22.Paradise in Africa

  In the summer that year, a woman with long hair came into my office, her light brown face made me think about tropical scenery. She cheerfully asked: “Are you Dr. Mo?”
　　　I said: "Yes."
　　　She said: "A friend introduced me to come. She got married ten years but without pregnancy. It was here after your treatment she was pregnant and got a son. She specially introduced me to come to see you."
     She added: "I come from Africa."
　　　Africa? I have met the patients from more than twenty countries and regions, but it was the first time for me to hear the patient coming from Africa. She talked in an impressive way:
　　　Originally she had a happy family and a lovely daughter. In 1992 they couple began to run a factory, made money as much as five hundred thousand. Men wound go bad if they are rich. She met such a thing. Her husband who was rich now had an affair, in illicit cohabitation with mistress, made her damaged a lot. She suffered from the disgrace. When her family property grew to one million, she resolutely put forward a divorce. Bringing along the five hundred thousand the court judged to her, she left for Africa. With the help of friends she started to do a business of zip-top cans.
　　　In my impression, Africa is very hot and very poor. Most of my overseas patients were from the United States, Japan, France, Germany, and so on. “You go to Africa, can you make money there?”
　　　She told me: "Most of the Africans are very poor, they are in bare feet, there are some people robbing things. Every day we are very nervous. When you sleep, you have to keep one eye open. But, in Africa the other side is that it is easy to do business. There are many rich people, each cans can sell four dollars."
　　　Due to the stress of life, the market struggles, and the mental nervousness, she was made endocrine disordered, resulting in her amenorrhea. It was two years already. 
　　　She said: "Sometime ago, Africans flagrantly robbed my home, everything was taken away, a tall refrigerator was taken away, even the curtains were taken away. Four of the 8 containers were robbed away. I was trembling, went to the embassy for escape. One month later I came out. I sold the rest of the cans in the price of 8 dollars each. You see, without earning any coins.”
　　　I asked: "In that poor place, you can sell cans at such a high price?" She said: "In that place, everything is lacking, I have to grind my teeth.” From then on, the bear foot Africans left a very deep impression in my mind.
　　　I asked: "Why you choose such a poor and remote place to stay?"
　　　She is very proud: "Dr. Mo, you don't know, I now bought a big villa in the rich people area with the money I made. Outside there is a swimming pool. I have three maidservants at home. When I come back home, immediately someone will come to take off the coat and give you slippers. That is a life like in the heaven."
　　　I was in silence. I don't know, a 42-year-old woman with amenorrhea for two years lived a heaven-like life, how sweet it is?
　　　Bringing my medicines with her, she returned to Africa, returned to her life. Every time when I think of the remote Africa, I always have an indelible disappointment in my mind.