The next day clay was very tierd “he slept whole day” as the Indians said. The next day I went to south Goa with Yi Fan. She had to collect money from her Bangalore housemates who where in South Goa for New Years. The trip was very interesting. We passed fluro green rice paddies with smiling brightly dressed workers who look up to watch the passing traffic. Our bus was bright purple with loads of chrome trim both inside and out. Huge Jesus statues where in the front and the Dhoom 2 sound track was blasting. A wild bus trip. Everything seemed like Malaysia. Yi Fan is from Malaysia and couldn’t agree more. The tropical smell, decay, mould, fresh fruits, cows, rice fields, coconut trees, lazy, shady, bright and it all felt like we where in the tropics. We crossed estuaries on long bridges, and finally arrived in south Goa. Her friends we several hours late. They on time Indian standard time. We had a great seafood lunch, kingfish and squid. An uneventful trip back with another purple Jesus bus. That night we had another mini party on the beach. Clay didn’t come. I headed down lator with my guitar and was stopped by police. They started drilling me with questions,
“where are you from”
“where are you going”
“Where are you staying”
“You a band leader?”
“You carrying Alcohol?”
“You carrying illegal alcohol?”
then came the key ripper
“You carrying drugs? Because if you are then there is problem for you”
I was waiting for this question, Goa police are famous for drug busts and planting drugs then demanding bribes. I was ready for the worst but it never came. I was very respectful always calling him uncle. Before I knew it we where discussing the cricket, a subject I know nothing about but I knew a few famous names which I said enthusiastically and it was all over. They left. They where low ranking officers 2 guys on one motorbike no stripes on their shoulders only one of them had a gun the other stick only. I walked on to the beach and had a great night. The moon rose over the ocean casting the same silver you see stuck onto the Indian sweets. It was as if it had been applied to the ocean in the same way. The guitar, making up songs and the cool sand imitating the cool night air it was a beautiful night.