Out of Africa

Understanding I am prone to a tiny bit of hyperbole and like to create extra bits of drama where my little mind obviously lacks Gaultier designed costumes and Greenaway opulence, I offer this. To preface, my letter to Ghana, "cutting him off at the knees":

Dear, dear Inkoom,

I like your nickname very much! Does it mean something in your native language?

Just so you don't misunderstand, I know my interest on this website stated I was interested in love, but love to me means so many things. I can only offer the love of friendship and comraderie. I am thrilled to be able to correspond to someone as thoughtful as you and who has lived and is living in such exotic places to me. I hope it's fine that we will be friends and only friends. I would be very honoured to be your friend.

As for me, I was born in Toronto on September 1, 1968, so I am a little bit older than you. In my parent's culture if anyone is even a day older than you are, you must give that person a higher regard and respect simply because of age. I don't think this way. I think that people deserve respect if they are respectful people.

I have 3 siblings. My eldest brother is named Vincent, the second eldest is Walter and my sister is named
Eunice. They are 6, 7, and 8 years older than I. Everyone but Walter lives in Toronto with me, along with both of my parents.

My mother is from Hong Kong and my father is from theGuangdong province. They came to Canada to give us a better life than they had over there. I am very pleased they made that decision.

I work in a restaurant serving Italian food to hungry, and mostly nice people. In my spare time I like reading fiction, taking photographs, laughing with friends and riding my bicycle anywhere.

Unlike you, who seems like a very nice person, I do like to drink and I do like to smoke. Unfortunately or fortunately, depending on how you look at it, I like these things a lot.

Are you building residential homes or commercial properties? Was it a difficult transition from Ghana to Hong Kong. Wow! It seems like such cultural confusion!

So good to hear from you!

And he replied:

Hello My Dear,
I am very sorry for the delayance of your reply. I went to China and over there the english language is a big problem. I found it difficult to locate where i can get a net bar to reply you. I am in Hong Kong now, I am very happy that u have replied my e-mail. I am doing well by the grace of Almighty God. And i am very optimistic that you are also in the same cetegory.

You are friendly and very kind lady. I am very proud of you. I was so excited when i read your mail. God richly bless you and i belive that all your dream wil come to pass. Anything you need in your life will be acomplished. I would be very greatfull if our friendship can remain for a very long time.

As i said earlir, I will be going to Europe and i will proceed further to America. I have a friend in America and there will be my final destination. I have received an invite from my friend and i am working on my visa. I was a contructor and i have been a contructor for about 10 yrs now. The company belongs to my father, I was a forman in the company. We were building for the salvation Army in Ghana.I will oneday give you my friend who is in the State Columbus-Ohio's number.

I want to end here with much greetings, and love to you.

In blogs past I stated that people weren't 9 years old anymore and no one wanted to be just penpals. I'm sure I gave a rather large, heaving sigh as I wrote that statement, but there are days that I am proven wrong, so delightfully wrong. Today was one of those days.

"Somewhere in my youth, or childhood... I must have done something good."
---------- Rogers and Hammerstein