(Short story) Ayantu and Marta are neighbors. They love and respect one another. Nothing makes them happier than spending their time together. They always dream of living under the same roof. They are the talk of all and sundry. They go everywhere together. On the whole, they are two sides of the same coin. Their blood boil whenever they hear about unrest in some parts of the country.
Time and again, the neighbors curse those displeased by the political wind wafting across the nation to the delight of citizens. One fine day, while they were having coffee, they learnt the fact that unrest was surfacing in a nearby university and thus they could not believe their ears. They did not know what they had to do. In the flash of an eye, they came into a decision to go to the university. Their children were attending classes in the same university.
On the way to the bus station, Ayantu said, “Day in and day out, I am thinking of my beloved son. He is everything to me. I am a prisoner of his love. I cannot live without him. I am incomplete and empty without him. In the absence of him, I feel like a fish out of water. I do not know what I have to do. Life is turning out to be like nailing jelly to a tree without my son. Every so often, I shed my tears, ” “Similarly, my son is as wise as a serpent and harmless as a dove. On the other hand, my oldest son Berket is as cruel as death. He is getting off the track over and over again. When I reprimand him he answers me back. Whenever I make an effort to shower him with pieces of advice, he ends up making fun of me.
I do not even know where he spends his time. Unless, he understands my endeavor and make an effort to be on the right track, he will end up leading a meaningless life in addition to ending up in prison. You know, we are leading a hand-to -mouth life.
I do not even have an adequate amount of money to cover all his needs. My husband and I are always struggling to make ends meet,” said Ayantu with selfpity. “You always cry your eyes out on account of your son and about your life.
To the best of my knowledge, self-pity cannot help you lead a meaningful life and your son to be on the right track. Therefore, do not worry about anything under the sun. By worrying you cannot change anything on the planet earth.
The Holy Bible says, ‘Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet the heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?’ … ” said Marta. As Martha is a religious person, she always talks about the Holy Bible nonstop. She comforts Ayantu brining into play a wide array of inspirational Bible verses and quotes. She fully trusts in God. Whenever something happens, Ayantu takes counsel with Martha.
They love one another as Christian sisters. After breathing a sigh of relief, Ayantu said, “Currently, some of the displeased segment of the society is stoking unrest in some parts of the country for the most part in higher learning institutions of the country. They had been sucking our blood for more than two decades. The general public was under the yoke of oppression and the quagmire of poverty following their immoral acts, not expected from real human beings. They had been greedily lining their pockets.
They did not care about the general public.” “First and foremost, they are bird-brained and more selfish. Nothing makes them happier than giving hard time for the people of Ethiopia. They did not do anything for the people of Ethiopia except fattening their pockets. For Ethiopians, life was an uphill battle.
They were foreign to their own land. The unreformed regime was dreaming of staying on power for more than forty decades. But thanks be to God, their dream could not become a reality. Our premier Dr. Abiy had poured cold water on their efforts and made them feel small. They are good for nothing and a snake in the grass.
They were using divide and rule strategies with the purpose of staying on power for many decades,” responded Martha. This time, Ayantu shook with laughter. As she hates the tyrants to death, she turned out to be infinitely happy. She had lost her beloved brother as a result of their evil acts. Many had lost lives because of their evil doings. After she went far deep in thought she said, “They had made Ethiopians to fall into the quagmire of poverty.
They did not do any meaningful thing for the majority of Ethiopia except turning out to be a pain in the neck. They made life difficult for the people of Ethiopia. When our Premier Dr. Abiy Ahmed came to power, I could not believe the unfolding. I did not expect he could make Ethiopia get back on track. Now, all Ethiopians are happy as Ethiopians are faring well in the length and breadth of the country.” “Right you are! We are in good hands now. Nothing and nobody can revers the ongoing reform surfacing in every nook and cranny of the country.
We should all work hand-inglove to sustain the reform. Though, the displeased ones endeavor to fuel unrest throughout the country, we should make an effort to give our all for the sake of not making the dream of the displeased ones a reality,” answered Martha. As luck would have it, a bus going to the close by university showed up. As the bus was not that full, they hurriedly entered into it. The bus was speeding fast. Most parents were worried about their children.
Some of them were crying their eyes out. They did not know what they had to do. At that specific point, everybody was busy thinking about the wellbeing of their children. Many thoughts were flickering through their minds. Ayantu’s son, Bereket, was coniving with the displeased segment of the society.
He was busy planting and throwing hand grenade in some areas and inciting violence. Every evening, he spent in a wide spectrum of bars drinking alcohols and taking drugs. But his parents did not have the faintest idea where he had been spending his time. All of a sudden, when a landmine went off, most of the passengers burned into ashes while some of them were left heavily injured. Bereket was the one who planted the landmine in the pothole of the road.
He was infinitely happy for accomplishing his mission. But he did not imagine that he would miss his mother. He was hiding himself in a certain forest with some of his friends counting bagful of money they were paid by the displeased and the corrupt who want to reverse the change the nation is experiencing. They were making fun of one another and building castles in the air. Bereket was thinking of building a big residential house to his parents. He was shelving different plans.
At the end of the day, he came out of the forest and embarked on taking a walk with his friends. When they saw the bus burning at a distance circled by throngs of people, they turned out to be very happy. But when they drew closer, he saw his mother fighting with death. He could not believe his eyes. He nearly fainted. He did not know what he had to do except screaming at the top of his lungs. For many years, his mother was carrying him in her heart instead of her arms. With her head on his arms his mother said “My dear son, I am going to meet my maker.
I have been dreaming of making ends meet. Whenever I gave you pieces of advice, you were constantly making fun of me and a laughing stock. Please be on the right track. Please make your bread buttered well through hard work and stand by the side of your brothers and sisters. Take lessons from your younger brother in the university. You should love your country.
They do need your help now. Life is too short. Stick to the ten commandments: I am the Lord thy God, No other gods before me, no graven images or likenesses, Not take the Lord’s name in vain, remember the Sabbath day, honor thy father and thy mother, Thou shalt not kill, among others.” All of a sudden, she closed her eyes never to open them again. He did not know what he had to do except bursting into tears. The commandment “You should not kill!” kept on resonating in his mind! He ran all the way to church tears trickling down his cheecks. He met a priest in the compound who advised him it is not to let to start anew and be a good person. He also made a confession” “I soaked my hand with own blood!”
Herald December 30/2018
BY ADDISALEM MULAT
