Naja Karamaru in the Bath by Tonga RPCV Jan Worth



Naja Karamaru in the Bath by Tonga RPCV Jan Worth

NAJA KARAMARU IN THE BATH

This moment, after a dog-tired day,
everything I need: his touch,
this fragrant bath he drew for me,
these blue candles he lit for me
flickering off the cherished old tiles,
my steamy body open. Stay here
and talk to me, I say, stay here.

He pulls up a white chair, dips hot
water over my shoulders with the cup
of his hand.

When I was a kid
I used to go see Naja Karamaru at
an old theater on Scolley Square,

he begins in his molasses voice.

She was all woman,
she had curves. I got in even though
I was only seventeen - I was big for my age.
Sometimes, if it was the cops' night off,
the manager let us see it all. Naja
Karamaru would get the sign from
the wings, and take it off, her round
ass facing us, her bright round face
peeking over her shoulder, her black hair
curling down her downy back.

That was the beginning of my erotic life,

he says,

that spirited woman,
smiling at us, her ruby nailed
fingers finding a path to her
forbidden spots. We all went wild.
We went home happy.

Naja Karamaru, I repeat, smiling,
my eyes closed, letting the teasy
assonance and consonants dance

from my mouth. They land
in the bubbles: Naja. Kara. Maru.

Each playful pair a one-act play, hot and
soft together, exotic and kind.

Her real name was probably Gladys,
he says,

but she was always Naja to me.

I lift my left leg out of the water to cool
and let it dangle on the porcelain edge,
dripping on his feet. "I'm glad you liked
Naja Karamaru," I drowsily assert.

Sometimes I want to kiss his feet,
like Mary Magdalene, an act of grace,
like Naja showing it all in Scolley Square.
I love how Naja's story in my bath
makes me smile and takes away
my gloom, and how that gawky kid, now
my sweet grown love, is still exuberant that
such a thing could happen, that looking
at a woman, and seeing her,
can make such joy in the world.

When this story was posted in January 2005, this was on the front page of PCOL:

Coleman: Peace Corps mission and expansion Senator Norm Coleman, Chairman of the Senate Subcommittee that oversees the Peace Corps, says in an op-ed, A chance to show the world America at its best: "Even as that worthy agency mobilizes a "Crisis Corps" of former Peace Corps volunteers to assist with tsunami relief, I believe an opportunity exists to rededicate ourselves to the mission of the Peace Corps and its expansion to touch more and more lives."

RPCVs active in new session of Congress In the new session of Congress that begins this week, RPCV Congressman Tom Petri has a proposal to bolster Social Security, Sam Farr supported the objection to the Electoral College count, James Walsh has asked for a waiver to continue heading a powerful Appropriations subcommittee, Chris Shays will no longer be vice chairman of the Budget Committee, and Mike Honda spoke on the floor honoring late Congressman Robert Matsui.

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January 8, 2005: This Week's Top Stories Zambia RPCV Karla Berg interviews 1,374 people on Peace 7 Jan Breaking Taboo, Mandela Says Son Died of AIDS 6 Jan Dreadlocked PCV raises eyebrows in Africa 6 Jan RPCV Jose Ravano directs CARE's efforts in Sri Lanka 6 Jan Persuading Retiring Baby Boomers to Volunteer 6 Jan Inventor of "Drown Proofing" retires 6 Jan NPCA Membership approves Board Changes 5 Jan Timothy Shriver announces "Rebuild Hope Fund" 5 Jan More Water Bottles, Fewer Bullets 4 Jan Poland RPCV Rebecca Parker runs Solterra Books 2 Jan Peace Corps Fund plans event for September 30 Dec RPCV Carmen Bailey recounts bout with cerebral malaria 28 Dec more top stories...

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Latest: RPCVs and Peace Corps provide aid Peace Corps made an appeal last week to all Thailand RPCV's to consider serving again through the Crisis Corps and more than 30 RPCVs have responded so far. RPCVs: Read what an RPCV-led NGO is doing about the crisis an how one RPCV is headed for Sri Lanka to help a nation he grew to love. Question: Is Crisis Corps going to send RPCVs to India, Indonesia and nine other countries that need help?

The World's Broken Promise to our Children Former Director Carol Bellamy, now head of Unicef, says that the appalling conditions endured today by half the world's children speak to a broken promise. Too many governments are doing worse than neglecting children -- they are making deliberate, informed choices that hurt children. Read her op-ed and Unicef's report on the State of the World's Children 2005.

Changing of the Guard With Lloyd Pierson's departure, Marie Wheat has been named acting Chief of Staff and Chief of Operations responsible for the day-to-day management of the Peace Corps. Although Wheat is not an RPCV and has limited overseas experience, in her two years at the agency she has come to be respected as someone with good political skills who listens and delegates authority and we wish her the best in her new position.

Our debt to Bill Moyers Former Peace Corps Deputy Director Bill Moyers leaves PBS next week to begin writing his memoir of Lyndon Baines Johnson. Read what Moyers says about journalism under fire, the value of a free press, and the yearning for democracy. "We have got to nurture the spirit of independent journalism in this country," he warns, "or we'll not save capitalism from its own excesses, and we'll not save democracy from its own inertia."

RPCV safe after Terrorist Attack RPCV Gina Abercrombie-Winstanley, the U.S. consul general in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia survived Monday's attack on the consulate without injury. Five consular employees and four others were killed. Abercrombie-Winstanley, the first woman to hold the position, has been an outspoken advocate of rights for Arab women and has met with Saudi reformers despite efforts by Saudi leaders to block the discussions.

Is Gaddi Leaving? Rumors are swirling that Peace Corps Director Vasquez may be leaving the administration. We think Director Vasquez has been doing a good job and if he decides to stay to the end of the administration, he could possibly have the same sort of impact as a Loret Ruppe Miller. If Vasquez has decided to leave, then Bob Taft, Peter McPherson, Chris Shays, or Jody Olsen would be good candidates to run the agency. Latest: For the record, Peace Corps has no comment on the rumors.

The Birth of the Peace Corps UMBC's Shriver Center and the Maryland Returned Volunteers hosted Scott Stossel, biographer of Sargent Shriver, who spoke on the Birth of the Peace Corps. This is the second annual Peace Corps History series - last year's speaker was Peace Corps Director Jack Vaughn.

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