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resting in the shade of a thatched roof at the market in delgo we watched the town go dead with the approaching heat of the afternoon. the curious children disappeared, the music from the shops stopped and soon the market was quiet and empty. the only thing that moved was a few empty plastic bags, industrial tumble-weeds, blown over the main square by a lazy breeze.
we were well-rested and full of strength when we packed up and continued driving at four, but the heavily corrugated road was tiring to drive on and soon drained our energies. we had hoped to reach the town of abri by the evening, but in a small place called wawa we changed our plans.
the man we asked for water had the gentle face of a content grandfather and smiled when he simply said: "you look tired. come and stay at my house". without waiting for an answer he indicated us to follow and led the way down a narrow, sandy, street. he had said it so naturally and convincing that we simply followed him.
ismael's house was a dream. it had a big courtyard and through open arches in the airy passages there was constant breeze. the walls were painted in beige and white which contrasted perfectly against the deep blue sky. it was beauty in simplicity and the house looked like the masterpiece in a prestigious architectural magazine.
we took a shower and sat down with ismael and his family who treated us as naturally as long-awaited guest. there seemed to be nothing exciting in our arrival and nobody seemed to be the least surprised, as if we were members of the family; or friends who frequently came to visit.
after a fantastic meal ismael, mauro and i carried our beds into court yard and talked for a while as the sun went down. ismael was a retired doctor whose brothers had moved to the united states. he had visited them in los angeles but, even though he appreciated certain aspects of live in america, he much preferred to live here. we eventually said good night and i laid on my back staring into the sky.
it was such a clear night that, for the first time in my life, i perceived the sky as three-dimensional and not as a gigantic canvas, dotted with shiny spots. it reminded me of a waterless ocean, deep and vast, where brighter stars seemed close and the smaller ones further away; it all seemed so near. infinity and eternity became rational and i suddenly felt completely immersed in universe and as part of it all. "living under such a sky," i thought, "with so much greatness above, one's insignificance becomes perfectly evident". it is no surprise that people here have such a strong believe in god and such faith.
a feeling of happiness came over me; this must have been one of the best moments of my live, in the house of a gentle stranger, on the bank of the nile, in the middle of the desert.