Dashin' to Dirty Dakar

I really struggled over whether to use this photo for this posting, primarily because I didn't want y'all to think I've lost my damn mind, or get myself in trouble with the Internet Morality Police or something. But I can think of no better way to herald my upcoming trip to Dakar, Senegal, than to share this gift my Italian friend Roberta brought back from that city for me.

Roberta is married to Bilal, who was born near Dakar. They have the most precious, precocious little girl named Sophie who I first met as an adorable 1 year old dumpling in Kampala, and who is now 3 and just a vivacious joy to behold and overhear, with her bewitching blend of Italian, French and English. I was mesmerized by Roberta's story of her first visit to Bilal's village, and how love conquered all for the multi-culti couple. I was also kind of tickled by her tales of how frank and open the Senegalese are about sex. Especially the time she was at her father-in- law's house and some other relatives came over, popped in a porno tape, and everybody gathered around to watch like we might check out re-runs of "Lost" or something. But when Roberta described these sexually-explicit cloth wraps that were sold in Senegalese marketplaces, often by wrinkly old ladies, I figured girlfriend was just piling it on a bit.

Well, Roberta was determined to prove she wasn't lying, and whipped this thang out on me after inviting me over for dinner tonight. Now I'm sitting here at home struggling with another impulse...whether to fold the danged smut smock neatly, wrap it in brown paper and shove it into the back of my closet, or to have it (you should pardon the double pun) mounted and hung on the wall! It's just the most outrageous thing I've ever seen in my life! (And damn, does it ever bring back distant memories...)

But who knows, maybe it'll get some carnal energy flowing up in The Oasis! Anyway, yes, I am headed to Dakar, Senegal next Thursday morning, to help lead a workshop on Early Childhood Development for African reporters. And maybe if there's some free time while I'm there, I'll "take a little stroll in the marketplace," if you follow the drift of my meaning......