This is the road to Mount Yibby. Between the trees. Five trees face
me. Five generals is what I see. Quixotically, I'm like Don Quixote,
but I'm doctor Mimi. Not Spanish, but Nagerie. At least I'm
trying to be next to me. No Sancho. But my bestie Philby irony
see four, says he. And besides that, they're trees. My dog
Bossy agrees he would pee if I set him free against one of my general's
knees. Three of the generals are women like me. Three of the trees
you mean, says Philby. Nor the generals? I scream, oh three,
see I don't, says he. Show me in the middle there,
General number three. She is saluting me. Her hair is tied up in
a pony, with her head held loftily. She speaks elegantly, and she
is wearing lippy. That not up there, you mean, asked Philby.
Is out of mouth? You see, yes, I say, clearly,
ah her eyes. He says, they're following me? What us sleees okay,
soldier, I say, at ease. I order Philby back to his
olive trees. It's me that the generals have come to see. Bossy stays
beside me, sits obediently, but not silently. Before the start of formalities,
Bossy starts. He choose the desk legged noisily. Hush, Bossy,
where's your bone? Sorry? Generals, can you please give me a moment
to see what Bossy needs? Turns out he needs a feed. Now he's
happy. Now where were we? General number three is introducing me on the
left, my right, says she pointedly, General number four, but there
are two, it seems behind her is an apprentice. He stands short back
and underneath, quietly attempting in conspicuosity. I'm angry. General number three says
it's just administrative. Says they knew I probably wouldn't like this, And yet
I say, shakespearishly, what is this I see before me? If you
knew my preference already, are you testing my integrity to see if I can
lead? General number four speaks, says she'll vouch for the sapling, not
to me. I say, here, you vouch for yourself only. So
this is how we're starting. I turned to the young and still hiding.
I asked, where do you hail from? Who are your people? Or
as the nagerie say, who do you be? He's briskly says to me
locally on that hill, that's my family. All his former humility is disappearing
iterationally and generationally since eighteen seventy, says he. Ah, I say,
I see then to the generals, this cannot be the sky turned gray.
Prophetically, even the generals turned dark on me. Can't you let him be?
No? Unfortunately, and if war is coming, I can't be questioning
loyalty. Trance plant him at least is General number four's plea. He's been
like a son to me. The thing is, I can see General Number
four's soft belly, and it's taking every every thing in me not to rip
her to pieces, clear spaces, communicate clearly. It's my way or the
barrier highway, to act ruthlessly. But these generals are important to me.
They are my army. I need to act strategically. Catch more flies with
honey. I kill flies like mousey tongue. For money. Zadong paid five
cents each one. I call my husband. That'd be a good name for
him, five cents honey. Can you come here and do what you do?
Do well? Son Philby salutes III. Captain, He says and then
some I watch him unblinkingly walk over there. He steps on the neck of
the young soldier to the ground. He brings him unwillingly. The youngster Ben's
flexibility is youth's friend. But Philby kicks again and again. Chips Boss joins
in digging, and that's how it ends. I assume unthinkingly. But Philby
is waving he's found another. I see another traitor hiding. Philby kills it
quickly. They're naught but detritus that he leaves on the empty council land on
John Street. I say, it gives me no pleasure to be right,
but it's a lie. I'm not like Philby. I want to lead,
which should automatically preclude me. But so it has always been and always will
be, like that sapling infiltrating, relying on the willing. It is chilling.
Really, I want it to stop. I am the one for the
job. My generals agree. They show their dark skins to me and their
fair limbs. Okay, I say, just not here, not him,
and be careful. Look see his people still watch us from the hills.
Just then and emu ran I pointed it out to them. We all knew
it was a good sign, even Philby in his way, who loudly proclaimed
that he was lucky because he'd mowed before the rains. It rains all day.
I make the generals stay at attention, wait for the wind to change.
When it does, I go out there too. Now it's time for
me to listen to you.