TRAGEDY OR DELIVERANCE?
Pockets of unrest erupts every here and there. The slightest provocation leads to one kind of protest or the other. As the government resolves one issue another one surfaces. When the goat is pushed to the wall, it turns against the attacker. The government is failing to heed the ominous signs on the wall. The youths are not turning back anymore. They gave the government leaders ultimatum to hand over power.
Instead of heeding the warning the leaders laugh over the matter.
Similar issue is taking place with Pelensiri and Stanley.
Kate grows insolent by the day. Stanley has gotten to the point when he is ready to dare the consequence. He is frustrated spending another day with Kate the daughter of Pelensiri. It is like the battle of control over the soul of Stanley by the entire family of Pelensiri. They are the odious evil gang led by Chief Pelensiri himself. They prostrate Stanley until he becomes an ordinary figure head. This they achieved from the moment he married her until recently.
He dares Pelensiri recently.
“I will rather die than remain the captive of your family. Kate either comes down as a wife or we burst the whole show sir.”
“Ha ha ha ha,” Pelensiri laughs. “How suddenly you come about this courage to talk to Almighty Pelensiri. The lion no one dare look at.”
“I am the eagle far from your grip. There is always good in every bad experience. Marrying your daughter has proved that benefit, if nothing else. Dealing with your family has given me strength. With this strength developed over time I have sailed over your grip. You rule your world through the instrument of fear. As you too can see, I am no longer afraid of you and I cease being your captive. I have learned that when you face your fear, your problem is half solved.”
“The dog that dares the tiger will be clothed with blood,” Pelensiri threatens.
“It is better to die valiantly than lead a cheap life. I am Stanley; I am not Dr Boudaha my father. I don’t have to eat from dirty politics in the nation. I have nothing to lose order than my life. You have much to lose if the equation changes so you are holding tightly to everything called Boudaha.”
“Who told you that?” Pelensiri charges at him.
“Nobody; by experience and observation I have come to know that your dirty government launders yourself on my dad’s personality. He is the image of your government; you corruptly lured him to market your stinking records, this includes the president. Why do you always want to have dad in your campaign train? Do you think I don’t know?”
“You have come to know so much guy; kudos.” He claps for Stanley disdainfully.
“I know more. You use cunning means to get Boudaha to your side as an in-law to market whatever ambition you might have. Hadn’t Kate said it several times that I am a toothless bulldog to serve her and not the other way round? You use Boudaha my dad and you want to use me too to launder the image of Kate for a political career into the future.
“Your threat is for one reason, to keep my personality around Kate to market her political brand and that of your circle. I know your threat to eliminate me isn’t a joke if I fail to cooperate with your schemes and plans.”
“You are right!” he speaks quizzically. “What more boy?”
“Since I know all this, I am prepared to serve you a big surprise upon my death. If you kill me you and your career will sink forever. I have more than enough to nail you and all these information are with my lawyer who holds this in confidant. It is not my local lawyers so don’t go after them but an international lawyer. I have the full information on how you transform from a drug baron to a political icon. I know of those ladies who you rape. How about the wife of one of your aides who was pregnant for you; to cover up the deed you ended up murdering her along with the pregnancy?
“I have made it clear that if I die, they should hold you and Kate responsible. With that I wonder how she will come clean to emerge as a political personality in this country. You too know I have people who have begun to hold me in high esteem in this country. You too know that the youths are beginning to demand for fair governance and they are looking to people like me.
“Chief, I cannot serve Kate. But for the respect I have for you as my in-law I would have used this information I have against you, but I would not do that; God himself will demand justice over you for all the atrocities you have committed.”
“Stanley, you seem so weak when I got you over to marry my daughter but I didn’t know you have a deceptive look. You seem weak on the outside but strong as steel within. Your sly look gives you ample time to know so much about me. This notwithstanding, I will keep roaring as a lion till my last breathe. Keep the information or we will all sink together. Do you know what I mean?”
“No, sir.”
“You may be ready to die.”
“Yes, very ready.”
“But how about Boudaha, Brenda and your sibling?” He laughs wickedly. “How about your children?” he adds.
“My children are your grandchildren sir. Have you forgotten?”
“No, I have not forgotten,” Pelensiri speaks arrogantly, “When a person like me is sinking, he pulls everything possible along. Stanley, don’t dare me please.”
“You too respect my family, stop poking nose into my family affairs and tell your wife sir to also respect this too. Both of us can pull strings. Old man, enjoy your wealth and political grandeur, leave my family alone. I am the head there.”
“Who made you head?”
“Do you know I am a Christian and we have our tradition.”
“What tradition boy?” he seem interested to know.
“The Bible says: Let every man lead his home and not the other way round. I dictate what happens in my house henceforth and not you or your family sir.”
Chief Pelensiri is seen fuming with anger: “Young man, get lost and get out of my house now.” Pelensiri roars and this makes five of his aides to rush in.
“What is it sir?” they all query at the same time.
“I have not called you in. I am with my beloved in-law.” He pretends all is well.
“We are sorry for intruding,” they answer him with respectful gestures as they walk out.
“Bye sir.” Stanley steps out of his father-in-law’s presence.
“Remember this, no matter what you do; you cannot have your way boy. We remain the godfathers of this nation.” Chief talks to him as Stanley walks out.
Pelensiri feels beaten for the first time in decades. Stanley has gotten him down below the belt and he wouldn’t dare act rashly to curtail his son-in-law. He is sure Stanley has more facts to nail him. He looks vacantly on how to rearrange the game plan to his favour and none is forthcoming; at least not for now.
“Welcome home King Kong,” Kate claps for her husband when he gets back. “Who cooked for you and boldly declare you would have soup to dish it out. Hear me, I don’t want to care a hoot Mr Man, it is me and dad that will determine whether you have soup for your meal.
