The Stone Step Ritual

Every night before bed, I sit on my stone doorstep and brush my teeth. Cup of water and toothbrush in hand, kitten perched on my shoulder, I feel comfort in the fact that each night I see and hear exactly the same things. Directly in front of me lie our five sheep and goats who at this time of night are either sleeping, munching on leftover dinner rice or suffering from an uncontrollable fit of sneezing. To my right is the sleeping figure of my brother Ouismane who can never make it past 9 o'clock and who often passes out before dinner. To my left is the 'Halloween Tree' as I like to think of it-with its gangly, leafless limbs flailing in the wind-looking as if it just climbed out of 'The Nightmare Before Christmas'. Outside my compound gates I can hear my older brothers and sisters recalling and laughing at all the things the funny Tubab did that day. And then directly above is the clearest night sky you've ever seen. With no earthly lights to distract from the lights above, it's easy to pick out every star and now and again to even see one or two falling through the sky. And as I'm looking up, I always seem to think of home (most likely because of the cliche that we all sleep under the same night sky...even if my night comes 4, 5 or even 6 hours before yours). But cliche or not, momentarily I forget where I am and the distant sounds of music, kids yelling, donkeys braying and goats making 'Dawn of the Dead' impressions fades and I feel at home.