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Sunday, February 12, 1978, 8:00 pm, Day 747

I went down to the beach this afternoon. I went there for a couple of reasons. First was because I had nothing to do and wanted to go to the beach. But another reason was that Tom Shmit often goes to the beach, and I wanted to see him so that I could ask him what happened that night. As luck would have it, Tom was the first person that I saw. Now herewith with Tom's story.

It seems that when Tom and his newly found friend Mary, left Omar Kayhams, they first went to her house. After they performed their business, they then went out to the After 8. Later on, Fatu showed up there. She didn't say anything to Tom while she was there. After awhile, Tom left and went back to his house alone. An hour later, Fatu pulled up there in a taxi. She didn't want a palaver, but just wanted to be with Tom. Tom didn't want Fatu. Fatu didn't have any money to give the taxi driver, and so she wanted Tom to pay him. All of this was being discussed through Tom's window, as he wouldn't let Fatu inside. Fatu finally got the money by giving Tom her shoes as colatteral. The taxi left, and so now Fatu wanted in the house. Tom didn't want to let Fatu in but finally agreed. He gave Fatu a blanket and pillow and told her to sleep in the next room. Fatu finally gave up and went to sleep. The next morning, she wanted her shoes back, but Tom didn't agree until she gave him the taxi money.

Yesterday afternoon, they met at the City Hotel and went back, and Tom gave Fatu her shoes. Then Fatu kissed him and said that she loved him. Tom broke down and said that he loved her too, so they are back together again. That's too bad. Tom really wants to get rid of Fatu, but he keeps running into these weak spots where he loves her, and so says that he doesn't want to leave her. I know how it is. Fatu can be really bad news alot of the time. She can cause you nothing but pain and heartache. But she does have her good points. When nothing else gets in the way, she can be really lovable. She can be almost worth all of the pain and hassle.

Myself, I want to see her. The trouble is that I don't want to have to go down to Omar Kayham's to do it. Every time I go there, it means spending alot of money, and I don't want to try to afford it. I want Fatu, but I can't afford all of the things that I have to go through to meet her. In Tom's case, he lives here in Freetown, and so Fatu can come to him anytime, because she knows his house. But with me it is different. She knows this house, but she doesn't know when I am in town or not. Then, if she does know that I am in town, getting to me at the house isn't all that easy. At Tom's place it is only Tom that she wakes up. At my place, she would have to go through at least the watchman and then the steward. Then she would probably have to run into another volunteer or two before she found which room I was sleeping in.

Monday, February 13, 1978, 5:00 pm, Day 748

I was suppoed to leave Freetown today, but I couldn't make it. The thing that kept me from going today was that I needed to get this check to take upcountry. It is for 760 leones, and is to pay for transport of cement and sand, and also for the purchase of lumber. I got the amount approved this morning, but when I went over to the Peace Corps office to get the check made out, I found that the guy went upcountry yesterday, and won't be back until tomorrow afternoon. No one else can write out the check for me, so I just have to wait until the guy comes back. They wanted me to go up with the load of cement today. 150 bags were scheduled to leave Freetown and go as far as Koidu today. I don't know if it ever went. They might postpone it until Wednesday, but I'll find out tomorrow morning.

Tuesday, February 14, 1978, 9:00 am, Day 749

Mr. Bob Newcombe came to town yesterday afternoon. He is an old-time volunteer. He's been in Sierra Leone for 4 years now, and has a Mende wife and a 2 year old little girl. He's an alright guy. He had this money burning a hole in his pocket, and wanted to go out for a night of carousing. I went with him.

Bob had vowed never to go to Omar Kayham's again, so instead we went to the City Night Club, which is situated in the basement of the City Hotel. This was my first time to really spend some time at this place. I met Diana there, so we went drinking and dancing together. Bob also found an old friend. Bob wasn't into dancing, but just wanted to sit with his woman. Diana wanted to go to the After 8 at about 11 o'clock. We stayed there about an hour, but the place was really dead, so we finally came back to the City Night Club. We didn't find Bob there, as they had already left for the house. Diana and I stayed there for a few hours.

I asked Diana a few times if she would go home to bed with me, but she always refused. I figured that she would, so I wasn't forcing her any, but just asking with the hope that she might change her mind. The reason that Diana was unwilling to go with me was because of Jim. Jim is still her man, and because I am a good friend of Jim's and we stay in the same house, she is unwilling to go with me. That is one reason why I like Diana. She has principles. She offered to find me another woman, but I told her that I didn't want another woman that I didn't know, and all of the ladies at the City Night Club were strangers to me.

