Category: Rituals

He was one of the country’s richest people –
maybe the richest,
proud of his place of birth
loud in its praise
shy of its tax rules, he lived abroad.
An entrepreneur
and deal maker,
from humble beginnings, very humble.
Before he was a millionaire
he had been a builder.
Before he was multimillionaire
he had been a painter.
Before he was a billionaire
he had been a labourer.

It was an elite course – almost
if medicine and IT were excluded
just 15 of us in total, a sort of brotherhood
and sort of sisterhood if the two women were included
except,
contradicting the zeitgeist neither seemed
interested or impressed with feminism
preferring the company of their classmates to each other.
So, it was a kind of brotherhood with two female members
a sort of brotherhood –
with incessant demands, insane workloads,
near impossibility catalysed cooperation–
ideas, proofreading, encouragement
a sort of academic brotherhood except for Paul
who was rather pedantic at seminars
often focusing on minor flaws
and on occasions illuminating errors not tutor detected.

I gritted my teeth after he’d flossed me and growled to a classmate
“ why does he do that – some petty satisfaction,”
the listener, much wiser said
top student is a horse race which most here could win
so, when speed is equal,
running interference is performance enhancing.

His son said the policeman visited
unusual for such a high rank to house call
surprised – his father
as was the officer with the admission.
“Yes. I did. And do.”–
One room, two very surprised people.
“So, you know it’s illegal
oh yes
and continue to ….
yes.”

The policeman asked if he would now desist.
The son said he never admired his father more –
“ it’s not going to go away,
only increase,
they can come to my pharmacy and get a new syringe
and clean needles –
no questions asked,
the alternative is hepatitis .. and the rest.”
Nor did he ever admire a policeman more –
“ you’re absolutely right, but people are on my back.”
The son said
sometimes at night
a phone call and a muffled voice  “ tomorrow afternoon, 3.30 ”
siren, lights, a squad of uniforms ….

We acted on a complaint announced the district commander,
and found nothing.