Polution [Archives:2002/15/Last Page]
Ma Now I would just like to know whether you are really a citizen like everyone else, or whether youre a representative of the government. Ive no idea which, Musid.
M What on earth do you mean, a representative of the government?
Ma I dont know. Ask yourself! You woke me up first thing this morning upsetting the garage mechanic. Poor man! Hes only trying to make a living for himself and his family. No one does what you do unless theyve been commissioned by the state!
M Are you trying to say that I can only stop someone doing something wrong if Ive been commissioned by the state, or what, Musida?
Ma Im not thinking about anything in particular, but you have no right to be so arrogant and agressive towards the poor garage mechanic when all hes trying to do is earn an honest living for himself and his children.
M The way youre talking youd think Id approached him with five mates carrying automatic weapons by their sides, Musidih?
Ma If you ever did manage to get mates with automatic weapons and bombs with you being so stupid and disagreeable, youd run people over like a mad bull! But God is merciful, and made sure you didnt have that power.
M First of all, understand whats going on before you go making accusations! I went over to the garage mechanic and spoke to him perfectly politely. I said to him, The people of this neighbourhood had to petition the state for two years to get them to asphalt our street. Do you see, or not?
Ma The state agreed and paved the streets of our neighbourhood, then each of us had the pavement in front of our houses paved.
M Exactly! So after all this asphalting and paving, our neighbourhood became clean and something to be proud of. Now it is up to everyone here, young or old, to maintain this level of cleanliness.
Ma Quite so! But it is not right for you to attack the garage mechanic and tell him if he doesnt get out of the neighbourhood youll have his workshop closed down and have him arrested! Why? Who on earth do you think you are? Pride is forbidden by God, and being spiteful is typical of scorpions, not men!
M God preserve us! Can we stop this stupid talk? Im trying to tell you that I spoke to the garage mechanic as politely and with as much respect as I could muster. I told him that every man, woman and child in the neighbourhood had decided that we had to maintain the level of cleanliness we now had in the area, by not dropping any rubbish or litter; and at the end, we said that everyone was responsible for cleaning the pavement in front of his own house. And you, mate, have come and smeared the street, and the pavement, and the walls with oil and grease and diesel. And this type of pollution not only makes the streets and the pavements and the walls look disgusting, it also ruins the soil and will probably leak into our drinking water too!
Ma Youre absolutely right, and this is something we all have to understand, but you should lay off interfering until youre actually made a representative of the government so that you can attack more effectively, Musid.
M Stop going on about responsibility and representation and attacking. As a citizen, its my duty to make other people realise they need to abide by basic laws of cleanliness.
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