'You must be aware Mr. Mulindo of the danger upon which you have placed your family and the entire village by deciding to domesticate a dangerous canine?' the prosecutor asked through an interpreter and broke into farts. It was as if miniature pistols released miniature bullets from his behind. Only the foul smell that filled the court room betrayed this later thought.
'No sir, I have no idea' my dad answered. Sweat beads as large as rain drops covered his nose and forehead despite the cold morning temperature.
'But your son is an adult of sound mind?'
'Yes sir'
'He can differentiate a hyena from other members of the dog family?'
'Yes sir'
'Your honour, I have no further questions to the accused' he said turning to face the magistrate.
'He already knows where he belongs' this concluded his brief cross examination if the questions he had presented to my dad amounted to the same. My dad's face had further aged. The beads of sweat aforementioned made him look like a withered plant that had been visited upon by dew. Better the gloomy expression of yester years. Better the tense expression that had greeted me at the airport the previous day.
I had looked at the trio; my dad, my mum, and my girlfriend and wondered whether the country or the village in particular had been visited by the notorious tribal clashes in the two years of my absence. Why had they kept it a secret if this was so? Only they knew the calamity that had befallen them. Only they had come to collect me at the potholed airport from my self imposed academic exile in Amsterdam.
Through the window, I looked at the lugubrious faces as the plane taxied to a halt. The faces showed no tinge of happiness or joy. Something snapped in my heart so that I bent forward and made the sign of the cross without knowing why.
I had been a catholic for twenty odd years and such trivialities had stuck onto my character, my conscience. They rushed forward to embrace me without as much as a smile on their faces, like pieces of wood that had been left out in the cold for far too long. The emotionless coldness irritated me to the bone. Had there been trees in their place a little warmth would have been felt.
Not even Judy my girlfriend could afford a smile. Had something gone wrong? Had there been a cholera epidemic in the village? I had felt cooler than when embracing metal pillars been it the cold for days on end.
'God, what's happening?' I whispered peering into the tear stained face masks.
'Nothing my son, nothing' mother whispered back. The answer prompted laughter from deep within me. I couldn't control myself. The situation was driving me insane.
'Stop it son, you might not live to see the light of another day' mother decided to warn me without the slightest tinge of humour. The concern in her hitherto sweet voice showed that she was serious.
'What have I done?' I asked, anxiety creeping into my soul. Could it be that I had been convicted in my absentia? Was I under a death sentence? Was this the subject of their gloomy nature? For what reason lord?
'Dad, explain please!' I shouted abruptly, an attempt to shock them into their senses. Dad was shaking as if caught in some kind of storm.
'I hate this mother, but I have a right to some kind of explanation mother. Can't just come home to a cold silence, dark faces, frowning and shedding tears and no explanation. What is it that has been outlawed this time? Long hair? Why didn't you communicate then? Or maybe I should have stayed away!'
'No son, we are happy to see you'
'And these are tears of joy?'
'Believe your mother. We are excited that you are back'
'Then show me at least a smile! What is it Judy?' I shook her in my hands and broke into fresh laughter. This time they didn't give me the chance to enjoy yet another good laugh. They threw their hands onto my mouth as mother gagged it with a new lasso, the only aspect that betrayed festivity on my arrival.
'Can't you people let me laugh at least? Your anger and hunger is your own. Have done anything to contribute to your sorrow? What did I do? What have I done to warrant this deathly sorrow? Tell me lest you want me to book another plane back to the states.
'Calm down Akuno. Calm down please. Perhaps we shall explain when we reach home. This place is too exposed, too dangerous. It's not safe for us, for you in particular.' Judy soothed, dubbing at her tear flooded eyes.
