When supplies came in to camp like blankets or sheets they became a hot commodity. I would get a box of them to stash in my tent and the nurses or helpers would come out to get the blanket - those were the only ones allowed to take a blanket. My new friend, Michelle May, was working in the Peds tent and we would cut the blankets in half for the babes and then she'd deliver them.
The Haitians, who were visitors to the patients and sitting right outside my tent, kept asking for blankets. We had to say no since the blankets were for the patients only. They would ask and ask, then get an interpreter and ask again and again. Our answer was the same.
It was a little cooler at night but never what I would describe as cold, but for the locals it was cool. So they'd ask and ask and ask again. Wear em' down and they'll give us a blanket. I felt like crap saying no but I knew that we didn't have many blankets and the patients come first. So the answer is no. You get the idea.
Well, one lady about 5 foot nothing in a red shirt and pants gave me the evil eye, then she crossed her arms over her ample bosom, turned in a circle three times, mumbled something, stared at me, nodded and then made spatting noises. Then she sat down. S*it I thought, I've just been hexed, this woman put a voodoo curse on me! I was kind of freaked out in an amused sort of way.
Michelle came back in to the tent and I pulled her to the side and told her what happened and asked if she believed in voodoo. We both laughed but it was the "I'm a little nervous" kind of laugh. So Michelle decided to get to the bottom of things and went to ask a Haitian American Dr. she had been working with what he thought.
I waited in my tent guarding the blankets for her to come back.
When she returned this is what she told me:
She had asked the Dr. if he believed in voodoo and then told him the story.
The Dr. asked, "Are you single" She said, "Yes."
He gave her the evil eye, crossed his arms over his chest, turned in a circle three times, mumbled something, stared at her, nodded and then made spatting noises.
He asked, "Will you sleep with me in my tent tonight?" Michelle said, "Nope."
The Dr. sighed and said, "Then voodoo doesn't work."
HAHAHAHA!
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