Thursday, June 29, 2006
Monday, June 19, 2006
Lady with the long dark hair
Lady with the long, dark hair,
Don't you know how much I care?
Don't you think we'd make a nice pair?
Love like this is so very rare.
I don't know how much longer I can bear
To keep this inside me, until you dare
To give me a sign,
So I can make you mine.
Don't you know how much I care?
Don't you think we'd make a nice pair?
Love like this is so very rare.
I don't know how much longer I can bear
To keep this inside me, until you dare
To give me a sign,
So I can make you mine.
Sunday, June 18, 2006
Monday, June 12, 2006
Tales of a Cop - Part 3
Corruption
He never wanted to be in the Police. It just happened. One day he was doing his studies like many other of his mates and the next he was being drafted. It was so quick that he never got a chance to protest. And even then he knew for sure that none of his protests would mean a thing. It would be like beating a wall and he did not want to get his hands all bloody.
After his recruit training he was sectioned into the Patrols. His duties ranged from manning the reception desk, answering the 119 phones, and some times going out in the jeeps to patrol the streets of Male’. He did his job even though he did not like it that much. He would show up at work on time, day in, day out. He was never sick and he never complained.
The Villis around Male’ were also part of his duties. Before he had gone to Girifushi he had been station in two of these for two months at a time. After his training the Villis were inducted into the Patrols’ duties so he would sometimes have to man the reception at one of those places.
He remembers one night when he was alone on duty, some of his colleagues had captured two boys allegedly breaking into a car. They were brought to the Villi instead of being taken to the Headquarters. That was all right. Sometimes it was easier to get a confession in a smaller place. One boy was taken inside while the other one stayed outside with him and another colleague. This colleague kept trying to make the boy confess even going so far as to threaten him with his walkie-talkie. The battery in this walkie-talkie was really heavy and if hit hard enough would leave a sizeable bruise. The colleague did not hit the boy that hard.
Another day two guys were brought in to another Villi. They had been caught smoking pot and had thrown away their stuff when they saw the cops. The cops tried to make them tell where they had thrown away the stuff. He saw one of his colleagues aim a kick at the groin area of one of the guys. He cried out and started screaming. The colleague put his hands on the guy’s mouth and told him to stop screaming before he hurt him further.
So many instances like this kept happening over the course of the years he remained in the Police. He did not like what was happening but he did not know what to do. In an island later on he was faced with a man who had helped his wife murder their unborn child… allegedly. He remembers nudging the man with his feet to make him feel uncomfortable. His superior put a stop to this and he was glad that he did. He was not sure how much far he might have gone that time. His superior had undergone special interrogative tactics abroad and frowned upon the use of force. He would much rather use his wits to get confessions.
When he was transferred to Administration, he was really glad. No more having to deal with people where he might have been tempted to use his fists. He was ecstatic when he finally left the Police altogether. He had escaped being corrupted… at least fully…
He never wanted to be in the Police. It just happened. One day he was doing his studies like many other of his mates and the next he was being drafted. It was so quick that he never got a chance to protest. And even then he knew for sure that none of his protests would mean a thing. It would be like beating a wall and he did not want to get his hands all bloody.
After his recruit training he was sectioned into the Patrols. His duties ranged from manning the reception desk, answering the 119 phones, and some times going out in the jeeps to patrol the streets of Male’. He did his job even though he did not like it that much. He would show up at work on time, day in, day out. He was never sick and he never complained.
The Villis around Male’ were also part of his duties. Before he had gone to Girifushi he had been station in two of these for two months at a time. After his training the Villis were inducted into the Patrols’ duties so he would sometimes have to man the reception at one of those places.
He remembers one night when he was alone on duty, some of his colleagues had captured two boys allegedly breaking into a car. They were brought to the Villi instead of being taken to the Headquarters. That was all right. Sometimes it was easier to get a confession in a smaller place. One boy was taken inside while the other one stayed outside with him and another colleague. This colleague kept trying to make the boy confess even going so far as to threaten him with his walkie-talkie. The battery in this walkie-talkie was really heavy and if hit hard enough would leave a sizeable bruise. The colleague did not hit the boy that hard.
