Symphony in distress

“Deal” said Anna, the twenty-odd something kiwi girl, sitting across the table.
“A short story, with at least twenty lines of dialogue it will be.”
“But on one condition” she followed. “The final result has to be published on our blogs.”
“Good idea!” I heard myself saying with some enthusiasm.
“WHELP!” I thought to myself. The commitment to write a short story was not something I was waiting for. After setting this deal we both engaged ourselves into some contemplation. Then our eyes crossed and reality became real again.
“Fiction or non-fiction?” mumbled Anna. The bread, although just arrived, had found its way.
“Lets make it fiction,” I replied, “otherwise I have to reproduce this conversation literally”.

Lamin Boeti number two and Lamin Foetsie where digging around in the ground harvesting groundnuts. Both were armed with a little machete. Unfortunately for them the machete did not help much, so both where forced to use a lot of energy. While digging around a very unsupportive fact was present as well, the sun burning on their backs. As suns come in Africa, it was a very hot sun, a very nasty hot sun. Therefore both Lamins did not like the sun, actually both Lamins did not like spending a lot of energy and both Lamins did not like groundnuts. Apart from Lamin Foetsie, he quite likes them.

“Shall we think about a better solution than this lousy machete?” asked Lamin Boetie number two. He had been standing in a weird position all day and his back was hurting.

“No,” replied Lamin Foetsie.

“Shall we seed something else than groundnuts, they are hard to harvest, not very tasty and the market is not very good.” Lamin Boetie tried again.

“No,” said Lamin Foetsie again.

“Shall we form a cooperation with our fellow farmers and organize the use of machinery?” Lamin Boeti asked.

“No,” said Lamin Foetsie

“Shall we reinstall the irrigation system the Chinese built here, so we do not have to be hungry for two months a year?” Boetie asked.

“No,” said Lamin Foetsie.

“Shall we try to eat from our own land instead of buying very expensive imported rice?” asked Lamin Boeti. Lamin Foetsie thought for some seconds and said, “No.”

“Shall we use gas for cooking instead of wood? They say it is cheaper and cleaner,” asked Lamin Boetie.

“No, are you kidding,” replied Lamin Foetsie, who suddenly became talkative. “We are not going to do anything Boetie, we might live in this harsh environment, totally justifying a more structural and knowledge-intensive approach, but we know we can survive like the way we live, and I am not taking any risks. I just do not have the space to take risks in my life. I do not have the money, the knowledge, or access to the right people.” Lamin Foetsie continued. “Sometimes we might get things from some NGO or whatever, or they try to teach us other behaviours, but I am not buying any of that. I perceive those new things as risks, and I do not like risks, and why should I take them? We do not know what tomorrow will bring.”

“What did you say brother? We know how to survive? Two of your children died before they were five. That is not survival.” Lamin Boetie replied. Lamin Foetsie did not like this comment, but Boetie was right, some of his family have not survived. But who’s fault was that? He himself survived without anybody’s help.

“Shall we give more food to the children and our wives when there is not much, instead of first feeding ourselves? They are more vulnerable than us,” Lamin Boetie asked again.

“No” Lamin Foetsie replied, shaking his head.

“Shall I --” but Lamin Boetie could not finish his question, his mobile was singing, the latest tune of 2BAB Shakur lifted up the groundnut field. It was his mate, Lamin. Lamin lives in a village two miles down the road but today he was visiting the Lumo (market red). Lamin asked Lamin if he wanted to buy a goat for Tobaski. En sha la! Boetie had totally forgotten about this. He had to buy a goat to celebrate the end of Hajj. The 17th of November approaches faster than appreciated and it was a good time to sort it out. Yes of course he wanted to buy this goat. It reminded him that he had to stop by the tailor on his way back. He got also a brand new colourful costume made for the celebration. Glad his mate asked him, now he had a goat and he would not forget to go past the tailor. Good things always come together.

“Shall I take Lamin Boetie number three out of school?” Lamin Boetie picked up his conversation again. “He can write now and, given the situation we are in at the moment, where rich countries attract all people with any skill out of the country, the chances that he will learn something useful are quite small,” Boetie number two stated with a sigh. “And who can blame those people, I won’t be able to live off the money you will make as a teacher.”

Lamin Foetsie replied by nodding his head, but it was unclear what it meant. Boetie number two stretched his back again and peeled a nut. He looked to the flock of birds flying past. “Is it not wicked Lamin, that the most common birds are the most pretty ones?” Lamin Boetie observed. “Imagine it would be the other way around, how boring would that be?” Lamin Foetsie looked to the birds as well and totally agreed for a change. He stretched his back and walked to the donkey who was waiting at the end of the field. Boetie had followed him and jumped on the cart. Their day was over, the sun was about to set. It was time for their meal of the day, and since it was their only one they wanted to enjoy it. The ride back to the village went along a lot of uncultured land, land waiting to be used. So far nobody had come around to use it, maybe Boetie number three will make it. Who knows, he didn’t that is for sure.


End

Sorry, dreaming up this short story based on my experiences in rural Africa took so much time that I have almost no energy left to share my adventure on the road. I came back from the rural side to the coast last Saturday in a peugot 505, this is myself and 12 other people (it does fit). We went easily 100 km an hour, risky business if you realize that we did not have any brakes. Seriously we did not have brakes, no hand brake, no normal brake. We could only slow down by creatively gear switching, as there is switching in return while still going ahead. But I survived, and I was on time for the party at my apartment block. Halloween with 30 degrees and a midnight swim. Life is not so bad.
My new hobby is sea fishing, but so far I only caught knots in my lines….

Click here for some new pictures.

PS. All first born male are called Lamin, so there are a lot of them (I did actually meet a Lamin Boetie number two), all first females are called Fatou. Easy system and helpful for the less creative.