Cayenne

Kampala, Uganda (Feb. 22)

I thought it would be just another casual Friday night out in Kampala, but February 22 will now forever be the day I got open-fist-sucker-punched in the face by a gigatic black man.

I was really starting to like Uganda. The country has so many different levels and I have had so many different amazing experiences here. Kampala is very modern and a nice break from Tanzania; I have been eating a lot of pizza. I have also met so many awesome people at my hostel in Kampala and have been having a good time just relaxing and hanging out with them.

Being a Friday night, we decided to go out to a place called Cayenne that we hadn't been to yet. When we arrived at the door, they searched our bags and told me that I would have to check my camera at the door. At that point I got a very bad feeling, especially since I was borrowing a friend's camera. This very large black man dressed in a suit came over and introduced himself as the manager and explained to me that they were having issues with the paparazzi and that if I just kept the ticket it would be fine. I still felt weird about it, but apparently it is pretty common and we had driven so far to get there, so I took the ticket and went in.

After some dancing and a few expensive drinks, my friend Alex suggested that we go and check out the pool. I know of only one way to check out a pool, so with my clothes on, I jumped in. I was swimming for about a minute when the manager returned and ordered me out of the pool. I immediately got out and walked over to him. On the left side of the pool, he pulled away some bushes to reveal a small sign lurking in the shadows that read, "No Swimming, fine 100,000 Ush". I had no intention of paying 100,000 Ush ($40) for jumping in the pool, especially when their sign was so carefully hidden, and I told him that. I decided that this would be a good point to leave the bar so I grabbed my bag and camera ticket and headed for the door. The girl was just about to hand me my camera when the manager stepped between us and said, "Do not give her the camera. She owes 100,000 shillings". I reached under his arm, grabbed the camera, tossed it to Alex and yelled at him to run. He, realizing there was a very small likelihood of him getting past the various check points, and that there would still be the problem of my getting away, decided not to do so.

Now the manager began to get very angry and was holding me and screaming at me that he was going to call the police if I didn't pay the fine. I yelled back that I would really like for him to call the police. I do remember my hearing going out and an intense feeling of whiplash, but I was so angry that I didn't really realize what had happened. The manager said he was not going to call the police and that they wouldn't believe me and began with repeated threats that he would gouge my eyes out. Finally, Alex pulled me away and looked me in the eyes and said, "Do you realize what just happened? That man just punched you in the face." Suddenly, the instability of this man was absurdly clear and it occured to me that calling in a potentially corrupt police force would likely not result in a favourable outcome.

So that is the night I paid $40 to jump in a pool.