Rwandese Flowers_ 1 to 6

* * * * *
My first working month at the Red Cross was productive and gradually I was getting the
hang of it. Through the work of caregiver in the Kigali Hospital Center, I faced all sorts of diseases
to be treated, and I brought to myself a new appreciation of life from those experiences. The AIDS
epidemic was the most common medical tackling for the nation, and it was becoming widely
expanded by the local population as a devastating moral influenza, dragging to death countless
unlucky, destitute people. Worse, the lack of information and the prejudices were contributing to the
spread of the disease, turning this illness into something trivial among the ordinary masses. I started
helping Dr. Mike to write some articles for scientific journals of North America, Europe, and Asia. I
worked hard when we monitored some fieldwork for large pharmaceutical, multinational companies,
earning some money on it. We had a wide, free medical research field, since the disgrace of the
Rwandans was a source of data for health across the world. Fortunately, with this initiative, I calmed
the doctor down, and he gradually admired me and acknowledged my importance for the CHK and
even for the forwarding of his research, medical work. He was a good entrepreneur and knew how to
accumulate wealth, and I noticed that his business was not only providing aid. He could not deny
that I was an ideal partner for him because, besides being helpful in carrying out my job as an
insomniac workhorse, I only required just about petty cash in return. Why would I need money if my
family did not know what to do with the amount we already had? In Rwanda, I donated much of my
earnings to deserving causes in favor of the extreme poor, and therefore, I did not care about how
much Dr. Mike got from his monitoring reports. I only wanted him to pay me a little for my
philanthropic works.
As the days went on, I gradually earned an unusual reputation in Kigali, since the
friendly relationship with the Pygmies brought me problems and caused gossip among the Kigalians
about my behavior that gave me a reprobate reputation. Neither the Hutus nor the Tutsis understood
why I was involved with them that much. I visited their local community thanks to Tharcisse
Mugabe, and since the incident on my first day at a Kigali fair, I had won notoriety as an eccentric
girl. People felt I was a threat to the local, social standards and tied my strange conduct to the beliefs
and lifestyle of my new friends, labeling me loony. Even though nobody noticed me with cigarettes, I
could not pacify the public spirit or prevent rumors that I smoked marijuana as my little fellows did
innocently, and in consequence, the nicknames creatively soon multiplied across the city.
On a bright and warm, summer afternoon, Dr. Mike took me for a drive in the Red
Cross's car by what he dubbed Kigali Rural, which, for me, was nothing but the outskirts of the city.
We ended up at the peak of a hill, admiring the breathtaking wonders of a valley that spread over the
field whence we had come. Preventing future complaints, I informed him that a hotel was not a
proper place for a woman, and as I would spend much time in Kigali, I rented a house, although he
did not approve my decision at first.
"It is not right, Dr. Mike. Living in a hotel is quite inconvenient. I am locking myself in
a Thousand Hills' room all the livelong day to avoid curious people asking me meaningless questions.
I do not know how you tolerate this, and besides, I cannot do without a quiet space to welcome
friends. Gals need some privacy, sir."
"Dr. Isabelle, living alone in Kigali is not safe for a woman. You will get into trouble,
drawing malicious attention to yourself."
"Stop worrying about me, Doctor, because Lieutenant Fred Kaka lent me a gun for my
protection."
"Which one?"
"A rifle."
"My stars! You must be kidding me."