Africa Vision 43

Africa Vision 43

November 26, 2008

Herons

A gentleman came up to me outside the office today. Being the Boy Scout I can be on better moments I decided to listen to his story. In fact if I got it straight he plunged into a sale s pitch on an investment in fruit trees not far from N’Djamena. If I was to believe him with a little primary investment of 5.000.000 CFA and a yearly addition of 50.000 for permits only I would be set up to make a killing in 5 years time. Yes as he argued that is the time it takes for the trees to come to the fruit bearing age. I pondered and counted on my fingers. Never leaving his eyes. And with a mischievous hint I asked him how even a man with a belly like mine would be capable of eating 10000 dollars worth of fruit. And all the more important how about my hunger for fruits now. How to satisfy the imminent needs? I cannot be asked to think about the future. Now, now yelps the stomach.

A sign of disbelieve in the eyes of my salesmen. But I was not ready yet. As I was actually out in the courtyard observing the herons building nests I asked him about his knowledge of these lovely birds. An so I got a ten minute lecture on their nesting behavior, feeding patterns, eternal fidelity and why they would only nest in certain trees. After this expose I asked the gentleman if he got to know anything about me. He answered me yes I learnt about your character. So I asked him what about it? Is it good or is it bad? Well good for you. It was the best answer possible given the jester he was talking with. By now the poor man was looking at his watch and was starting to sweat profusely. I decided to let the poor man escape with some obligatory non-wisdoms about the interest of Indians in short term projects only and in birds in specific. Without running he scuffled away leaving me enriched in knowledge on the local herons.

Later that day my friend police inspector Pap swung by on his Harley. Lucky for me I only ate one cake and had one left to receive him. Friends and services work very sly here. He told me of my robber who is now working as a police informer, in fact I have seen him around the street and he was eating outside the Senegalese restaurant today. Small gifts are always appreciated and so my friend was fishing for the modem so he could hook up his laptop to the Internet. He always has great stories to tell. Today we discussed his views on the potential of criminals to revert to normal behavior. He believes that some can but that those that keep repeated crimes must be punished in the harshest way possible.

The story of the way was about embezzlement in the beer brewery in N’Djamena. Some gang was siphoning of beer of the production line with the knowledge of several key people. So some people are caught chucked in jail and depending on their political cover they are out in a day or stay in for several years.

My friend Pap was naturally asked to provide his wisdom on the herons. I asked him why birds seem to be so peaceful as compare to humans and if we cannot learn a lot from them. Well Pap said:” There is only a little battle between them and they may be more happy because unlike humans who think too much, they just live and happily survive”

So perhaps in a next life return as a bird I quipped.

Perhaps indeed.

Namaskar,

Ashis