The Famous Drummer who had no Money

It was a chill day today, I read 50 pages of this one Spanish novel it had at me curious. I loved it! Later at night though things got a bit wild. As I started hearing loud music and laughter outside my room it caught my attention so I went outside to check it out. To where I find my friend sitting on this mat made of straws literally. As I watched the many children and teens walking around dressing up. It turns out it was a holiday for the kids. Boys had white powder on there face and would wear girl clothes where they would approach families in their homes asking for a gift or treat. On the other hand,  girls wore guy clothes with white powder on their faces and would ask for gifts/treats by impersonating masculine voice. Some of the community young boys who weren’t participating and I started to laugh about what was going on. While I still was trying to understand what was the meaning of it. A bit later we started to make instruments with what was around our surroundings. One boy got a can and started rattling it with a stick while another was trying to make a drum with a fanta can and  candy wrapper. I on the other hand got a piece of plastic wrap and blew on the sides making a loud whistle which got everyone attention in the whole neighborhood and the boys next to me were laughing. The boys face showed that they were astonished by the sound I was making like if it was the first time for them ever hearing it. Now peopled started gathering around around me as they saw a straw hat guy making a loud whistle. They would ask me for money or food. They would even get on their knees and beg for me to give them something. However, I responded by taking off my hat and asking them to put in money there because I told them I’m broke. Suddenly they all burst into laughters. This brought even more attention to me and it was getting a bit pack in this sandlot.

 

Everyone was laughing and having a good time. The real action started when I asked my friend to get me a water jug that was laying around in the sand and I started playing it as a drum. It got everyone attention as I was doing my thang and going with the vibes I was feeling with the whole circle of crowd was just jamming to my beat. It was a blast! you had the woman dancing tapping their feet to the sand following with the rhythm. The boys were laughing and drumming along with me trying to follow my lead. My friend loved my skills so much that he took me to a ceremony to show me off. When I got there I saw that  everyone was singing so I sat around with a group of people where I started to play for them. I started playing with a bucket than to a metal bowl after that to a water jug. A group of people heard my beats and started dancing to it enjoying it so much. Afterwards, another crowd appeared after my little show. I was astonished that my drumming was bringing in all these people and was even making an old lady dancing back to her youth. It felt like today was Halloween festival. It was nice since I go trick or treating every year during Halloween. Up to this day whenever boys see me around the village they give me a jug and I just play a beat for them to dance. Moments like these I take cherish in being in Senegal.