We’re taking the long way home.
Through the UK.
More to follow.
Before this, through Athens. More to follow from here also.
And before this, transiting through Brussels airport. Yes, that Brussels airport. And sure, more to follow from this (now) well-known spot as well.
But first, it’s the pool, our final good-bye to Uganda for another stretch of some months.
Liz – “Dad. How many lanes do I have to do to get rock-hard abs?”
Me – “I don’t know.”
We swim two lanes. (She’s faster than you think.)
Me (a little winded) – “Okay. I think I have them now. I have rock-hard abs.”
I go to Mom. “Babe, come here. Here give me your hand. Feel these abs, Babe. Are they not rock hard?”
Mom – “Oh yeah, I can feel the flub.”
Me – “The flub?”
Liz – “Dad, listen to her. She’s a doctor!”
Me – “The flub?”
Mom – “I mean, you know. The grooves. Between the muscles.”
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Just before this, we’re all having lunch. For a minute, it’s just me and Liz.
The guy one table over leans over to me and says, “Excuse me. But can you tell me what you’re doing here in Uganda? My buddy and me want to know.”
Me – “I live in Mukono, at the university, along with my family. I’m a writer. And I teach. Why do you ask?”
Guy – “Well, me and my buddy here are just asking people what they’re doing here in Uganda.”
Me – “So what did you guess I was doing here.”
Guy – “You’re not going to like it.”
Me – “Uh huh.”
Guy – “I thought you were here visiting your grandkids.”
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Okay. Flub? Maybe.
But really, the Daily Granddad?
Really?
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So this guy (he’s from San Diego and very proud of it) tells me he and his buddy are asking other people the same question. He points to one table over on the other side, and points out a very funky looking African with hair that some of us could only dream of.
Guy – “See that guy? He’s a hip-hop musician.”
Me – “Well, I can see that.”
Guy – “Yeah, I thought you were a granddad, but my buddy here thought that you were just here in Uganda doing something really unusual, something a bit off-the-wall, a bit different. Not anything like being a writer – nothing that unusual – just something out there.”
I can’t make this stuff up.
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“My dad,” I eventually said to this guy, “is in his mid-80s. My wife’s parents are in their mid-70s.”
Remind me not to ever go through San Diego.
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So, speaking of watching movies in Uganda, which we were recently, I can report two other things. One relates to the new, (sort of new) Star Wars movie.
But I’ve used up all my space and time for today. So it will just have to wait.
Along with those updates from the long way home.