Remembering the rain in Kenya

I am seeing the rain outside and remember when I was in Standard 7 (US equivalent 7th Grade) growing up in Nairobi, Kenya. It was the year I was supposed to take the CPE or Certificate of Primary Education – exam children in standard 7 took across the nation, this exam determined if you went to high school and which high school you went. Talk about feeling the pressure; I was only 11 years old. That April Nairobi experienced excessive rainfall. It rained night and day for more than a week. The much anticipated rain turned into a serious flooding issue. One that particular day I was walking home from school. I lived a mere 10 minute walk from school (So much for my “I walked 10 miles to school, uphill both ways). The short cut home led us through the soccer field (“Down the Field” as it was known as) over the school fence, across a ditch, then you crossed a street, walked up a path that went up between some homes with dense thicket on both sides and then finally you were on our street. The ditch after all the rain was over flowing and had turned into a fast flowing stream. I remember having walked all the way to the field, and climbed over the fence and hearing the water the ditch. I had to make a choice to try and cross the fast flowing water or walk the long way home. This meant back tracking to the front of the school and following the road home (30 minute walk). I did what most 11 year olds would do. I took a few steps back and gave myself room for a running start. No second thought to it at all. I remember how fast my heart beat as I raced towards the stream and leapt into the air. It’s all in slow motion when I think of it now. If only I had held my feet in air just a tad longer.. If only I had run faster.. If only.. If only. Yes you guessed it, I did not make it across. I could swim either. I landed on the far edge of the ditch within inches of solid ground. I feel back into the swift stream and the water started pulling me down stream. The funny thing is I didn’t panic.. I struggled to find something to hold on to. It felt like a long time later, ways down stream but it was only about 100 yards down stream I managed to clamber out. I ran home my school uniform soaked and muddy. I never told anyone about that caper.