A Long Way Gone Ch. 17-18

Ishmael meets Esther for the first time in these chapters. Ishmael had been playing ping pong when he "felt someone tap [him] on the shoulder. It was the nurse...It was the first time [he] had looked at her directly. Her white teeth contrasted with her dark, shiny skin, and when she smiled, her face not only increased in beauty, it also glowed with charm" (Beah pg. 152). Ishmael was not sure about her at first. But Alhaji teased him and said, "She likes you" (Beah pg. 152).

Ishmael is annoyed with Esther at first, but after a while he starts to warm up to her. One day, Esther called Ishmael in to see her. When Ishmael came in the room she handed him a present. "She [looked] at [him], waiting for [him] to open it. When [Ishmael] unwrapped it, [he] jumped up and hugger her, but immediately held back his happiness" (Beah pg. 154). He did not want Esther to see how happy he was. But it was too late. One might say that Esther had bribed Ishmael into trusting her. But I think she just gave him a little push.

I liked these few chapters because everything was starting to pull itself back together again. For once, things seemed to be all right.