Another day two guys were brought in to another Villi. They had been caught smoking pot and had thrown away their stuff when they saw the cops. The cops tried to make them tell where they had thrown away the stuff. He saw one of his colleagues aim a kick at the groin area of one of the guys. He cried out and started screaming. The colleague put his hands on the guy’s mouth and told him to stop screaming before he hurt him further.
So many instances like this kept happening over the course of the years he remained in the Police. He did not like what was happening but he did not know what to do. In an island later on he was faced with a man who had helped his wife murder their unborn child… allegedly. He remembers nudging the man with his feet to make him feel uncomfortable. His superior put a stop to this and he was glad that he did. He was not sure how much far he might have gone that time. His superior had undergone special interrogative tactics abroad and frowned upon the use of force. He would much rather use his wits to get confessions.
When he was transferred to Administration, he was really glad. No more having to deal with people where he might have been tempted to use his fists. He was ecstatic when he finally left the Police altogether. He had escaped being corrupted… at least fully…
Friday, May 19, 2006
Tales of a Cop part 2
Island Hopping
He remembers when he was first drafted into the army. There were 20 other schoolmates of whom he lost track when he was sectioned to the police. He did not like it. The police were in your face all the time. All go, go, go and no waiting around. Did that mean he was lazy? He did not think so but he was not as motivated as all these people.
Then he was sent off to an island station which meant that he missed his recruitment training with all his schoolmates. They went off and got trained while he sat around an island where there was nothing to do. He got up each morning at seven sometimes later, put on his uniform and went with his colleague to the atoll house where the police got their food. Sometimes they would blow it off and go just for lunch. He did not get on with his immediate superior who was into fishing, sucking up to the island biggies and not always in that order. The only good thing about that island was that the simple folk of that island was pretty friendly. He managed to make friends with so many of the island people that they felt almost like a second home. He would go and play football every evening and sometime he would go and have dinner or lunch at some of their houses.
The boss was managed to go to Male’ at the beginning of Ramadan for a week which left him and his colleague to manage the station. That was the best time they had. They would get up when they felt like it, wear their uniform if they felt like it and most of their time was spent in their friend’s homes watching TV and eating snacks and chit chatting. How four months passed by, he did not know but it was soon time to go back to Male’ where he was still a recruit which meant that he would be getting on the next recruit training batch.
After his training it took another six months or so before he had to go to an island. This time he knew more of what to expect and the island was different this time. His food was served in the station so he did not have to go anywhere. But the island folk who worked at the station was a cool bunch which meant that he soon made friends with all their families and he managed to become very good friends with their children. He would sometimes wake up early in the morning, go to their house and pick up the baby and the other two would also come with them as they went on a walk around the island. He loved those walks.
The people of this island were divided into two. There were those that loved the police and then there were those who hated them. He somehow managed to spend his time without really arousing any animosities, though he did have to arrest a couple of them for minor incidents.
The one thing he remembers from this island was that he managed to learn to ride a bicycle there. He had grown up without really trying to learn and now as a twenty year old still did not know how to ride a bike. His colleagues found out one day when he was told to go on surveillance to the other side of the island and to take the bike. The looks on their faces managed to shame him into finally taking the bike out later that night and riding it until he could.
Then there was the badminton court out back of the station. He spent many a time there playing with his colleagues and also some others like island officials and teachers who would come around to play there.
The third island he went to was in 2001 and this island managed finally to convince him that it was not a career that he wanted to be in. He got his first kiss on that island and his first “official” girlfriend as well as many other sexual experiences which would be best not gotten into here. Anyways that girlfriend became a real problem when she was revealed to be a tramp and only trying to get with him just because it would mean and exit from the life she was currently living.
She was not the first girl he visited there. There was one more whom he had gotten to know on the phone and finally his superior had found out and he called her and arranged a date. That date ended badly when some island folk came around and he had to get out of there quickly.
