Life in Caracas....

Ok, ok while I'm still committed to keeping my family's name off the radar, I figured that it was stupid to not refer to Caracas by name as sometimes the city itself and peculiarities of life here is the point.

Kid #1's swim class was cancelled this afternoon. I called the swim teacher several times as it became increasingly clear he wasn't going to show. I was annoyed. I paid him for the month after the first class. Kid was excited asking every five minutes for him. The maid and I both groused that swim teacher could at least call, why don't people ever call, etc.

I got a hold of him finally. A kid, likely meaning teenager or young man, in his family was murdered. A thousand apologies for not calling sooner but would I mind rescheduling for this Friday and oh, please let my friend know that he has to cancel their class as well but will be available Friday if she wants to reschedule.

Um ok, let me make sure I understand, you are unavailable for classes this week until Friday?
Right, exactly.
Ok, thanks. See you then.

Following his lead, not knowing exactly what one says to a relative stranger who says, hey a kid was murdered in my family, can I come Friday, I stuck with the business aspect of the conversation and promised to let my friend know that he's "unavailable."

He sounded no different than the last time we spoke and were discussing whether class would be rained out.

After an hour of splashing in the pool, I came back upstairs. Upon seeing me and the little ones walk through the door, the maids immediately resumed sharing indignities of previous no-shows who inconvenienced them one way or another. A doctor that a day was taken off work to see but never showed up at the clinica, or the telephone guy that never, ever came.

I told them I got a hold of him, some kid in his family was killed, he'll be back Friday.

"ahhhhh yah, aqui uno nunca sabe."

Here, you never know.....

And then we set about cutting up fruits for the kids' snacks.