Of sandals and absentmindedness

It is time I wrote something about my sandals. I like my sandals. I bought them at the market in Mbale for 2000 shillings (about 8 NOK). They're made of car tyres, and as far as I understand, they are common around most of Africa. They are called different things, depending on where in Africa you are, in Uganda they are called something like rudabire (any Ugandans reading this, please correct me if I'm wrong...). When I wore them in Uganda, people would laugh at me and say «back to Karamoja». Appearantly, these sandals are especially favoured by the Karimojong people of Northern Uganda.

Now some time in the spring at Hald, my Kenyan friend Simon accidentally stepped on my foot, and the strap of my right sandal came loose. So when I came home I had to nail it back on.

This is a story about absentmindedness. Those who know me, know that I am a little absent-minded. I forget things. My things keep getting lost. Especially expensive things like digital cameras. This time it was not my camera, and not my sandals, but my backpack.

It happened about a week and a half ago. I was going to meet someone after work, but when I was about to leave, I couldn't find my backpack anywhere. I searched everywhere. It was hot. My date was waiting outside. After searching for about 40 minutes (not kidding!), I slipped, and my sandal strap came off. That's when I remembered: That very morning, my sandal strap had come off, and I had gone to the tool room to nail it back on. So of course, my backpack was there. It is strange how memory works.

I believe it is a little known fact in Africa that this kind of sandals rub off and create black stains on your feet...