The worst thing that had ever happened to him happened in that island. He loved kids. He loved babies. There was always something amazing about them that made his heart light up. So when this woman was admitted into the hospital and kept saying that she had a miscarriage and that she had flushed everything down the toilet it became the biggest and worst case he had ever worked on. Her father came around the next day and he was crying. He had found the dead baby in a box in that woman’s room. When he and his colleagues arrived at that house it was true. The baby was in a box which was crawling in ants and he had to carry it outside to get rid of the ants. There were other family members crying and wailing their hearts out. He could not however give into his feeling and cry as he was police and attending a scene of crime.
That was not the last island he went to. About two years later he managed to secure a scholarship and finally left the police to go to the biggest island he had ever been to. The island of Australia.
He remembers when he was first drafted into the army. There were 20 other schoolmates of whom he lost track when he was sectioned to the police. He did not like it. The police were in your face all the time. All go, go, go and no waiting around. Did that mean he was lazy? He did not think so but he was not as motivated as all these people.
Then he was sent off to an island station which meant that he missed his recruitment training with all his schoolmates. They went off and got trained while he sat around an island where there was nothing to do. He got up each morning at seven sometimes later, put on his uniform and went with his colleague to the atoll house where the police got their food. Sometimes they would blow it off and go just for lunch. He did not get on with his immediate superior who was into fishing, sucking up to the island biggies and not always in that order. The only good thing about that island was that the simple folk of that island was pretty friendly. He managed to make friends with so many of the island people that they felt almost like a second home. He would go and play football every evening and sometime he would go and have dinner or lunch at some of their houses.
The boss was managed to go to Male’ at the beginning of Ramadan for a week which left him and his colleague to manage the station. That was the best time they had. They would get up when they felt like it, wear their uniform if they felt like it and most of their time was spent in their friend’s homes watching TV and eating snacks and chit chatting. How four months passed by, he did not know but it was soon time to go back to Male’ where he was still a recruit which meant that he would be getting on the next recruit training batch.
After his training it took another six months or so before he had to go to an island. This time he knew more of what to expect and the island was different this time. His food was served in the station so he did not have to go anywhere. But the island folk who worked at the station was a cool bunch which meant that he soon made friends with all their families and he managed to become very good friends with their children. He would sometimes wake up early in the morning, go to their house and pick up the baby and the other two would also come with them as they went on a walk around the island. He loved those walks.
The people of this island were divided into two. There were those that loved the police and then there were those who hated them. He somehow managed to spend his time without really arousing any animosities, though he did have to arrest a couple of them for minor incidents.
The one thing he remembers from this island was that he managed to learn to ride a bicycle there. He had grown up without really trying to learn and now as a twenty year old still did not know how to ride a bike. His colleagues found out one day when he was told to go on surveillance to the other side of the island and to take the bike. The looks on their faces managed to shame him into finally taking the bike out later that night and riding it until he could.
Then there was the badminton court out back of the station. He spent many a time there playing with his colleagues and also some others like island officials and teachers who would come around to play there.
The third island he went to was in 2001 and this island managed finally to convince him that it was not a career that he wanted to be in. He got his first kiss on that island and his first “official” girlfriend as well as many other sexual experiences which would be best not gotten into here. Anyways that girlfriend became a real problem when she was revealed to be a tramp and only trying to get with him just because it would mean and exit from the life she was currently living.
She was not the first girl he visited there. There was one more whom he had gotten to know on the phone and finally his superior had found out and he called her and arranged a date. That date ended badly when some island folk came around and he had to get out of there quickly.
The worst thing that had ever happened to him happened in that island. He loved kids. He loved babies. There was always something amazing about them that made his heart light up. So when this woman was admitted into the hospital and kept saying that she had a miscarriage and that she had flushed everything down the toilet it became the biggest and worst case he had ever worked on. Her father came around the next day and he was crying. He had found the dead baby in a box in that woman’s room. When he and his colleagues arrived at that house it was true. The baby was in a box which was crawling in ants and he had to carry it outside to get rid of the ants. There were other family members crying and wailing their hearts out. He could not however give into his feeling and cry as he was police and attending a scene of crime.
