Goodbyes could be sweet or sour. Saying “Goodbye” to a loved one is an experience no one wants to find oneself in. But it happens and all “Goodbyes…” aren’t born equal.
“Look, our three years together have been the most enjoyable part of my life. There are so many life-long moments which I’ll never forget.”
“Me too; believe me this three years will go into thirteen and then thirty. We’re only beginning.”
“I wish that was the case.” What kind statement is that?
‘I don’t understand; is anything wrong?”
“I’m sorry; but I wanted us to meet today to say goodbye.”
Goodbye! Goodbye! What kind of a prank or something is this!
“A…are you going anywhere?”
“No: I’m getting married.”
What the hell is going on! Wasn’t she supposed to be your wife-in-waiting? Speechless, that’s what you are. You later learn her family of gold-diggers insisted she married a very wealthy guy. Hers wasn’t a marriage in the conventional sense; It was ‘a commercial’ decision! Believe me, that’s a storyline uncomfortably common these days.
You have packed and in a couple of days you would be crossing the Mediterranean. You’ve to break the news to her.
“I called to say goodbye.” You are tense imagining the earthshaking scream you expect from the other end.
“May I ask why?”
“I’m leaving.”
“What do you mean you’re leaving?”
“I’m going to Europe.”
“Oh…” That’s her response, a barely audible “Oh!” You expected her to try to pull down the moon and throw it at your face “You traitor: You devil! I’ll never forgive you!” and this is what you get! Your trip isn’t going to be a nice one. “She must have been cheating on me all this time.”
I told you, all “Goodbyes…” aren’t born equal.
Take this scenario, which plays out quite frequently. The parents of this girl go to great length to ensure that their daughter goes to where everyone seems to be going these days, America! (Some go there in search of the mighty dollar, some in search of knowledge and some…in search of hiding place! You mess up a thousand and one things in your country, you somehow manage to cross the Atlantic and you end up enjoying your Kentucky Fried Chicken without having to look over your shoulders. Just for the sake of argument, doesn’t the concept of the ‘rule of law’ work when you are in a country other than the one in which you committed heinous crimes!)
So these ambitious parents invest their time throwing hard earned money in all directions. They ask for divine intervention, “Just take our kid to America and we’ll serve you the rest of our lives.” Sometimes we make it sound like some marketing stunt…”Do this for me, and I’ll do that for you.”
Finally luck smiles on them and the sweet little soul will be on her way To DC! The hours for the final ‘goodbyes’ arrive and an entire army of relatives and neighbors is at the airport.
Now, given the months, even years, of efforts and prayers this should be the happiest and the most enjoyable of events. It isn’t. The ‘natural acting talent’ many of possess is in full display. I mean things are so dramatic you can’t help admiring the man-in-the-street’s acting talents.
The crowd seems to be in almost riot-mode. Like the WWE Royal Rumble everyone seems to be pushing and shoving everyone else. The girl’s elder sister who was at the steering wheel of the campaign for the ‘Mother of All Visas’ has turned into a tigress. She is refusing to let her sister go! It is like she’d jump if the nearest bridge if they let her go; She wouldn’t.
The mother, who has been moving from one religious site to the other for the best part of the year, is a total wreck. Hers was a 24/7. She even, a few times has consulted with known ‘wise men’ when she thought she wasn’t getting the audience she wanted through prayers. She loudly asks how she can go on living without her daughter at home.
The ‘final goodbye’ might have been a very heartbreaking affair as she kept crying her eyes out all the way to her destination. Had she known what was to come in the following months she’d have saved her tears for more convenient moments.
Barely a month passes when the real story begins as the letters keep start flowing to the ‘girl in DC.’
“My angel, can you send me Air Jordan sneakers?”
“I hope you’ll send me the latest iPhone.”
“Hi! I need a mac laptop.”
Few, if any, would ask her how she was doing. It is as if they sent not a young girl full of ambitions but a dollar-generating machine to be remote-controlled from this part of the world.
I told you, all “Goodbyes…” aren’t born equal.
Take this one;
“Wish me luck. I’m saying goodbye to the bottle.”
“What bottle?”
“Do I have to explain everything? I’m going to stop drinking. Do you get it now?”
“Sad; very sad.”
“I’m telling you I’m to kick away my drinking habits and you’re saying it’s sad!”
“I mean, come on; I can’t help it, but I feel sorry for the beer factories. With you stopping drinking half of them will go into the red!”
There is nothing more frustrating than your goodbyes being misunderstood, deliberately or otherwise!
I told you, all “Goodbyes…” aren’t born equal.
The Ethiopian Herald December 6/2020
