Some panic in town this morning as everyone talks about a new security incident - shots being fired on the east side of town, lots of shouting, crowds of people. Help!

The seasoned aid workers adopt all of the typical coping mechanisms of being in a shitty situation but not being able to do much as it actually happens - turn up the volume on the radio, or close the window to resume that conversation about the head of mission's fling with the gorgeous new French surgeon. Unhealthy perhaps, and probably socially unacceptable as well - but that's for others to judge.

Personally, I still have sympathy for the somewhat heartless "God, I hope they don't cut off the phone lines again, I really need to send this email" or even "Jeez, these people are boring - being in this place is even worse than that time when I was kidnapped, at least then there was the fear of being beheaded to talk about" (recently overheard at an aid worker party, honest to God)

Thankfully, today's shots turn out to be coming from a trigger-happy and overenthusiastic wedding party. And in the end, our quiet sighs of relief expose us as not quite so uncaring, detached and business-like human beings after all.

Tags: Sudan, Darfur, aid worker, shot, wedding