Friday, October 2, 2009

SIX it is – but which 1 ;p ? Six feet under? The sixth sense? On the six? Precisely six o’ clock – or sixish?


….hm, rather 2 actually – 2 AM, for that would most accurately describe the time I used to be done with work and finally fall fast asleep during the past 3 to 4 weeks. Why? the observant reader might ask – well, a short term project with an even shorter time horizon kept me awake and in fact quite busy even after six J …but I don’t complain – I genuinely love my job and have enjoyed working on that particular project at lot…as on every other I’ve come across thus far at AccèsBanque actually (guess I better, otherwise I’d get seriously depressed working those late hours which seem to have skipped 4 or 5 time zones).
Anyway, now that no more market studies are substituting my good night sleep I actually have a minute or two to spare on some more creative writing. Question is, what would you like to read about? Any suggestions? No? – So it’s up to me then…again ;p
Well, life offers a number of topics, among them the following: (1) Lil’ Leo’s motorized adventures (or cruising till the engine pops); (2) the promised night life story/ies (oder “tanzen bis der Arzt kommt”); ou encore (3) why fabric is a wonderful invention.
How about this? – I’ll start with (1) and see how (far ;p) it goes from there. By the way, for those who have read the previous article – marked by a more serious, politically inflicted undercurrent – be assured that there is not much more to comment about at the moment (unless I felt so inclined as to shoot some more ironic remarks about Andry’s impressive speech at the UN general assembly ;) For now I may as well lighten up my log again but promise to follow up on the more serious subjects when time calls for it.
Here we go then, light hearted and with a big grin:
Lil’ Leo’s motorized adventures or cruising till the engine pops
As some of you may have already heard I’ve recently joined the league of motorized citizens, for I now call a little (very cute – and blue!) scooter my own...oooh, we go waaaaaay back really (over 8 weeks by tomorrow!!) Oh, and the fact that I totally comply with the female cliché of not calling my vehicle by its brand but its color is mainly due to my actual, initial (!) ignorance about the former. An Aston Martin Vanquish would certainly go by its beautiful name should I ever call one of those my own – which is, I agree, rather unlikely :D As for my blue cutie pie…well seriously, who would have guessed that “El matador” is in fact a brand name and not just some catchy bumper sticker? I didn’t. Now of course I’m converted – and blissful to have gained valuable knowledge about Chinese scooter brands..eeehm, about one at least ;p
Long story short (at usual), it is a whole lot of fun saddling my blue stallion (or pony) and dashing across the wide fields (or crowded narrow streets of Tana) before giving this truest of companions his well-earned rest (at the gas station or the dealer’s garage). I am actually quite happy that my “Matador” is not showing off with much horse power or else someone would have had to call the meds a long time ago already. Again you may wonder why? Lets just say that traffic around here is…hm, how best to describe it? – aaah, “unpredictable”, that’s what it is. Caps, Taxis B, motorcycles, scooters, and pedestrians! Lots and lots of pedestrians - staying, walking, running and prone to be crossing the street at any given moment you’re not a 100 per cent focused on all (!!) that is, has or will be happening around you. Thus far I haven’t – and have not BEEN – hurt or gotten into any serious trouble. Also, I’ve overcome my initial jumpiness gaining on me before every ride and now happily pump along our often cobbled streets. It actually feels like rodeo from time to time. And I like it! – a lot :D …until the other day when my horseee started uttering some rather threatening sounds!
What had happened? Had I starved it? So soon? – ooooh, what a bad cowgirl I’d be! I couldn’t have been that careless, now could I? Nonetheless, I pushed my bonny lad forward to the next barn to feed the faithful friend and with a little assistance of some grinning but helpful grooms (I must have caused quite a laugh, for on top of the little girl pushing her scooter, a wrenched ankle caused me to hobble and bared me form quickstarting the engine myself) I managed to mount my shiny vehicle and bounced home…how relieved I was that night – I’d only have to nourish my baby a little more often, I though.
…the next morning though: nothing! Not a single hobbling, bobbling, wobbling, toddling, and no more bouncing, shambling, shuffling, staggering or tottering. ----Blue bronco kept silent----
Poor thing.
Lucky me that the garage is not far and the mechanic offering home service. So, after a good 15 minutes of unscrewing and screwing, a constantly running engine (don’t ask me how the wise man managed the last part since I could even make the fellow sputter) and some obviously very successful pottering around my azure thunderbolt was roaring again and lil’ leo happy to gallop through the Malagasy summer haze.
The End. (though I’ll let you know how long we canter this time ;p)


Next on Parlez-vous Malagasy – Lil’ Leo’s late night stories or how to wrench your ankle in the first place.