Obama...and observation from the River

In Obama's first book he writes about walking along the river in Indonesia. He was in his first few years of grade school. He and his friends would walk along the river and look for empty bottles to sell. There is a fair amount of trash that floats in the river. I have spent a good deal of time in Indonesia and I would watch tall, lanky young boys with brown skin walk up and down the river looking for bottles. They would each have a rice sack and try and get as many bottles and cans as they could. This is a sight you see often. One day I just sat and and watched and thought one for these boys could become President of the United sates of America. That is what I saw when Obama took the oath of office.

It was really something to be here in Indonesia when the Inauguration happened because these people are so proud and it meant so much to them. It is all anyone talk about. I was on the beach yesterday, the garbage is not to be believed. It is the saddest sight and the first time I saw it I just cried. I am here during the rainy season and all of this trash from the river washes up on to the beach. I will not swim in the water and I am at the ocean for days and this was the first time I went. I went to watch the sunset over the ocean and read. I positioned my chair so I couldn't see the mounds of trash. The man who makes his living renting lounge chairs on the beach started to talk to me about Obama. I go days only talking to the locals no one at my Villa is of interest to me. This young man loved politics and had a surprising amount of knowledge. He taught himself to read a bit in English and followed the election the best he could. We talked for about and hour and before I left he said "I am so sorry the garbage in my country upsets you so much, maybe Obama could help us fix this." I sat and thought my God the entire world wants him to fix everything...even the garbage he picked through as a child.

God speed Obama, God speed.