NGONGE Posted November 7, 2004 Ali is a poor man. He’s the poorest person he ever met. All his family is poor. All his friends are poor. His neighbours are poor and their neighbours are also poor; in fact, the whole neighbourhood is poor. Ali’s car is second hand. His old and decaying house is second hand. His 42†TV is second hand. His Sony DVD player is second hand. His playstation is second hand. Ali is a Somali who lives in the UK. He’s a British citizen, which makes his adopted country second hand too. Ali is unhappy about his poverty. He wishes if he could ever forget about it. He also wishes to be rich. But, since he’s not rich but rather poor and everyone around him is poor, he wishes to forget about his poverty. When Ali leaves his second hand house and drives his second hand car, he often passes by rich houses and sees brand new cars! This reminds him of his poverty, therefore, Ali hates to leave his house. When Ali stays in and watches his second hand 42†TV, he sees the news about rich presidents, rich warlords, rich countries, even rich climates and weather! On the odd occasions that he sees images of poor people, he always finds them to be farfetched stories of starving babies and hungry old people; none of which portray the correct image of a poor man who owns a second hand car, house and 42†TV. Ali is depressed. He’s had enough of his second hand life. He dreams of being rich. Ali’s dreams are noble and worthy. Upon becoming rich, he plans to spend his newfound wealth on helping all the poor people of the world; he plans to wipeout everything that’s second hand. He plans to surround himself with rich friends, rich neighbours who also have rich neighbours; in fact, he plans to live in a rich neighbourhood. Last week, Ali’s second hand phone, rang! It was a call from Somalia. His uncle, who lives a wretched life, owns three wretched goats, is father to fifteen wretched kids and is married to four wretched women, called him to ask for his financial help! Ali promised to try his best and told his uncle to expect a positive reply soon. Ali’s real reply was not going to be favourable at all. Ali is a poor man who lives a second hand life and knows the pain of everything that is second hand. Ali loves his uncle, his uncle’s three wretched goats, fifteen wretched kids and four wretched wives! Ali can not bring himself to inflict pain and misery on that wretched family by sending them his second hand money! Ali now expects a second hand call from his other uncle telling him about his first uncle’s wretched life, goats, children and wives, and asking him to send them some of his second hand money! Happy Eid, people. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
STOIC Posted November 8, 2004 Ali has no alternative possibility there than to send his second hand money.Ali is either going to spend money on a second hand stuff (that will not elavate his status to rich) or he will suffer the guilt for the rest of his life. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
- Femme - Posted November 8, 2004 Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm Is this your life story Raami? Adheerkaa u dhir lacagta fuquryahow Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
nafta Posted November 9, 2004 its the cycle of poverty isnt it Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
NGONGE Posted November 9, 2004 Moral poverty, perhaps? Lack of faith, maybe? Can’t be lack of money surely, he owns a 42†second hand TV! Do you know how much these things cost nowadays? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
nafta Posted November 9, 2004 well it certainly is greed...somali people and greed...you know what this story reminded me of? The woman who goes to visit her neighbour, and sees her neighbour has got new daahyo, freshly sent from Saudi, and a new set of fadhi carabeed, and the children are playing with some new toys, and the tea get brought in new china set...so she goes home after the visit, decides to make a long distance call to her sister in abu dhabi and casually mention that she needs new curtains (there's absolutley nothing wrong with the ones she's got now)...she'll it pay it off using the hagbad money that she will get end of the week...and oh yeah she changes her telepohone number to avoid saying 'she hasnt got any money' to callers from Somalia Ciao Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
N.O.R.F Posted November 9, 2004 he owns a 42†second hand TV! Do you know how much these things cost nowadays? They also tend to be heavy, lifting from 2nd hand car to 2nd hand house, no free delivery here,,,, Putting things in perspective, a timely reminder saxib,,,,,,, Peace Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
