Embracing Lawlessness

There seems to be no laws in Kenya. Or at least nobody bothers with them. I sort of enjoyed that aspect of the trip. Nobody seemed worried about getting sued and so they did what they wanted. Isabelle rode on my lap in the car the entire trip, sometimes in the front seat. Dogs wandered the street off leash. There was a chicken wandering on the grounds of a museum we visited (not that charming kind that you know are vaccinated and well cared for by the staff but just a random chicken from who knows where). And don't get me started on the driving. Kenya isn't clean with all the problems hiding, they just let them all run wild wherever they land. Of course there are laws that it would be nice if they followed, actually paying people the minimum wage, not asking for bribes. At one government building there were signs everywhere declaring it a corruption free zone. We asked our Kenyan hosts about it and they just laughed.

Now that we are home I have declared myself to be a little more lawless. Jake and I were running around a lake and ran by a couple walking a dog that was not on a leash. Jake made a comment about it but I told him I was lawless now and didn't care. I don't care that the roads near my house are terrible, people cut me off while driving, our neighbors trash can sits by the curb all week long, grass doesn't get mowed, buildings are only half built, sheds look like they will fall down soon or people store their boats in the driveway all winter long.

Of course John and I have always been a little lawless. We get letters from the city about once or twice a year thanks to a very "helpful" neighbor who calls to let them know what minor infraction we have committed. It is becoming a bit of a challenge for us. What rule can we break next? This week we are thinking about our car in need of tires. They are so bad that we aren't sure we can even drive it to a tire store. (the spare is on the car and going flat as we speak) John suggested putting the thing on jack stands and just taking off all the tires and bringing them in to be replaced. Immediately we knew this would get us a letter from the city and got a little excited about it. Is that wrong of us? If we can't win trying to do the right thing it might be fun to imagine the look on her face when she sees our car up on jack stands with no tires. Maybe I can put my hair in curlers, put on some cut off shorts and a t-shirt with the neck cut out so it hangs over my shoulder, grab a beer and sit in a lawn chair on the driveway next to it. John could put on a wife beater and start working on the van we know she loves so much. Hey, I think we just figured out our Halloween costumes.