Then, at about 2 o'clock, we went back over to the After 8. I wanted to find Fatu, but if Fatu wasn't there then I might pick up on one of the other girls, as I know a few of the ones that hang out there.

When we got out of the taxi, we were met by Mary, the girl that Tom went home with a few nights ago, that started Fatu off onto those happenings that I wrote about before. She told us her story while we were standing outside the After 8, and it matched up pretty good with Tom's.

Then we walked in the door. All of my girls were there. I greeted Maria, Baby, Baby Joe, and Sally, and then when I got past all of them I saw Fatu, so I went and greeted her also. I had a few things to settle with her though, before I could go back to being with her again. I bought Diana and I beers, and we went and sat down at a table. Fatu came and sat down across from us. I told her plainly that I didn't like being lied to. This was because she told me last time that she was sick and wanted to go home, when she really ended up going out looking for Tom. Diana came in hot and heavy on my side, and together we gave Fatu a little lecture. For awhile there, she claimed that Tom was lying, that she did not go to his house that night. I told her that Tom does not lie to me, and that I didn't like her to lie to me. I told her that I didn't mind her messing around with Tom, but that it was her lying to me that I couldn't stand. Diana got Fatu to promise that she wouldn't lie to me again, and Fatu promised, but I don't really think that she will be able to keep that promise very long.

Then I bought Fatu a beer also and we went up to dance. While we were dancing, I mentioned to her that Diana was better than she was. That's not a nice thing to say, but it is the truth, and I figured that Fatu needed to be put in her place a little. She got in a bit of a huff over that, but she couldn't do anything because I was still holding onto her while we were dancing. Then I explained that Diana didn't want me because of Jim, and so I wanted her (Fatu), because she was my woman. That settled her down a little.

I had a good time at the After 8. I was back in good terms with Fatu, but even more than that, I had all of my other ladies around. They were all coming up asking me to dance, which was great. They're all good friends of mine. I was really feeling good, and it was showing up in my dancing. Just before we left for the night, they put on one record with a really fast beat. Most people just dance to every other beat, but me, I was so into it, that I was able to dance to every beat. My feet were just flashing on the dance floor, and the rest of me was really moving also. All of my girls were really getting a kick out of my dancing, and they even turned on the flashing spot light, which they only use when the dancing is really getting good. At the end of the record, the girls had them put it back on again, and so I danced to it all over again. I was really whipping!

After that, we made our exit. I was taking Fatu home with me, and then Diana was coming along with us in the taxi, because her house is out in the same general direction. On the way to the house, Fatu started arguing with the driver. Neither one could keep their mouth shut, and so the palaver just kept getting bigger and bigger. Fatu started cursing the driver's sister and other such nonsense. Finally, the driver just stopped the car. Fatu said that she wouldn't ride with him. I told Fatu that I was going with the driver, and if she wasn't going, then she should get out there. I opened the door for her, and she got out and started walking away. I was willing to let her go, as I was fed up with all of her palavers. Diana didn't see it that way. She got out and went and brought Fatu back. She got in the car and I told her to keep her mouth shut. She quieted down a bit after that, but was never totally quiet. We were able to make it to the house though, by keeping telling the driver not to mind what Fatu was saying, as she had had too much to drink, and that she was just a know-nothing girl anyway.

At the house, Fatu and I got out. As we were going down the steps to the back door, Diana joined us. She said that she was unwilling to take that taxi. Therefore, she was going to spend the night at our house. I was going to put her in one of the extra beds, but I guess that she was afraid of getting pounced on during the night by one of the other volunteers, as we had a few sleeping there that night.

Fatu and Diana decided that all three of us would sleep in the same bed. I wasn't too keen on that idea. How could I do my business if we had a third party on hand. Fatu said that she wouldn't that night, and so I gave in and agreed to the arrangement. Diana slept in her clothes because she still wouldn't agree to sleeping with me, even though we were now actually going to share the same bed. I had the middle slot, so I couldn't complain too much. Every couple of hours or so, I would turn over to my other side, so as to get the best of both situations.

I was up first the next morning. When Diana got up she asked me where I slept. She couldn't even remember that I was squeezed right in there between her and Fatu all night long. Then she told me that I was a "big man chief", because I slept with two women at the same time. It was quite an experience, and I can't help but be proud or want to brag about it or something. Some people just have all of the luck, and this time it was me.


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