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The Gecko
We all walk
into places: homes, restaurants, lodges, toilets, airports, offices,
hideouts, you name them, any place, anywhere, and sometimes we
detect a whiff of something familiar but that we can’t name..
"Hmm… who was
here,? " we muse. We stop for a moment or two but then our minds go
onto new thoughts.
"Hope it isn't
what I think it is. No, Joe or whoever can't do that to me," our
suspicious alter ego whispers the crazy suggestion into our already
paranoid subconscious with relentless malice.
Sometimes we
walk into these homes and places with that detective purpose; with
the eye of a forensic crime scene sleuth. That stale perfume again.
If that is what you want to believe.
"A whiff, but
definitely the same. Quite familiar but cannot really place it"
Suspicion grows by the drum roll.
"No, it cannot
be! Cannot be Jack or Kondwani Jonson. He/she cannot do this to us.
He is a friend and so caring. She is one of us," suspicion pushing
closer to the precipice of dementia.
Most of the
time we can not put our finger on it but always our instincts
strongly suggest that something is cooking. Something is wrong.
Something needs to be told. But no evidence, no witnesses.
"Oh, but wait a
minute! There is a Gecko on the wall! Surely it must have seen or
heard something. Those beady black eyes must surely have witness the
raunchy scenes of Mr Chimimba Tiye's debauchery.
"How, we wish,
the damn thing could talk," we muse in utter frustration.
If only this
happened, now we would have this talking and writing Gecko at our
disposal.
The Gecko could
be a very good tool for most intelligence-challenged sleuths in the
Police Forces around the world - if only it could talk.
Useless and
expensive wars around the world would have been avoided if the Gecko
were able to talk.
Zambia would
not have been so poor today if the Gecko were to be asked to squeal
on “the copper spoon” we lost moments after independence in 1964.
Questions like,
"how come the Victoria Falls is said to be in South Africa," by
tourists landing at Livingstone Airport Some of the "happily
married" would definitely be heading to the divorce courts, loaded
with tapes from a Gecko - if only it could talk.
Psst..psst.
want to know how many tourists are planning to visit Zambia next
year?
Yep, I have
just the snitch for you. The Gecko on the wall - if only it could
talk.
There would
have been no such "Diesel from Grass" stories if the Gecko been
consulted. Or worse still, much sought Foreign Investment
"manufacturing bread" in the night and importing stationery to sell
to the Mines, Banks and you know who during the day.
The Good News
however, is, starting this month, The Lowdown has acquired a Gecko
and he will be doing some good talking on issues of interest. Issues
that will remind us that we have only “One Zambia.” Issues that will
make us proud to be residents of Zambia.
So, look out
for the Gecko in the next issue of The Lowdown.
Happy Birthday
Zambia. |
October
2005