An Extra Day

10/10/08

What happens when you realize that tomorrow is today? You are convinced of the day because most of the reference points reinforce what day it is. Those few exceptions are rationalized away as some unknown aberration. Such happened to me. You begin to question your own sanity and puzzle why you can be so convinced of one thing when in fact you are totally wrong.

Saturday is a day many Savaii Peace Corps meet at Lucia’s Café to just be together and swap stories. It is a day when we come into the Savaii office to check email. It is the busiest market day. All that is happening. It must be Saturday. But why then are the children marching on Saturday down the street carrying signs and singing songs for “Teacher Appreciation Day”? Why are the markets open after noon when they are normally closed? Of course I say to myself, this is White Sunday weekend. The children are marching on Saturday, since Monday they have no school. As to the markets, well this is the biggest holiday of the year. Why wouldn’t they stay open longer?

It is when your notions are ripped back you begin to realize just how fragile reality can be. What is, what isn’t, is there anything one can be sure of? Fortunately, my fellow Peace Corps laugh at my absentmindedness. It is old age. However, they don’t have an extra day.