(Previous Post: 27)
You continue wringing out the shirt in your hand, your eyes cast down. After a moment you look up, look into his eyes, and raise your eyebrows apologetically. Then you raise your hand to your throat, pat your larynx, and shake your head sadly to indicate that you have no ability to communicate with him.
“Amin n'rangwa edanea.” The man seems to say to himself. He then points to the city over the hill, speaking slower and more loudly, “I-lar-nek.” He then pats his chest, “Lait-ai-no; amin Bokrug tualle. Iire lye auta, Dinaer?” He makes a walking motion with his fingers, and follows it with an open handed gesture toward the ground. “Manka lle merna, esta sinome.”
I watch his motions intently, then nod my head vigorously as he uses words that sound familiar to me. I raise my hands and mimic the same walking motion, point in the distance--then nod and smile encouragingly at him, as I begin to struggle into my wet (but not dripping) clothing and boots, in preparation for our walk.
ReplyDelete