Mrs.O's writing room.

It's been 3 weeks since we moved. I can literally jog to the Shady grove metro, ok jog is a strong word, but it is a 10 minute walk. Compared to my 30 minute bus ride to Vienna metro, this is a piece of cake. I get to office in half the time. Shady Grove metro is unbelievably run down. The trains work, praise God! but the place is an old mess. I'm told New York has some really lousy stations but S.G takes the cup. I thought is was built in the 18th century but it was opened in 1984. The Vienna metro was opened in 1986 but it got a make over last year so right now I suffer from withdrawal symptoms. The comparison doesn't help. Why didn't anybody tell me that everybody and their dog live in Maryland? There should be a sign post inscribed with the words "ALL ROADS LEAD TO MARYLAND!"   For all the 11 stops no one gets off until we get to Shady Grove. With the Orange line, I knew loads of people would get off at Court house, Clarendon and Ballston, then there ...

After a few odd encounters, I vowed not to visit another massage therapist. Ahhh but alas! My feet led me down that path yet again. With strains from moving house and a sudden urge to get fit I jogged along the trails in our neighborhood  and that's where my woes begun. My muscles locked in knots, my neck and back tensed up like a tight fist; clamped like the lean meat of our Teso chicken in whose flesh one could lose a tooth. Only a massage could knead them loose however, I chose not to solicit in-house services. I located the spa recommended by a friend but whose services I only now considered. Submerged in a busy shopping mall, one would need to be looking for it to find it:  "SPA WORLD!" Its wall had pictures of fountains, steam baths and swimming pools - my nerves sensed the calming effect already. A nice young male receptionist opened brochures of possibilities: 7 sauna options,  poultice rooms, a swimming pool, a bade pool; Basher wall, dream bath, bench j...

When that cute bundle is placed in your arms it’s indescribable. Dreams of a bright future flood your mind. But unlike Mary the mother of Jesus you never know what will happen the next day, the next month or the next year. Are you raising the next Beethoven , Kony , Einstein , Amin or Chimamanda ?  Will you light candles until you are grey or cry your heart out when the candles are snuffed out too soon? Each day presents a unique set of circumstances. When the police car with red and blue flash lights  pulled up to the side walk and the officer walked up to me, I silently wished he was a mirage. He shook my hand and introduced himself.  He pulled out a pen and paper from his side pocket and proceeded to ask a series of questions: “Where does he usually play?” “Is there a neighborhood kid he likes to play with?” “How was he dressed?” "Can you show me where you live?" I wanted to pee in my pants. My son was missing. He left school without permission. Then the offic...