Behind the Bar (Rashid)

--

The pilot's sitting at the bar. Quiet type. Been here a week, talking for the first time as I hand him his beer.

'My cousin, she's about this high,' points at his waist. 'She literally looks like she's twelve. Cypriot special forces. Can kill a man with her bare hands. I used to joke she should be registered as a weapon. Christ, let's not even go there,' dry chuckles. 'Last time I took her to a night club in London she threw a guy right through the wall.'

The shift over, I have a beer with him.

'Most of us are here to escape the real world,' he says. It's true.

'The real world is over-rated.' I say.

'Big time.'

Take Me Back

--

‘So’ I explained, ‘by saying I am and adding one of these adjectives, you can describe what you’re feeling. Example, if you chose tired: you could say I am tired-’

‘No, ticha.’ Momba said.

‘No? What do you mean?’ I asked.

‘No, ticha. A real man is never tired. Sometimes hungry (-maybe-), but never tired.’ (-A Mariñero)

THE PRESS RELEASE

The Tanzanian navy captured a suspected Somali pirate on Sunday after an exchange of gunfire in the Indian Ocean south of the east African country, police said late on Monday.

The incident occurred about 70 nautical miles off the Mtwara coast in southern Tanzania where London-based, Africa-focused oil and gas explorer Ophir Energy has a vessel doing exploration work.

"The Somali pirate boat opened heavy fire on the Tanzanian navy vessel on Sunday night. The navy vessel was seriously damaged and was pierced, with at least 50 bullet holes," Mtwara Regional Police Commander Steven Buyuya told Reuters.

We cannot rule out the possibility that the Somali pirates could have been planning to kidnap expatriate workers.

Two Tanzanian soldiers were wounded in the incident.

After the clash, navy and police boats were deployed to chase the pirate boat. They arrested one suspected pirate, who was brought to Dar es Salaam for interrogation, but the others escaped, Buyuya said.

Near Wild Heaven

--

'Listen up everybody,' the Boss said and everybody froze. 'A pirate ship opened fire on a boat of the Tanzanian navy, leaving it seriously damaged with at least fifty bullet holes. Two sailors were injured. The Tanzanian navy and police have deployed ships and are in pursuit. They have captured a suspected pirate and are interrogating. The boat was last seen 50 miles from here. Heading this way.'

'Didn't I tell you? The pirates are coming, hey?' She said.

'How on earth do they capture a single pirate?' Somebody else.

That Old Devil Moon (in your eyes)

--

They sat around the bar, talking of smuggling, fishing and sex. Men without women, a collection of Hemingway heroes.

The old English officer who met the Queen. Sipping his gin and tonic. Gently. A kiss at a time. He says little, but with ‘rather’ and ‘indeed’ he agrees with everything.

The two ex-mercenaries. Tall, bald, aging warriors. They have seen action in a hundred Sub-Saharan battlefields. They fought in all African conflicts between ’61 and ’79. They drink freely, great gulps of beer and cider. They have much to drink for. Much to celebrate. Much to forget.

The hunter. One of the most fearsome Africa has seen in decades. A killer with a conscience. He stirs his brandy and coke with his finger. The ice rings on the glass. He never seems to drink it. He just sits there, stirring. Propping his head up with his other hand. Ever stirring, never drinking.

But the glass was empty again and he asked me for another.

--

At the bar, wiping a glass, Dylan playing, singing:

“How does it feel? To be on your own? With no direction home? Like a complete unknown? Like a rolling stone?”

You smile to yourself. It’s not so bad, Bob, it’s not so bad.

Where have you gone without me?

‘That’s all we do, isn’t it – look at things and try new drinks?’

(- Hemingway, redefining tourism in Hills like White Elephants)

What do travelers become, when they have nowhere left to go ?

--

Question of the day: Could there be poverty without property?

That Midnight Sun

--

You could write a book called ‘The Things That Guests Don’t Know.’ It would be a very big book. You could write a book called ‘The Things That Guests Should Know.’ It would be a very small book.

Dream Catch Me

--

I saw her waist deep in the water, putting goggles on. She swam into the sunset. Her head rose and dropped with the waves. Her arms cut through the water. She became smaller.

I couldn’t see her anymore.

I wonder where she went.

I wonder if she ever came back at all. ( - The Mermaid)

The world on your shoulders.

--

Outside the office, three Filipinos worked. They were holding a ladder and wires. The imported do-all technicians. Nothing breaks they can’t fix.

‘Hey guys, what’s happening here?’ I said.

‘The demolition team is here.’ Ted said.

Stereotypes are awesome.

--

Gatwick airport, lady at security checkpoint asked if I would allow her to test my hat. ‘Asking’ at an English airport is a very British courteous formality. Even so, I consented happily, seeing no trouble in this. She took me and the hat to a little counter and swiped my hat with white cloth.

‘Just checking for explosives, you see?’ She placed the cloth in a futuristic detector.

In my mind, images of an explosive straw hat (old Q’s design maybe) going out in a ball of fire, Hollywood slow-mo, shards and debris everywhere. I was very caught up by this vision. So when I said -

‘Wow. That would be so cool’ I wasn’t exactly thinking about what I was saying. The lady gave me a sideways quizzical look. The machine rung, vindicating. She returned my hat, I tried to explain, ‘No, that wasn’t what I meant’ but all I got in return was:

‘Uh-huh. Have a nice flight now.’