He laughed gently and I relaxed
Happy to find
In spite of the gun.
He was still a man.
It lit the dark that gentle laugh
In the pith of night...
But it was only the low laugh
Of one who was soon to die.



Ken Saro-Wawa
(from Songs in a Time of War, 1985)



-xx-



My mum pushed me, till i hit the sharp point of the table. It throbbed, but i have much more pride than that. I stood there, and tried my best to stand upright. I was giddy, and i saw my mum swaying back and forth, left to right, then right to left.


"Clearie dearie, what happened to your head?"
"I don't know."
"Clearie dearie, why is it bleeding?"
"Well, i think someone pushed me and i knocked my head."
"Not me, Carmen, you hit her, me no go jail. You go judge. Me no touch her. Carmen, you got see me touch her? No no. Me no go jail. Me no go jail."
"Shut up, Eastman."
"Drink this up."
"Come on, drink it."
"Now, that's good, Clearie Dearie."
"Clare, are you alright?" "Mummy says that you need help in preparing dinner. Need my help?" "Clare, what happened to your head?"
"Four eyes, are you spying for mummy?"
"No, why d'you think that?"
"Then shut up. And i don't need your help. I can handle it by myself."
"Clare, Clare! You're bleeding."
"I'm not blind. And i can feel."
"You'll dirty your shirt."
That sprung me into action. I didn't want my lovely shirt to get dirty. After all, i was the first to wear it. Thanks to my job at Roses.


"Thanks, Four Eyes, but i don't need your help."
I continued cutting my chicken, and i was aware of Eastman calling to his children. Cynthia! ___! He went into the kitchen and called softly to them. Any fool would know that no one would hide in here. He pretended to look around, but i knew he was staring at my head. My blobbing head. It annoyed me, but i thought i'd scare him a little. "Cynthia..." Aww, shut up. I plucked out the chicken feathers. Eastman started talking to himself.
"Me no touch you. You got see me touch you? No. I never push you. Me no go jail. Judge no come find me. Me no go jail. Carmen did this. Carmen."
He started shaking his head, slowly, then faster as time goes by.
"CARMEN! She's bleeding."



The story carries on, but i think i've given enough to make you interested to read it. [:
I think that's how one part goes. Some words are not really that exact. There are many more parts which i want to share, but have no time. ]: SORRY! This book is "Ugly", by Constance Briscoe. [: Her mother left her at the age of 13. No electricity, no food, no water. She was to fend for herself. In spite of all that, she still managed to be one of US's first women to become a judge.


-xx-





Let's not think about tomorrow, take my hand tonight.
We can find some place to go.

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