Fast and Prayer

Today is a Liberian public holiday called Fast and Prayer Day. I've done neither, being a gluttonous atheist.

I worked in the hotel room as the office was closed and later hung out with my Liberian chums. Nothing was open except a street stall absolutely booming out Grenade by Bruno Mars from a speaker the size of me positioned next to the drinks fridge. Various revellers around and little trace of fasting or praying.

Hearing barely intact I could only make away with some Sprites and several cans of pineapple juice. We took it back to the 1990s and played Taboo and one of the group made a delicious vodka ice tea lemonade concoction, which may be the first time I have enjoyed vodka.

After about 11pm in Monrovia the traffic police start menacing motorists, in a very blatant strategy to collect bribes. As normal when someone out of the ordinary, i.e. me, passes, it's a good excuse to exercise some authority or break up the monotony. The policeman was nonchalantly waving vehicles past until he caught sight of me through the window and started hollering that I needed 'authorisation' to pass. I wanted to argue as there is no such permission needed, but stayed calm as I knew the taxi driver would be the one to suffer. He had to pay 100 Liberian dollars (around 75 US cents) for the privilege of passing, but was fairly cheerful about the whole thing. It's not grand corruption but shouldn't be dismissed as part and parcel of life.