My interminable regret (short story)

[Abtigiis]

My interminable regret (short story)

 

When I arrived with Malyuun at his door and asked for a room, he didn’t turn me back. He empathized with me and knew I may have been short in the pocket but not in passion. He gave me a room for credit, but reminded me I should come back and pay the $20 which included the rent as well as the food and few soft drinks I requested of him. He wasn’t my friend, and what was truly remarkable about his generosity was that he was expected to settle each day’s transactions with the owners of the Hotel at the end of the business day. In many ways, it was Malyuun who dragged me out of my family’s house, arguing that her mom is away and tonight is the only night we can share our lust.

 

That was exactly eight days before Ambaw was murdered by a Somali man who was claiming that his grandfather owned the land on which the Hotel was built on. I heard of his death in the morning and wept for him. He was a good man. I felt shame that he died after eight days and yet I didn’t repay my debt. It was not the norm of my people those days to attend funerals of the Christians; and there was no way I could pay my respects to such honourable man. I decided to go and join the wailing relatives and acquaintances of the deceased Ambaw. I went to the tiny house he was living in on rental. It was an ugly sight. The landlady apparently was refusing the man’s body to be taken to the grave unless his rent for the last month is paid. And the rent was $15.

 

This compounded my guilt. Perhaps he paid his rent for me a week ago. I know he sent messages twice in the same week asking people if I can see him. I was sure he didn’t tell any of them why he wanted me.

 

His dead body was kept in hot hut for more than 16 hours as the landlady asked for her money and no one came forward to pay it. I knew I have to do something if I were to live in peace. I rushed back to our home. There, I begged my blind mother to give me $15 which I will give to a teacher who is threatening to give me fail marks at school. She said she has no money on her. I knew she was telling the truth. Never did she say no to me.

 

And here I am today. Twenty years passed but I still live with the guilt of knowing I defaulted on payment of a debt, and that there is no way I will ever be able to repay it. Too many big events happened in my life since, but Ambaw holds a special place.

[Allamagan]

Blame it all Malyun but I wonder why did this farax kill our Ambaw Kenyatta? for what reason? Koow, he wasn't the owner of the hotel, labo he was just a worker there waa iska fuduul & somaali! Anyway 20 yrs later $2000 US Dollar paid to Ambad's family will settle the case for good and of course make you guiltless!

[Alle-ubaahne]

A&T, I salute you, adeer. It seems that I can see you iyo Malyuun walking into the hotel with a big grinding smile on your face, saying afterwards, Oh, what a feast!

[NGONGE]

^^ And it was all free.