La premier lundi avec Astou

“The first Monday with Astou” it rained and rained. This time, I was not so frightened that the house would flood, the dead palm tree would topple, the electricity would go, and Allison and I would be stranded, waiting to be struck by lightning. This time, the tree held fast, the generator faithfully kicked in, and the doorbell rang- with a wet but confident Astou waiting on the street. “What now?”, I wondered in English. She entered and began in French asking where she could put her things, then began to unwrap her beautiful blue robes, starting at her head. “Ahhhh, I see.” Allison and I made for another part of the house, while she continued to unwrap. When we returned, she wore a simpler, but dry, dress. She held the bluebird blue cloth, asking where the line was. She insisted on hanging it outdoors, even though it was still raining. Allison and I watched in the rain as she unfolded what was once a dress, to become the equivalent of two flat twin sheets and one flat crib sheet all in beautiful blue with a deep border of an intricate printed design. She must have known that the rain would stop, that the beds would get made, and that in time we would understand each other more.