Ramadan is over. Ba survived, as did billions of others who fasted from sunrise to sunset from the beginning of one new moon to the end of the next. Observing Ba during the month, it was apparent that he was not experiencing hardship by giving up his noonday meal. He boosted his intake at 5:30, adding extra protein to help him get through the day. The part that seemed challenging to me was the abstinence from water, especially through the hottest days of the summer.
Throughout the month, he was as happy, loving and generous as always. Ba is Seal’s best friend, and the two of them continued to play together, work in the yard, take care of the sheep and go for the evening baguettes. He was endlessly kind, never impatient or put out by the endless chatter and demands of a two-year old boy discovering the world. But it did seem to me there was a bit of border-line exuberance last night when I called Ba for dinner, and we engaged in a little hand-slapping and celebrating. The moon was visible. The annual ritual was complete.
Today, Ba dressed up in a new green grand boubou, which is the traditional Senegalese men’s kaftan costume of pants and ankle-length top, and off he went to mosque. The morning call to prayers was extra loud and long …lots of singing and exhorting…and I’m sure the mid-day services were similarly expanded. I feel as though Dakar has slowed down today. Certainly the streets are quiet as families traveled to be together today for services and celebrating. It’s not unlike the emptying and quieting of New York during the Jewish holidays.
Aita and Suzette and Ba have the day off. Nathalie stayed home from work. Seal didn’t go to school. We’re just a little family hanging around the house, going for a fantastic ice cream at Gusto, enjoying the relative quiet (when the mosque isn’t broadcasting) and contemplating tomorrow, the anniversary of 9/11.
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