“I pity you man, if you know what is good for you go back and beg Pelensiri. No one dare him and stay alive. He is a rattle snake.”
“I am not going back on my words. If he is a rattle snake, I will smash his head.”
“I love that audacity of yours,” she claps admiringly, “but it should not have been against Pelensiri and Kate. Pelensiri don’t forgive while Kate is inflexible. You either serve my purpose or I make life a hell for you.”
Stanley laughs and this makes Kate to start: “I have always live in hell since I married you. I have deleted your acts out of my life. You no longer exist in my life. I am only living with your carcass.”
The last statement pains Kate that she rushes forward to slap Stanley and he is quick to hold her two hands down.
Back at the family house of the Boudahas, a strange call brings jitters and fear.
“Boudaha,” the voice is wild as it bellows through phone.
“Please who is calling my line and without an iota of respect.”
The voice keeps quiet for a while before it continues: “It is not about respect now. It is about having your life saved from an impending danger.”
Sweat gathers fast on his forehead and he begins to shiver: “What have I done please?”
“It is not about what you have done, it is about you being able to follow this simple instruction to the letter. Your life depends on this.”
“Please what is it all about?”
“Travel out of the country for another two weeks.”
“For what?”
“Travel to any part of the world, anywhere and do it now.”
“Why?”
“Ask no more questions.” The voice thunders as he drops the call.
Boudaha calls Brenda.
“See what Stanley has caused. He has stirred the hornets’ nest.”
“Why do you think or say that?” Brenda asks her husband.
“Pelensiri is angry and he wants me dead!”
“How did you know that?”
“A caller warned me to run out of the country now and for the next two week. He said this simple instruction will determine whether I live or not.
“Then put a call to him and beg him on behalf of Stanley as you pretend not to know about this caller.”
“Thank you Brenda. I will do that now.”
Dr Boudaha calls Pelensiri and pleads on behalf of Stanley.
“Dr Boudaha, take my word. I will not hurt him if he would not act silly. He is my son and son-in-law at the same time. I still like him; just to be sure he is not acting to the extreme.”
“Thank you.” Boudaha sighs with relief; he feels there is no longer reason to be on the run since Pelensiri feels no grudge against him and his family. Before sleeping that night the strange caller calls again.
“Why are you calling again?”
“The time is running against you. This is countdown to your death if you fail to heed my instruction. You have only tomorrow left.”
“Why should I need your instruction?”
“We want to strike, I love you and I don’t want you taken by surprise.”
“Thank you.”
Boudaha hurriedly finds out about the available flight and with Brenda they travel for urgent vacation.
The anger and the frustration of the citizens especially the youths are like the pent up flood that is bursting out on every frontier. In every city, towns and villages people troop out to demand for the leaders to vacate and leave the government arenas since they could not make the lot of the people better.
In simple term they give out a simple instruction to follow: Leave the space. The leaders take this as the joke of the century. They disperse the protesters, yet with each passing day the crowds of protesters grow into a mammoth size. After a week it has become uncontrollable.
Then the government commits an unpardonable sin. They order the military to open fire on the citizens. Hundreds die within a couple of day. But within the same two days, the government of decades crumbles to rubbles. The uproar consumes virtually everyone who has feasted from government the past many years.
The president and many members of his cabinets die in the inferno of outrage. Mr President is strangled and cast into the street like a dead dog. Pelensiri is a conspicuous part of the government, a behemoth of people march to his house and he jumps over the fence. He too is tracked down and stones are cast on him until he dies a miserable dead. His aides all desert him during this trying time. His palatial home is razed to the ground; all that is left of Pelensiri estate is heaps and ashes. All he gathers ends up as vanity within a moment.
Kate is bewildered, and her mom and Kate’s siblings run to Stanley’s home as their hideout. They find out that Stanley is loved by many and anything under his custody will be fine. Suddenly, they eat the humble pie.
“Stanley, hope you are fine,” Susan calls in the heat of the unrest.
“Very fine. You care.”
“Sure, you have remained my best of friend and I remain forever grateful Stanley for those years gone while in school.”
“Susan, I want you back. Only this will make my joy complete.”
“We are married. Above all, let the raging storm be gone.”
“Then you would be available,” he feel relieved.
“No, Stanley. The die is cast and forever settled. There is nothing anyone else can do. There is nothing my friend. But I owe you my deepest prayer this period when this mayhem is set against the aristocratic families of the land; I hope vengeance is not taken too far. It is well with you my friend.”
“Thank you, this is the best call in recent time. Even the dark sky retains its silver lining.”
“Bye,” Susan talks gently and faintly as she drops the phone.
Stanley brushes his hair backward and sighs deeply when he hears from behind the voice of Kate.
“Who is that calling you?”
“Susan,” Stanley answers carelessly.
“Susan, Susan, Susan,” she rants. “Go marry that Susan. Go marry her.”
“What is that to you?”
“I love you please. Don’t hurt me now that I am bereaved of my father,” she clutches him to her. “You are all that is left to make me happy. Only you.”
Stanley’s heart melts. He sees the tears in his wife’s eyes. Her sterling power is gone. Her father, her backbone is gone; died pitiably. Chief Pelensiri, the rugged man of the nation’s politics and the father of the cabals and the old horse in the drug industry. How are the mighty fallen?
For a very long time, the soft side of Stanley comes into play again.
“I am sorry; I cannot afford to hurt you as we mourn the life of your father and the many rich people that died in the infernal outburst of the masses; although this is an eternal lesson to us all. We cannot hold people down forever. Can we?”
The systemic cleansing ends abruptly as it begins. An interim government is installed immediately to avoid a vacuum. The youths especially insists things have to be done differently now.
