CUP HALF FULL
LIVINGSTONE, Zambia – The guide dumps vodka into my Coke. "Try not to think about it," she soothes.
"But I was an idiot," I moan. "I'm a travel writer. I should know better."
She flashes a stern, maternal glance. "You can't let this ruin your trip."
"I know, I know. I just need to brood a bit."
"Vodka always helps," she laughs.
***
Sulking out the window, I spot a giraffe. A pale white giraffe – my first au natural – gawks and nibbles through the roadside scrub. Whoa. That's why I'm here. Africa and Animals are the point, not earning my Savvy Traveler Merit Badge.
"You know," I turn to Bill, a retired theater professor. "Maybe the thief really needed that money, much more than I did. Maybe her child is sick and my birthday cash will pay for critical medicine."
"Now Amanda, you're a very nice person. But you need to consider all the angles," he replies. "Maybe she's an addict and it'll push her into an overdose."
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