Strange Days, continued.

[Editor's Note: This is another attempt to bring the events of the last three or so weeks together. Sorry it's so disjointed, but then, so am I.]

Well, I unintentionally left us all hanging from the cliff of a dozen or so workers who were inappropriately gruntled. When I heard from Andrea that Irene and Senora were on the way, I looked once again at our guard, happily grinning at everyone like a dog wagging its tail and begging the intruder to throw a stick; then I went inside the house and locked the door.

Now I wasn't really convinced it was necessary, but thought it best to not take chances, since some threats against the house had been announced. I wasn't the only one to be a little nervous, as Claudine, our housekeeper/cook, and Consolee, Zoe's nanny, were also not leaving the house even though they were really finished for the day. So I played with Zoe while keeping one eye out the window. Amazing how she can pick up on this stress in the situation. Sensitive kid.

So in about 20 minutes, Irene and Samuel were in the driveway with a PSI car and a driver, favorably increasing the numbers of people here for me. Not long after, Senora showed up. I watched a little with Zoe at my side now and then, and could discern a lot of tense Kinyarwandan dialogue, with various workers politely taking turns to shout at Irene or Senora. Irene was a true champion, calmly listening and not raising her voice, but also not saying much. Senora was another story: frequently shouting, poking her finger at the chests of the shoutees. This went on for a little over two hours, none in French or English. So unfortunately when Andrea arrived with a driver, she was not able to help figure things out either.

When all the parties started winding down and the men all moved out the front gate, Irene and Senora stayed for a few minutes talking. I shouted down from the front door that they should come in and sit, as it was already dark outside (here on the equator it's usually dark by about 6:30). Irene looked up, clearly having forgotten that there was anybody inside the house at all, and said she would be up in a few minutes.

So Zoe and I ate leftovers on the couch near the door and waited. When Irene came in, she sat down, looking exhausted but smiling. She said the workers were all very upset because they had not been paid in over a month, but that we had renewed promises from Senora to do right by them and to get the work finished. Apparently they left with the understanding that taking the house apart will not increase their likelihood of a fat paycheck, and that Andrea's work would try to do everything possible to make sure they were paid, but that the responsibility was really with Senora. When Irene left, she smiled again and reassured us that she thought there was not reason to worry and it would all work out, with the work completed next Thursday.

We heard the next day that Senora had stayed in the street before our gate, arguing with the workers, for about two hours before she called the police and tried to have them (especially the cobblestone mason working on the driveway) arrested. Apparently labor disputes do fall under the purview of the police more than the courts here, and many problems are solved with a little jail time.

We felt a little relief the next Monday when people showed up to work like business as usual and actually had a pretty productive day. As it turns out, this was a step in the right direction, but not nearly enough. We should have expected nothing so complex could be solved so simply.

[Next chapter: Labor Dispute II: Over the Fence!]