doctoring; plights

one thing i realized i love is carrying bandaids and peroxide around. it's so simple and easy and necessary.

we play soccer with a bunch of kids. when we finish this kid is bleeding out his foot from something he stepped on. the wound is shallow -- just a scrape. i have one alcohol pad left and use it. then this skinny goofy endearing haitian kid shows me that he is bleeding out his thigh. the wound is a puncture -- deep, with goop bubbling out. i reuse the alcohol pad and he screams and crawls away. all the kids laugh and drag him back, holding his arms and legs down while i do it again. he's skinnier than the rest and can't move. he screams in creole this time, and i laugh. i put on a bandaid. he laughs.

i stop laughing and get concerned, cause it's ugly. i tell him to show his parents or a doctor. suddenly he seems really haitian, and i wonder if his parents have the resources for the care necessary if it gets infected, and it makes me sad.

the haitians here need help.

it's good every once in a while to be sad about the haitians.

then ruben takes off his shirt and puts two bandaids over his nipples. i laugh and buy him juice.

it's good to carry band-aids for the haitians.