Episode 30

Kelly was about to say something when a large crack of thunder interrupted her words, "Are you sure you want to go out on a night like this? You have a long way to travel. It would be safer if you stayed overnight and only left tomorrow. It is Sunday, after all, so, unless you have a previous engagement, you don't have to rush to get somewhere."

"It'll be fun; you'll see," added Jill. "Joe and I sleep on bedrolls whenever we're here. It's actually quite comfortable. It's like you're camping."

Kelly smiled, "I have two more bedrolls in my closet. I bought a set of four. We could also do a couple more pieces early tomorrow."

"How can I refuse?"

Meanwhile, back in town, Aunt Jane, with me always out on my modeling contract, was feeling bored. When Mom and Dad died in that car accident, she had felt duty-bound to take me in because 'the poor kid had no one else'. Granted, I had just finished my last year of high school but that was still too young to be on one's own. While she hadn't said so, she had been worried, however, that I would put a crimp in her routine. And I had, at that ... because of me, she had stayed 'textile' for over six months. Just thinking about it, I could almost feel her scratching and tugging at her uncomfortable clothes.

Now, a year later, when I wasn't there, she didn't know what to do with herself. On a whim, she slipped on a summer dress, grabbed a towel and walked over to Lisa's.

"Hi, Lisa. I was wondering if I might ... Oh! Excuse me."

"Oh! Hi, Jane ... Come on in. Jane, I'd like you to meet Uhuru M'Boto. Dr M'Boto is on an exchange program from Rwanda; he's here to investigate ways to improve the school system back home. Ever since this ethnic civil war between the Tutsi and the Hutu broke out in the early 90s, the only thing the kids learned over there was how to kill other kids and he's trying to rebuild everything. Uhuru, this lady is my best friend, Jane Bowie. She's a division manager for a big electronics component manufacturer here in town. Her nephew is married to my daughter."

The tall, imposing black man stood up and shook Aunt Jane's hand. "I'm pleased to meet you."

"Thank you. I am as well. I have been following the Rwandan situation in the news pretty well as much of America has been, I suppose ... We know that there has been a civil war and genocide, but I'm afraid that it all seems so far away."

"Jane, can I offer you anything; lemonade, or something stronger... ?"

"I wouldn't mind a gin and tonic, if you have it."

Dr M'Boto chuckled... "Ahhh ... the drink of the English colonialists."

"Smile when you say that, brother ... we Bowies are directly related to Scotland's Macgregor clan."

"Oops ... I do believe I've put my foot in it, haven't I."