Temper, Temper...

Something very annoying just happened. And I have no patience these days so I tend to say what I feel. The hotel may be selling three room- nights a month here if we are lucky. We are  running at a huge loss. Everyone thinks it is extremely dangerous to travel to Djenné. I am hanging on with my teeth, trying to survive and pay my staff until the library projects are over. 

Tonight about seven thirty  I had retired to my rooms where I was having dinner alone when Maman arrived to tell me that there was a toubab lady at the hotel who had asked to visit the hotel and to meet me. She was with a guide. I told him to show her around and that I would be arriving shortly. When I arrived to the hotel I found the lady with her guide sitting in the bar having a beer.  After the greetings I asked what we  could do for her. She said that she had been told by a friend  at one of the Bamako  embassies  that she had to come and visit me at my hotel when she got to Djenné. Naturally the embassy employee had never been to Djenné herself for security reasons. 

‘Yes?’ I said. 'And did you find a room to your liking?' It transpired that  she just wanted  to say hello and look at the hotel. Meanwhile she had already chosen to go and stay in another hotel.  I lost my temper and said rather unpleasantly : ‘So what do you want with me? Just to look at me? I resent that!’  Then I left I am afraid.
Yes, yes, I know, it was disgraceful behaviour on my part and there is really no excuse...

Of course under normal circumstances I would not care less if the lady stayed in another hotel. But these are not normal circumstances. Djenné is not a jolly, normal holiday place. How dare she come to drag me away from my supper just to look at me and my hotel!