Itchy Irritations

I just did something that I'd NEVER do in the States: stand in line for 2 hours at the bank, only to wait for 40 minutes more at the window to PAY ONE BILL. Seriously. I want to unibomb our phone carrier, but the hard fact is that 90% of their customers buy cards, not a monthly plan... so we aren't their priority. :) Its no wonder we are always late in paying our bill. What a DAY WASTER! My walking meditation has climbed to a whole new level that I was able to do that without being an antsy, twitchy mess. And I was happy to find out that my fellow line-standers were just as roll-their-eyes annoyed as I was about throwing away two hours of their day in a line. The difference between Haitians and Americans in this instance, however, is that Haitians don't wear their annoyance all over their face or in every body movement. No toe tapping, no heavy sighs, no growling expressions. We chatted about how many people were ahead of us, how few bankers were working, and how achy our feet were, laughing about it instead. So I ponied up and tried to get rid of my "I'm American and you aren't making me happy" non-verbal communication and tried to emulate my fellow Haitian's adapt-to-the-situation persona.

I came home with a new appreciation for the automatic bill pay option from my bank, wishing there were ways I could stretch it to all parts of my life. :) "Oh, you are boring and pointless? Let me put you on autopilot!"

Last night Sol had a tossing/turning/moaning/crying-all-night night. If I had to guess, I would say it was from the heat. Even the fan didn't help much, and we only had it on for half the night because the city power is once again refusing to do its job and provide even periodic power for the city. The hum of generators all over the neighborhood is a constant. So I'm tired from my own tossing and turning, trying to find a comfy spot, trying to usher my son back to sleep, trying to focus on something other than the itchy GIANT mosquito bites that have cropped up on the inside of my thighs. It looks like I had some cross between an animal and a mosquito pinched between my legs at some point, and as it fought for its life, it apparently tried to bite its way through on either side. Of course whatever it was, it was still no match for my Mary Lou Retton hams, but still... he gave it a fair fight because I'm now toting giant raised, red, intensely itchy mountainous bumps the size of thumb prints the very place where my thighs kiss, and there is even some bruising!!! Seriously. Makes for an itchy day in the sun in a place a little uncouth to scratch. Also makes standing still in a line that inches forward at a snail's pace all the more heroic.

Ah the glamour of it all.