A bicycle and a donkey

I don’t watch television. It either makes me angry (the news) or it’s mind numbingly stupid (almost any sitcom), with the exceptions of PBS, and the BBC historical series – but that’s just me. Having said that, I will say that every time I am at Q’s grandparents’ (who have a television in almost every room) I watch it like mad to see if I have missed anything. I do however watch movies, Sci-fi series, and DEADWOOD, but all on DVD. When I work I like noise, either the noise of a restaurant (my office in the New City), or of people at the mall (my office in Souissi), but I can’t listen to music because I pay attention – the same reason I can’t play my operas when I work. But the sounds of movies is just right for white noise, of course I have to watch them at least once, but then I can play them over and over without distraction. I find ‘blow ‘em up movies especially useful for this purpose. All this to say I bought a DVD machine and monitor to give my Apple a rest from DVD duty. The monitor is fine but the remote for the DVD doesn’t work, which is more than a problem of having to get up to turn it on and off, as all the bloody controls (like language, duh) are controlled by the remote.

On Sunday I purchased one of the universal remotes at a little shop on Digital Alley in the Medina, thinking that might work, but no joy. Yesterday I took it back to the shop with the broken one to show the chap in the shop what I need. “Oh just bring in the machine and I will see what is wrong and what you need,” he said.
“Brilliant,” says I and started on my merry way home. I stopped in the fruit market for peaches, bananas, and apples. I was strolling/skipping/bouncing along the Medina enjoying the lovely day, watching the people, and looking in the shop windows. I saw the youngster coming toward me on the bicycle but as the Medina was not so crowded I was not concerned. I did move to the side to give him room. The street is quite large you see, like the width of a wide road. The bicycle was headed to the right, so I went left. The youngster hit a bump, and the bicycle took a burst of speed to the left. I could tell he had lost control by the startled look on his face, but it was too late for me to move further away. The bicycle crashed into my left arm and the handlebars took my hand around my back. The young man regained control of his vehicle, put his feet on the ground to steady himself and looking like he feared the wrath of Kali, began to apologize profusely. What could I do? You can’t berate the child. He didn’t mean to run into me, so I had to “ouch” in private after reassuring him I was fine and had no intention of doing whatever horrible thing to him that he was imagining.

I continued on my way, holding and assessing my now reddened wrist, which I knew, would turn to the lovely blue and black it is today, when a frantic donkey came out of the alley to my right side at a run. I must say this is the first time since coming to Morocco I have seen one of the little fellows run, but run he did, and right into me. Down I went, still holding my injured wrist, with a yelp.

Following the donkey out of the alley, at a dead run, was another youngster who after catching hold of the donkey’s bridle, came running over to help me up. Now he was apologizing. Such a morning so far. He then suggested that he give me a ride to the Oudayas on the donkey! I said “No,” envisioning the jarring ride, legs dragging the ground, in inappropriate dress. I would have much preferred walking but he was so serious, and when I accepted he was inordinately pleased with himself as I seemed unable to explain to him the injury to my wrist was not the fault of the donkey. I felt quite out of time bouncing along on the donkey on the cobbled street like some Berber tribeswoman coming to town to shop. Fortunately it was still early (for Morocco) and not many people were about. I had him let me off at the entrance to the Medina, as I did not fancy riding the donkey across the highway. It was totally worth the slightly bruised bum I have today to see his beaming face when I thanked him for the lift.

Today I am taking the DVD machine for examination. I am going to stay close to the buildings keeping a good watch for errant bicycles and frazzled donkeys.

Ciao.