“It was not an outhouse resting upon the imagination. It was reality.”
Okay, we’re finally home. Gracie and I decided to stay an extra day. Her decision was quick: she got an hour walk every day with Bill. She loved it and left her calling card everywhere they walked on the road. All of Mont Vernon, New Hampshire knows Gracie was there. Peg was forever treating Gracie to ham and other tidbits. Gracie followed Peg and Bill each time one of them moved. I was so spoiled by their care and affection and the wonderful food Peg made that I was almost tempted to follow them too.
Bill, Peg and I were in Ghana together. We met during the week in Philadelphia before we left for training. I joke with them that I was lucky enough to find two people willing to skip out on lectures and presentations. We toured Philadelphia instead. I swear they tempted me off the straight and narrow. They, of course, blame me.
They were supposed to be posted 100 miles from me in Tamale, the capital of the Northern Region. I was posted to Bolgatanga, the capital of the Upper Region. Given the small number of volunteers in the Northern and Upper Regions the 100 mile proximity would have made them my neighbors, but Peg found out she was pregnant. Peace Corps decided to let them stay but they were moved closer to Accra and the Peace Corps office to a town called Tafo. I visited them and their son Kevin on my way home from Accra, Ghana’s capital, every time I went. They lived without running water and had their own outhouse in the row of outhouses at the back of their building. That’s where I met the night soil man. I was sitting there when I heard a noise from below. I got up and looked down. A man’s head popped in the hole and looked up at me. He said, “Hello, madam,” as he emptied then replaced the night soil bucket. It is still the most interesting first encounter I’ve ever had.
Explore posts in the same categories: MusingsTags: Ghana, New Hampshire, Peace Corps Ghana, Peace Corps training, Peg and Bill, Tamle
Both comments and pings are currently closed.
keepthecoffeecoming.blog 
June 18, 2015 at 5:17 pm
Welcome home Kat! So glad that you had a good time, we have missed you!
June 18, 2015 at 5:46 pm
Thanks, Annie
It is always nice to be missed and good to be home.
June 18, 2015 at 6:04 pm
Oh, surprise post at midnight (my time). Welcome back!
Perfect timing, we have an overnight guest, she is sleeping now and I have time for KTCC music with funny song titles 🙂
June 18, 2015 at 6:32 pm
Birgit,
I got home close to noon, did the unpacking and took a nap which are the reasons for the late post.
This is the first time I have ever searched for songs with bathroom or outhouse in the title.
Good to be home though I had a wonderful time.
June 18, 2015 at 11:21 pm
Lived on an island on Rainy Lake. Just across the border into Canada. We had a double outhouse. Each hole lined with fur. (Those holes can get awfully cold in the Winter) Never had a night soil bucket man tho. I can imagine it was quite the encounter!
June 19, 2015 at 9:42 am
t,
I love that you had fur-lined hole seats. It almost seems a bit posh.
They weren’t holes so they had buckets which needed to be emptied. It was a horrible job but the night soil man was quite pleasant.
June 19, 2015 at 11:06 pm
Fake fur, Kat. Tiger striped.
June 19, 2015 at 11:11 pm
t,
Tiger striped-what a hoot!
June 19, 2015 at 12:06 am
I have only had to worry about wasp nests in my outhouses, a man looking up would have been in some ways even more frightning 🙂 🙂 🙂
I’m glad You had a great trip!
Christer.
June 19, 2015 at 9:43 am
Christer,
I heard him so I knew he was coming to me next. His presence wasn’t a surprise but his greeting was.
It was a wonderful trip.
June 19, 2015 at 10:20 am
Ha Ha Ha! Love the music!!
June 19, 2015 at 10:42 am
Clare,
I had to do some sleuthing to find these songs. My search was for outhouse music!