Rogues on Randall

For over a month now my life has been the Urban Youth survey. Eat (sometimes), sleep (hardly), breath (deep breaths in and out) the survey. Waking up every morning to a down poor and debating a shower given the inevitability of becoming absolutely drenched. Walking to the survey site in streets flooded with water wondering why I even bother with a rain jacket, while Liberians yell “this is Africa!” (yes, thank you).

With the recruiting of these young street youth now happening in my neighborhood I’ve made it my goal to meet all of them. With 3 robberies and 1 robbery attempt under my belt I’m determined to know all of them. I’m just waiting for one of these guys to come in with my boyfriend style gap jeans on (I will rip those off you). Remember my face, sucker. If I see you or your friends scaling my back wall again, I’ll know where to find you. If it's not someone we’ve recruited maybe while they’re running away in the dark, I could chuck my card at them. I may as well add a note that says “Dear rogue, I will find you. I want my shirts back.”

Spending my days surveying criminals (get your hand out of my backpack please) and getting yelled at by said criminals because I wont give them my snack money—

“give me that money!”
“I don’t think so”
“You don't need to eat, you need to give it to me to get home.”
“my man, I can’ give you this”
“then if you people wont help me, you should just leave liberia!”
(oh trust me, I’m on it) “go away from here man, we’re done.”

as if you’re the first guy to try and get something out of me, fool. Where’s a motorbike? I’m heading back to the office.


All I need now is hostage negotiation and I’d say I’ve rounded out my time here. Oh wait, did that last night (the hostage being my friends stolen cell phone). 20 min of getting my friend to try and negotiate his phone back, using my phone (for something small). Luckily he was talking to Phil when it got ripped out of his hand, so Phil made first contact and texted me the “terms.” Status of said negotiation currently undetermined, but I did enjoyed the many phone calls throughout the night from the hostage taker.