US Victory

I was the only person in Dakar cheering for the American team. Or at least that’s the way it felt…and sounded.

This afternoon, when I dropped by the little grocery down the road, the owner had a one word greeting for me: “GHANA!” He was smiling but he and the other 10 guys hanging around waiting for the game to start were sincere. They wanted Ghana to win. The US was between them and the win they wanted for Africa.

I watched until mid-way through the overtime. Then I joined Nathalie and Paul for dinner. I didn’t have to sit in front of the TV to know what was happening. The cheers from the restaurant next door told the whole story. When the overtime ended, I knew Ghana had won. And I knew what I had to do. I had to go to the store and congratulate the guys.

They were all on the street. As I passed, each one yelled out “GHANA!” and laughed and waved. And each time, I laughed and responded “Felicitations!” At the store, the owner gave me a big grin and handshake, which is a remarkably friendly gesture for a Muslim male.

This loss actually felt like a victory for me. It's all about perspective. Just like life.