What a journey

So, in my reading today, Valentino has been taken to the hospital by Achor Achor, his roommate. There, Valentino experiences the fun of an American ER waiting room...now this is not the fun of drunkards or crazies...this is the fun of waiting hours to be treated even when no one is in there (which surprises me because it is HOTlanta...ugh hate that word). Julian, the receptionist ensures Valentino the doctor will be ready shortly, but it keeps dragging. Achak loses his patience and cannot understand why such an "amazing" medical system would call for such a wait. He calls one of his sponsors and has her speak to Julian...apparently the hospital is short-staffed.

As they are waiting, another Sudanese named Lino comes to borrow their car. The preface to Lino is his journeys through attempting to get married and bring a wife back to the United States. The process, to me, takes much too long. I don't know how they would have the patience...overall it would take a couple of years. Plus, dowries are in cows. The more cows you have, the more likely you are to marry a daughter. A story was shared about a guy named Gabriel who got a wife at 130 and she wasn't even the pick of the litter. 130 cows? Really? I guess they have not figured out currency. I wanna pay for this book in cows please...and rest assured...we will hear that. I think a trade paperback book is at least worth a gallon of milk and a steak.

As Valentino is trying to understand why he is waiting, he begins reminiscing on another story that he is telling Julian in his head. Valentino would be a mutter under your breath type person, I believe...he counters everyone with a story. This story is one of being in Pinyudo, Ethiopia. This is the designated area for the Lost Boys who have made it. Achak does not believe he is in Ethiopia because it is not as amazing as he thought it would be. Plus, everyone is dying and there are over 16,000 boys there. Achak becomes the leader of a group of eleven boys and names them the Eleven. His deputy leader is Achor Achor. This whole segment was based on how they met in Sudan.

A little tribal warfare begins within the camp between the River People and the boys. It is pretty sad because ultimately people do die...a lot of them. There is also the story of how George Bush, Sr. discovered oil under the the land of Sudan and how the split country divided even more after the discovery of oil...and of course, America began to meddle in affairs. Thus, people were uprooted because Chevron was coming in.

What a happy time.

Well, today I packed. Work was fine. Nothing really crazy. I sold a Nook.

Right now it is around 1:30AM and I have a cab ride to Addison Blue Line at 5:10AM. I have to wake at 4:50AM. My flight is at 6:45...I will be in Charlotte at 9:45 in the morning. I am really excited because this is the first time I have seen my mom since June...and the first time I have seen my South Carolinian friends since, too. Tonight we had a CRAZY whiteout in Skokie. Snow was not predicted and there was about 4 inches in a short time. Glad that is over.

The blanket of snow after work.

The two pictures below are a tribute to snow. This is the park at my apartment. Fall and Winter.

Fall :)
Winter!

And this is my tribute to dorkiness in literature. You figure it out. ;) Good ole London.

Good morning and next blog is from South Kakalacki.