lost Children....maybe she is one of them. I hope I get to find out, it might change my life....
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