April 27, 2024

My good friend, Phil Glennon, an attorney, must have studied the Socratic Method in law school. Regarding my post about the Ayan Cemani chicken, he commented: “So if you grill a black chicken, how do you know when it’s done?” Think about it.

Ghana is a poor country. Very poor.

The Ghana government planned to build a market where local merchants could sell items. When I was in Takoradi last year that market had been being planned for three years. This year I was told it may be completed in about two more years. When I went by the site of the proposed market I saw no building progress. We’ll see what happens. The result is that vendors have to cart their merchandise and display it in haphazard order at best. From my observation, few items are sold.

As I travel, I like to take photos of people I met along the way. I always ask permission first, sometimes with just the gesture of my fingers snapping a photo. I may not always remember the town, but I do tend to remember the people. An observation I have made is that adult Africans don’t change their pose when being photographed. Most of us usually smile when someone is taking a picture of us. I don’t think it is because they are tired of having their picture taken, many of my pictures are taken in remote areas. But there is a certain despondency that remains on their faces.

I’m not sure if they have it in your community, but when our granddaughter, Ella, now age 15, was in the first grade on Grandparents’ Day, all grandparents are invited to the school to have lunch with their grandchildren. Chongae and I arrived a little early and were waiting in the school lobby when Ella, who must have been asked to bring a note to the front desk, spotted us. Without hesitation, with no inhibition and with full abandonment, she ran across the lobby shouting “PaPa, PaPa” and jumped into my arms. Every grandparent’s dream welcome.

I share this example of Ella’s innocence with you because, unlike the adults of Takoradi I photographed the children I videoed in Takoradi last year were engaged, receptive and smiled easily and often. Was it because they have not yet been jaded by the cultural dynamics that face them and they still have much to smile about? Is it because the passing of time ages us all and we lose our ability to be spontaneous? I’m not sure, but I know the laughter of the children of Takoradi was contagious.

Clint Eastwood, the actor, age 93, was asked how he maintained a youthful optimism. He replied, “Don’t let the old man in”.

I’m trying my best to not let the old man in. It’s not always easy but remembering the fun I had with these children sure helps. Who knows, the next time I see you I may run across the room and jump in your arms! (0nly kidding…I don’t want you ending up in the emergency room!)

Thanks for traveling with us.