Carlotta,

Thanks for your letters: I was up at that hour, and I really did think about you. It was 3:00am Minnesota time, I am beginning to dislike Minnesota, by the way, too many Somalis here, and when I ask them where they come from, they say Kenya! I used to ask them "what part" until I realized that they hardly speak English, and totally no Kiswahili! What kind of Kenyan is that...even Kiswahili cha bara is something close to Swahili anyway - no offence intended...but then again, if you take offence so what? To whom will you take offence, is it not safe with me only?

Then you said that you like attending classes but not doing exams. You remarked as a by the way, "I like fast things" well babie, here is where we differ...I like them slow, deliberate and
smooth...with occassional fast beats towards the end as the tempo rhythmically ascends only to enter into the realm of radical descent.  I like to savor the sweetness, feeling every
movement back and forth, and around. I like cooking it real hot until it begin to hiss! Ever cooked ugali* so well, when you are stirring the mwiko* you see the dough bubbling and hissing like a snake? I just like to lead your dear one to that feelings until you literally feel the hissing. My mwiko cooks deliberately, strongly, firmly and yet very gently.

Even as I cook, I can see your saliva almost pouring outta your mouth...dont mind, I'll drink it for you...I love to bath on your sweat...and to sink between your 'bumps'...well, that is how slow I am. Needless to say, I have never admired those in a hurry as if the house was on fire. I think there is a difference between being on fire, and my house in fire.

I used to hear friends saying that I "came five times" well, for me to be honest, at least twice...the third is only if the dawn does not sneak on me asleep! It is a beautiful time, when its raining and the noise of rain pata-pataring out there and we are locked into one another...boy, whatever that guy put between our legs, I sure am grateful - no regrets! Then just the fascination of looking at the face that I love most. I want to almost hear it in every
expression. It is mine to indulge in, mine to contemplate, to adore, to love and to interprete every single twitch of a senew. I wanna know you more than the back of my hand...no kidding. Temporality is not enough, finitude is very delimiting...I need eternity to handle this.

You are not just sweet as a song, you are my SONG...I sing you! Urembo wako, uzuri wako, na madaha jo, yote ni ya kupendeza! - your beauty, your goodness, your flattering ways, all are admirable - I wish I could sing you in taarab*...then you know that we’ve got a tradition jamani. I just love you and please, make sure you take your milk regularly then lactose will conform otherwise, take lactose free. I used to be that way but I began taking a glass daily of 1% and now I have no problem. I cannot take whole milk though, even half-half still messes up my tummy.

Blessings and Peace
My Pearl
Barney

1)      Ugali ; Kenya’s main staple food, made of maize flou rand stirred in boiling water until cooked.

2)      Mwiko ; A special flat wooden spoon used to stir ugali

3)      Taarab ; Traditional song originally by the Nubians