So I woke up this morning to the phone ringing. It was Atumbo. He seems to really love me. So warm and friendly is he. Mr. Adam this and Mr. Adam that. He proudly tells me that the deal is all set and this will be just the beginning as I am now a personal friend of the President. Cool. Finally he gets to the point. He needs money. To protect the land title from a rival political group who have heard about the COLTAN. Uh oh. Between rival groups of sinewed and armed natives driving pick up trucks with machine guns mounted on the back. Yes, thats where I want to be.
I then suggest that maybe we should delay the deal till things quiet down. Like after the elections..or after the coup or the anti-coup or the re-coup or the merci beau-coup. Timeline unknown. What I was really saying was "im outta here!". He repeated his request for some money, $5000, I stalled for time and told him to meet me for lunch tommorow at the Kapisnki. He agreed. I hope I can get a flight out today. I have made several mistakes and have lost all in all around $25000. What to do? At least i'm alive.
I was on my way to the hotels travel agent to book a flight when that spooky guy Paul passed me and this time he turned around and said "hey, Adam good to see you." He suggested we get a coffee and we went into the restaraunt. After some chit chat he tells me that there is alot of instability right now. I asked flatly "Who do you work for?" He says that he in the "private sector but with a government contract". I assume he is with Blackwell or Stategic resources Inc. one of those mercenary sub-contractor multi-nationals. I tell him what I have been doing and he says he has heard and that "everyone knows about the coltan and that it is very dangerous for you right now as both sides think you are more than you are". He tells me that the "opposition" is convinced that I work for the Saudi's. I asked him where did they get that idea and he shrugged. A shrug like he knew but couldnt say. As he left his parting advice was " Maybe your leaving Burkina Faso is a good idea".
I agree. Right now I am waiting for the travel agent to come back from lunch and then hopefully I can get a flight tonight.
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3 comments:
Well after all you are telling us now Ronny and I have decided to take our business somewhere else. But I will catch up with you one of these days and give you a chance to pay me back for that favor involving the $5000 and your very drunk self at the wheel of Susan's car.
Get out of there!!!
Gio
Hello Pagalo,
Wow!!! What have you stepped upon!?!
Hope you are still in one piece.
By the way Burkina Faso is on the Brazil shit list for being a country endemic for yellow fever. Did you get a shot?
i hope so
Toto
Hey Adam, hope, u´re ok. Give me a sign of life as soon as possible.
Kisses, Alex
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