Me: I hear you’re packing.
Him: Word travels fast, doesn’t it?
Me: It sure does. So finally, they make you change your mind.
Him: What’re you talking about?
Me: I mean all that D-Day talk from northern Addis must have gotten the best of you. I thought you were one who’d stick to his own guns and refuse to be duped so easily.
Him: Oh, that’s it! You people think I’ve jumped on that train?
Me: Come on; you can’t blame us for thinking as such!
Him: I’m going for the holidays! Does that answer your question?
Me: Yes, sir. Look, just for the sake of it, would it spoil your holidays in any way if I ask you something that has been bugging my mind for some time?
Him: I might not be the bravest guy in town. But why should anything you say spoil my holidays!
Me: That was stupid of me, wasn’t it? Talking the stupid things, here is one; why are you guys so silent?
Him: What was that?
Me: I was saying I just couldn’t even guess why you guys living in Addis don’t step up
to the plate and tell your stories?
Him: What stories?
Me: You know stories if the city is under siege by Godzilla and co; or of the ‘walking dead’ are here for real.
Him: I know what you’re trying to do. You’re trying to pull me into your politics, aren’t you?
Me: Of course not; what makes you think that? I was saying the logic evades me as to why truth-seekers come from across the oceans to see the truth for themselves and tell the world about things as they are, while those here for years say nothing.
Him: What makes you think we should speak out on your behalf!
Don’t get me wrong; no one expects you to talk on our behalf’ that would have been the most unfriendly gesture on our part.
You said it.
But, in all sanity, I don’t think there is anything wrong with our expecting you to talk on behalf of the truth, and only the truth. The man who said “The truth would make me free,” might not have been a darling of your country. But he has a point or two there; wouldn’t you say?
You’re not getting me. It’s your fight and you should go, slug it out yourselves! Don’t you think there’s a point or two in that?
Me: But it’s in a way your fight, too! I mean with the incessant warnings of all kind directly addressed to you guys don’t tell me you’re in the spectators’ box!
Him: What if we don’t feel like speaking out? Are you telling me that make us the enemy?
Me: Come on no one is talking the enemy/friend talk here. But Ethiopians just couldn’t just get their hands on why the very people in northern Addis who were supposed to work towards bringing the two nations even closer together act so irresponsibly. Come on, you can’t spare them at least a little criticism just because they are your people! We know when we see angels, and they are anything but that!
Him: You know what I think? I think you guys are really pissed off, aren’t you?
Me: If that’s how you want to put it, yes we are.
Him: Look chum, I know you guys mean well. I know you’ve been going through a lot lately. But my advice is just let the bygones be bygones. It is Christmas time!
Me: Bygones! I can’t believe you used that word! We’ll talk about bygones, when you return; you’d return, wouldn’t you?
Him: Now you are pissing me off!
Me: Sorry, I didn’t mean to. But in case you come across those people in northern Addis, would you do me a favor?
Him: Don’t tell me to plead your case for a visa.
Me: That was real upper cut on me! Look would be nice enough to bring me x–rays of their body parts resting on their necks?
Him: Now, you’re really making me laugh. And what do you plan to do with x-rays?
Me: I’d show them to the experts to find out if a screw or two are missing.
Him: And if any are missing, you’d be looking for donors.
Me: No; I’d launch some GoFundMe or something like that. You know after all, we’re a nice lot.
Him: I’m going to have a very pleasant flight back home now that I’ve found out I’m not the only nerd around.
Me: Well, I wish you a Merry X-mas and a Happy New Year.
Him: Thanks; anything you want me to get you?
Me: Yes, I want you to bring me the video footage of the dreams the guys in the White House are seeing about my country.
Him: Yes, I’m not the only nerd around.
The Ethiopian Herald December 12/2021