Sight-seeing has it's purpose, but I needed much more emotion. Honestly, I felt deprived. My thing is letting myself penetrate what man hasn't modified for tourisme. Insight of humain expression; the people, children, elderly, family-life and so on....
Naively, I got a thrill taking risks and just following my vibe...
I accepted an invitation to visit the country landscape...
We were 4-hours from Agadir when we encountered mechanical problems. The weather was extremely hot. There was only one option; my friend was to hitch-a-ride with another biker to the village. I was to stay behind; they'ed later come for me.
Surprisingly, two boys about 7-of-age were also by the side-of-the-road. My friend exchanged a couple of words with the children, but I couldn't comprehend.
Hours had past and I started to feel maybe I should take action. What if nobody came for me? The only view I had was a narrow out-of-nowhere trail and trees. Eventuelly, I planned to hitch a ride.... Heading my way was a banged-up truck. I counldn't believe it but the children were still following me, distracting my chances for requesting HELP. Thats when I started to be aware I wasn't feeling my vibe. I was numb.
My instinct said run.. As if my body was a GPS....I spotted a stream...and maybe a chance to find HELP! Teenage-boys were fooling around in the water. Hysterically, I accelerated in thier direction. Yelling and screaming, the children fingered-indecent obscene hand-language to me. Intending vulgar-sex-behavior from the teenagers. I wanted the kids away from me. At this point I was crying, on my knees in the water. The children sprinkled water on me and tied a wet scarf around my neck. I was exhausted from crying. I closed my eyes....I guess, this is where I surrendered!
What were these kids trying to conquer? Now they were rubbing some leafy-branch to my face. Spontanously driven again I ran...As if out of no-where, stood an elderly. He was wearing a dirty worn-out gown. He was barefoot. I knew he didn't understand a word I was blurting, but I believe he felt my distress. I recall his baby-blue eyes. My perception was, though he had no facial expression, his eyes could see inside me. He exchanged a glance towards the children. I was crying intensively....I felt the elderly's hand on my shoulder....I could hear myself breath.
What? ...A car? Furiously and regardless of approval....I took place in the back-seat behind the driver. I directed verbale threats towards the 2 men in the front seat. No-way was I to be defeated....I was on survivor-mode. Through the driver's seat open window protrude's the elderly's upper body. Absent of a blink-of-the-eye and expression, he made eye contact with the 2 men.....and then eye contact with me. I think he made a slight nod....anyways thats the vibe I felt.
Further that evening, my girlfriend explained the signification of the branch in my back-bag. It was THYME: a cultural-symbol of PROTECTION.
Hmm....the children? .....the old man?.....the car?
true-story, spring 1994, I was 27yrs-old.
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