Down by the River

At the encouragement of a good friend, I have been again trying to take the first day of the month for a time of solitude and reflection.  In early October, rather than climbing a mountain, I took a drive on unfamiliar roads and found myself at a beautiful spot alongside a clear and quietly running river.  I thought that I would return in November, which I did.  But things were not the same.

I parked in a slightly different spot, tucking the vehicle in behind some trees for shade.  Then when I walked down to the river I found the river was dry.  (After the promise of spring rains, with three nice showers in late September, there has been only wind and dust and the word drought forming on the lips of concerned Basotho.)  Despite no water it was a quiet spot where I could enjoy the sun or the shade.  I had even brought a lawn chair and so set to making myself comfortable. The quietness did not last. 

Sometime that morning, either folks from a nearby village or travelers on the road had noticed my vehicle tucked in behind the trees and had became suspicious.  Or maybe they became suspicious of me clearing out some undergrowth to make a more comforable space to sit in the shade of the trees.  It also must have been a quiet day at the local police detachments. 

The first police vehicle showed up to investigate about two hours after I arrived.  They had received calls about a suspicious and possibly stolen vehicle.  The officers were good natured and polite and after a brief discussion they left me to my quietness.  I settled back into some reading.  About thirty minutes later I hear another vehicle arrive.  Another police vehicle it was, from a bit more distant detachment.  These officers too were polite and good natured.  They asked if I was not afraid being there alone, and insisted that I take the phone number for the detachment before returning to their vehicle.  As I turned to walk back to my chair in the shade, yet another vehicle arrived, with another two policemen, from an even further detachment.  They also had received calls.  Not once did any of the police suggest I leave or that I was doing something improper, mostly they just asked about what I was doing there alone.  Two groups took my address and phone number.  Back I went to my chair and back to reading in Proverbs.

The section I was reading made reference to being prudent.  As I was rereading the section wondering what I was to learn, my car alarm went off.  Most likely a fly bussing around inside had set off the motion sensor, I thought, but by this time I was beginning to think that maybe what I was to learn this day was to practice being prudent and maybe just leave.  I gathered up my things.  Back at the vehicle it had been just a fly or something such that had set off the alarm.  There was no one there. I departed in peace.

I will surely have to find the chief of the area before I return and make sure he knows I am down there by the river.  It is a beautiful little spot and when the rains come and the river is again flowing it will also be a great spot for a picnic.  But on this day, it was not the spot for me to read and reflect.

~ Benno ~