A healthy, fresh wind was blowing from west to northeast of the city. The sun was still bright, but the wind seemed to cool off its heat. Airplanes that took off from the Airport were making disturbing noises within a fraction of a second; everything seemed normal.
People were talking and walking on pedestrian walks as usual. Why are these streets always full of people all day long? Isn’t there a job to do? Or are you all handling your business by telepathy? said Mollan the crazy street vendor, with his graceful loud noise. Mollan was a tall, gigantic street-life figure who lived on the roads for almost his entire life. He was fifty-five by then but looked like thirty years old. He’s got long hair and a beard dreadlocked by age, sweat, and dirt.
He was walking barefoot, wearing a grisly jacket and shredded jeans from the knees. His beady eyes, turning red slowly, reflected the gradual decay of his poor life and his lost faith in mankind.
Some say this giant fellow lived a comely life in some distant time of his grasshopper years. They say he was a chief mechanic and owned his garage in his first twenties. They also say he used to own two expensive cars when most of the people in the city-owned some raggedy old Volkswagens and Peugeots.
What’s happened to him to deserve this street life? Those who claimed to be his old friends say, that when he was a bit financially secure and strong, his wife left him with his children and all his money. She was well connected with powerful officials and legal people but he was a careerist and a simple society man, according to those who said they used to know him but never cared about how he was living his times of loss.
Some others tell a different version of the story that made his life look like the life of Nikolay Gogole’s character Akaky Akakievich . They say he jumped off a bridge and died with a broken Nake when his wife deserted him with his children Even though many people saw him, listened to him, and communicated with him his ghost was invisible to his friends and former colleagues or to all the people he knew back in the days. He was dead to them he was erased from their minds not only when he jumped from the bridge but even when he lost everything material.
Meanwhile, the giant may have lost his wife, children, money, or material property and friends, his graceful voice was still loud, perfectly heard but never listened to by the residents! Why? These days ignorance has become the best place to hide from deeper and practical thoughts, and negligence has become the easiest. Sanctuary for people to escape from trouble and misery, which may come from being loyal to truth and brave life. Mollan knew most of the people’s passion resided where the fashion was!
Mollan was talking but people are tapping on telegram gamble even while crossing the streets on foot. One of the pedestrians who was crossing the street suddenly stopped in the middle of the road and went on tapping. The driver who stopped his vehicle for the pedestrians sneaked by the window and said “Hey my man, would you like me to turn off the motor until you finish your game?” The pedestrian looked at him and waving his hand apologetically and crossed the road quickly.
It was only Mollan who noticed the situation. Many of the residents were rushing and busy tap-taping! “You will not get far with your gamble game, because one day you will get hit by a car if you continue like these!” he said. That particular pedestrian gazed at him contemptuously and turned back to his tapping!
“Responsibility is neglected for the sake of small games to earn fast money. The streets were supposed to be empty, during day times because people should have been somewhere in their offices or workshops. But this city is different! Streets are full of people all day long! Why? …Well…. you can ask your deep-rooted poverty if it has time to talk to you! “ha ha ha” The nighttime appeared but Mollan was still walking and talking! People still lined up for transportation to be at home early! a few hours later the streets became empty.
Only few cars were rushing by the streets and only Mollan walking and talking. This time he would say why are the streets empty now? Are you all scared of the dark? Or there is no work at night except the telegram tap-tap?
As he kept on walking, he would suddenly hear the sounds of graders, hard drilling types of machinery and active labor workers taking all over the streets. When Mollan saw this new movement, he would smile and say “There is no tragedy as no hope for mankind. There is always hope this is a giant city, which has been sleeping for too long!
Now it is awake”, he smiled again he was tired. He wanted to sleep on the sidewalk of the street. But this was not the time, to sleep. It was time for him to join the workforce. He approached one of the engineers who was busy on the night developmental task. “Good evening brother! Is there any position for an old mechanic? I may have no paperwork in my hands, but I can do a good job in fixing engines and other things!”
“We can use any manpower in this project. Pull up your sleeves and warm up your brain for menial jobs and we will see what develops,” said the engineer who led him to his first job after many years of a dormant life on the streets!
BY HENOK TIBEBU
THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD FRIDAY 15 NOVEMBER 2024
