The Strength of a Gesture.

Walking down the street the other day I saw 2 men walking holding hands. They were young and I wasn't about to believe that they were sexually involved, but who knew? I asked my dear friend Kojo (picture to follow tomorrow), with whom I have become very good friends, what was up...

He said that here good friends will walk hand in hand...fingers interlaced...it is a sign of endearment, trust, and friendship. I smiled and we went about our tour of the craft market.

Insert pee story here:

I had to pee. Unfortunately sometimes a bathroom is like finding an honest politician. Not happening. So At the market a few young men, who kept telling me, "I like your style...you have much niceness...and I like you" ad nauseum...etc, etc, etc....it is the tattoos, I'm telling you everyone loves it. Moving on, one took me to pee, and the bathroom we finally found was locked. Then 2, then 3 then 4, then 5...and finally 12 Ghanaian young me were escorting me to piss. Elvis and Jesus have nothing on me here...lol...lol. Then we ran out of places to look. They took me to where the trash dump met the ocean and said, "Piss on the Wall". how punk.

After offering to take my picture while pissing, and trekking over much refuse in all manner of decay, I finally...couldn't go. Go figure. All the fuss just killed it.

Anyway.

Later on in the afternoon, Kojo and I were walking and talking on our way to eat, and next thing I knew he had grabbed my hand and we were holding hands. In a million years in America this would never happen. I love my best friends, and you all know who you are, but we have never walked hand in hand down the sidewalk...it just isn't Western...or something. I wish that each of us could have shared this moment.

I was overcome with shock, and touched at the notion, and comforted by my new friend in a strange land.

And it was good. Perfect, simple, and good.

So many moments here that make me think of all of you...and love you all the more.

M