Karma

I have been struggling with what to write about lately in Haiti. Because life has become more ‘normal’ so I sometimes lose sight of the things that are different or I think that I have already wrote about it. Today I went down to Jacmel to run some errands and got on facebook for a moment. I saw a cute little cartoon that was about Karma. Sometimes we don’t really know how our actions will affect us for our future.

As we were coming back up the mountain my driver, Papi, picked up an old man on the side of the road that was walking to his destination. He picked him up just to be nice and it got me started thinking about that idea of karma. I see people walking all the time and often wonder; why, don’t we just pick some of them up. But you can’t because people pay a ‘taxi’ driver to go up the mountain; if you don’t have the money you walk. As we were driving I reminded Papi that we had to buy a chicken to replace the chicken my cat ate. My cat has ate a couple chickens but this last time he got caught by the neighbors, so I knew I had to replace it.

The old man we picked up was going to the market. I couldn’t believe the distance he was going to walk. As we parked the motorcycle, Papi talked to the old man about buying the chicken in the market. I don’t shop in the market because often when my white skin is shown the price goes up. The man was more than happy to go buy the chicken. We waited at the end of the market where all the motorcycles sit. Papi bought some peanuts for us while we waited and I enjoyed people watching. As we were sitting there – it dawned on me we were going to have to get this chicken home. So I ask Papi –he was a bit confused; but realized when the chicken came and I had not the slightest idea what to do with it. He handed it to me and hesitantly held it and jumped on the moto.

Upon arriving at the house, I of coarse had to have a photo taken as this was the first chicken I had ever carried home that was alive. I was also very proud that I had handled this situation with my cat eating the neighbors chicken. The family yelled for the neighbors when we arrived, to come over. The lady of the house came over with the baby and I showed her the chicken. But she was shaking her head and saying no, no, she could not accept it. I was confused and a bit hurt. I had felt bad about the chicken and this would make it right. Eugenie and Papi tried to explain to me that she couldn’t accept because we are neighbors and we watch her son all the time. I understood all that, but still fair is fair.

So now I have a chicken. And a cat tied up in the house. The cat ate another 3 chickens yesterday. The neighbor said I just needed to eat him and get another one, simple as that. I am torn as to what to do this is not an outdoor cat with no name; this is Marco and he sleeps in my bed. But fair might have to be fair and I am going to have to get rid of my cat.

This really started out about Karma. We gave the old man a ride, he bought the chicken, I bought the chicken because my cat ate the chicken. The neighbor couldn’t accept because we watch her son.

So I had an egg this morning….and my cat was moved (I pray) to another zone.  Nothing to do with Karma … oh wait. I guess it is Marco’s karma.