.

love has gone away
and there's nothing left to say
but oh how, i need him, baby
i need you baby, i need your loving so bad
please don't slip away.

**

sunday night. phone call. my aunt is dying.

monday morning. phone calls. inquiries. what's the fastest way out?

monday noon. agordat education office. precaution--give me a letter.

monday afternoon. phone call, answer--there's no fast way out. precaution pays off.

tuesday morning. get on a bus. going to barentu.

in barentu. education office. i need a letter.

waiting for my letter. i realize something. there's a loophole in my passport. i can leave. but not for long.

tuesday noon. on a bus. going to asmara.

tuesday evening. running to travel agent. he's not there, i'm late, he could've waited, five minutes. miss the night flight. have to wait two days.

tuesday night. still asmara. on a city bus. my pocket is picked.

could've been worse. not much money. but IDs gone IDs gone i need my IDs. oh thief would that you be kind and leave me my IDs?

not so kind. i have problems. wednesday all day, i try to fix them. running to and from ministries, a nightmare of red tape, waiting in offices, writing letters, waiting for letters, biting my nails, biding my time, i need to get out of here, don't have much time.

thursday the present, the same as yesterday. only i've paid for my flight, and tonight i will fly.

i see how lucky i am even in bad luck. try to go ahead with my letters, to get a new visa and more time away. exit visa--not possible without residence permit. residence permit gone with my picked wallet. no exit visa till new residence permit, till god knows when. am confounded by my good/bad luck--in my passport, i have a multiple journey visa valid till dec. 12. my saving grace. i have a week in karachi. to say goodbye.