(continued from yesterday)
BY HENOK TIBEBU
People say that they gave him a great hope saying if he stays some extra hundreds of years with his bugs patiently, he would be awarded piles of pounds above piles of pounds. That’s why he is back to drinking sipirri every day and night, so he could forget the pain when the swarm of bugs sucking his blood with their noodles.
The bugs are everywhere on his body and cloth. He is farming bugs because he has got a talent which any western company or government is willing to buy. “Don’t consider that dummy as any regular dummy!” said Fapplaw and finished his story adding “that dummy is a visionary dummy!” said Fapplaw and they laughed.
The author was laughing silently from right where he was laying on his mattress. He said to himself “there comes your story Danny” but suddenly Masho would burst out saying “who are you to say awful things like that about Awtaru?” usually she doesn’t like Awtaru. Awtaru hates her so much. That’s how they live. Now she is his lawyer all of a sudden.
“What I say about anybody else is none of your business woman. You better leave me alone!”
“What you gonna’ do if I don’t?”
“I will hit you where it hurts”
“Come on let’s get it on Mr. Tough guy” she yielded with that scratched voice that the author hates. Then he would hear sound of glasses and the benches or tables breaking. He would also hear the other sipirri people saying ‘stop it’ let go off her and trying to keep them both away (off each other).
The author didn’t get off his mattress and run to the sipirri house to be a peace maker. He has to listen because he’s an author. After everything was brought under control by their own sipirri friends begging and mediation, both fapplaw and Masho stopped fighting and cursing.
Gradually, the peaceful but worthless talk resumed among the alcoholics. They started talking and laughing. Finally the author heard Masho permitting Fapplaw if she can take a nap in his room. He said “here is my key” but remember don’t insult my mother in your dreams because we have sprinkled a holy water in the room to keep evil spirits away, and laughed.
She left to take a nap. Fapplaw and other went on drinking. They will never leave this place until they die. That’s what happened to their dead friends whose lives were wrecked by sipirri. Could this country whose politics is poisoned by divisive ethnic ideologies face the same destiny (faith)?
The Ethiopian Herald November 11/2022
