Since we’re now five days into the Ethiopian New Year maybe some small talk with the one and only Him might make sense. At least the chance of getting off a few things off our chests would be nice.
HIM: – In the normal circumstances I would have said your visit to me comes as a surprise to Me!
Me: – Why would you say that?
HIM: – Because I think I lost touch with you people and couldn’t even guess what you might or might not do. Anyway for some reason this time around I’m not surprised since I’ve been expecting you.
Me: – That’s great! You really made my day with that.
HIM: – Sorry what is so wonderful about what I said? It was a simple statement and your reaction leaves me to doubt if you’ve heard me right or I’ve said what I think I’ve said.
Me: – But Lord, You said you expecting me!
HIM: – So what! My expecting me doesn’t mean I’ll roll out the red carpet, does it? Any way let’s not waste time with nonsense as you people down there are losing a lot of time over nonsense things. Ok let Me hear what’s on your mind.
Me: – There’s a lot on my mind. There’s so much on my mind you wouldn’t believe…
HIM: – Sorry for interrupting you; shall we stick to the essential ones! However much there’s on your mind a few would probably stand out as the forerunners. Am I wrong?
Me: – No! No! No! You aren’t wrong and you can never be wrong! How can You say that. All of us, or all of mankind knows You could never be wrong.
HIM: – Thank you for your confidence. You people haven’t been thinking much of me these days.
Me: – That’s wrong! So….sorry; I didn’t mean to say that.
HIM: – But you did! You meant to say that and it was all in your voice and facial expressions. One minute you say I could never be wrong and the next you say I’m wrong. Why do I think that’s familiar of you people down there? Why is it difficult for you to stick to your original ideas and jump all over the place like you’ve lost a place to land on even though to gather you breath. Any way back to the reason for your visit at this hour of the night. I’m listening.
Me: – It’s about the future.
HIM: – The future! Did I really hear that? What about the present! What about all the uncountable problems you say are dumped on your shoulders and are weighing you down! And I have been thinking all though you really are dumped by problems you’ve failed to solve. Now you say you want to talk with Me about the future. Why didn’t you tell me you have solved all your past problems and your shoulders are finally free of any burden?
Me: – They are not solved. I didn’t say they’re solved. Maybe the way I said things give you the wrong meanings. All our problems aren’t at all solved. In fact they have added up or even multiplied.
HIM: – Would you feel comfortable if I ask a couple of questions? Me: – Not at all! You can ask me as many questions as you want. In fact I’d take that as a privilege.
HIM: – You people never cease to surprise me, do you? Hearing that you feel honored me asking many questions than Me helping you in solving your problems. I’ll say out again; you people never cease to surprise me. Any way I’d like your general feelings of the present times since you’ve now made the future an agenda.
Me: – Yes we’ve began a New Year and we want it to be a peaceful and prosperous one since we’re fade up of the hundreds even the thousands of problems that are making life a torment for us.
HIM: – A torment! A torment! So that’s how you think about life! Then what is the purpose of talking about the future if you have decided life itself is a torment?
Me: – What I was trying to say is that the problems that currently piled up many stacks on our shoulders are hounding us are so difficult and so unbearable we want a future when they would be unloaded to the last unwanted speck and be totally free.
HIM: – Meaning that you want your shoulders to be free and able to carry newer problems!
Me: – We want our shoulders to be free for the next successive millennia.
HIM: – Now that is some plan, isn’t it? And how do you plan to make this wish of you come true?
Me: – I…don’t understand.
HIM: – I was saying what is your blueprint to solve these problems and make your shoulders totally free?
Me: – But that’s the purpose of my visit!
HIM: – Now it’s Me who doesn’t understand.
Me: – I came to plead with you.
HIM: – Plead about what! Plead with Me to do what?
Me: – We wanted to beg you to just destroy all the problems weighing us down and You are the only one to do it.
HIM: – So now I’m the muscles to just pick up all the problems you yourself have created and thrown on your own shoulders?
Me: – But we’ve nowhere to turn to! Where else could we have gone in times when knowledge has been replaced by terminal arrogance and the vilest types of vice?
HIM: – I remember hinting you people a couple of years back to look after your own problems and solve them since no one but yourselves brought the about. I’d like to help others who suffer from problems not they themselves created. You know, there are many such people in the world; I mean people who are suffering because of problems not created by themselves! Let me tell you what, just go into your New Year a couple of more months and maybe at that time we might have a few things to talk about what you call the future. Do we have a deal?
Me: – Yes, I do.
HIM: – Blessing to you all!
Me: – Thanks!
“The Future and Us!” How about that as a title for a future novel or screenplay by some ambitious writer!
BY EPHREM ENDALE
THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD SUNDAY EDITION 15 SEPTEMBER 2024