That was not the last island he went to. About two years later he managed to secure a scholarship and finally left the police to go to the biggest island he had ever been to. The island of Australia.
Saturday, April 29, 2006
Magic Johnson in training
The use of Magic Johnson in this topic is not due to any particular reason except that this was the guy I was first compared to when I was growing up in an all boys’ school. The reason for this comparison was not because I was able to play basketball like him but because I resembled him physically. And even that is exaggerating it a bit. I was not six foot tall but I was taller than most of the other guys at school. I did have dark skin. I was also fat which I am sure Magic Johnson was not. He was however the reason that I got interested in basketball.
Anyways this post is not about Magic Johnson. I am only writing this to say that I actually bought a basketball and have been going to shoot a few balls three days now. Isn’t that amazing?
The first time I went was right after I bought the basketball. It was on sale for three bucks. I figured why not, and then on the way home I decided to stop at the court and test it out. It has been almost two years since I last played basketball. I did manage to get some of the shots in the basket though.
The second time I went I managed to get more shots in so I am figuring if I keep going then I will be Magic Johnson in no time at all. I was interrupted a few times though. The first was when this girl who was out walking her two dogs managed to throw her doggy ball straight at my head. I heard “sorry, sorry” before I saw the ball flying right past my nose and the dogs come running between my legs. Well it didn’t hit me and the dogs didn’t knock me over so it was all right. And then this other guy (out walking his dog) came past that girl with her two dogs. Well. It was supposed to be a scene straight out of a chick movie right? They say hi. The dogs sniff each other’s butts and whammo… they go out on a date.
Alas. It was not to happen. The dogs took one look at each other and were at their throats. It was more like Alien vs Predator than any chick movie I had seen. The guy was shouting. The girl was screaming. They were lunging at their respective dogs trying to pull them off the other one. Not to happen however. The dogs paid no attention to their owners and kept on biting, barking, growling and chewing. The guy finally started kicking and punching his dog, all the time cursing, which finally deterred the dog. The guy seemed like he was going to bust a gut. He was red in the face and huffing and puffing. All the time this was going on I was trying my best not to laugh out loud.
Anyways that was the highlight of my day. I went back to shooting some balls and went home. Yesterday I also went to the court but there was no dogfight that day. The girl was there but she managed to aim her doggy balls away from me. Pretty unexciting after the other day anyways I managed to score some shots from the furthest end of the court. I reckon I keep going and going until I have perfected my skills. Who knows this could also assist me in losing some of the kilos I have put on since coming to Australia.
Anyways this post is not about Magic Johnson. I am only writing this to say that I actually bought a basketball and have been going to shoot a few balls three days now. Isn’t that amazing?
The first time I went was right after I bought the basketball. It was on sale for three bucks. I figured why not, and then on the way home I decided to stop at the court and test it out. It has been almost two years since I last played basketball. I did manage to get some of the shots in the basket though.
The second time I went I managed to get more shots in so I am figuring if I keep going then I will be Magic Johnson in no time at all. I was interrupted a few times though. The first was when this girl who was out walking her two dogs managed to throw her doggy ball straight at my head. I heard “sorry, sorry” before I saw the ball flying right past my nose and the dogs come running between my legs. Well it didn’t hit me and the dogs didn’t knock me over so it was all right. And then this other guy (out walking his dog) came past that girl with her two dogs. Well. It was supposed to be a scene straight out of a chick movie right? They say hi. The dogs sniff each other’s butts and whammo… they go out on a date.
Alas. It was not to happen. The dogs took one look at each other and were at their throats. It was more like Alien vs Predator than any chick movie I had seen. The guy was shouting. The girl was screaming. They were lunging at their respective dogs trying to pull them off the other one. Not to happen however. The dogs paid no attention to their owners and kept on biting, barking, growling and chewing. The guy finally started kicking and punching his dog, all the time cursing, which finally deterred the dog. The guy seemed like he was going to bust a gut. He was red in the face and huffing and puffing. All the time this was going on I was trying my best not to laugh out loud.
Anyways that was the highlight of my day. I went back to shooting some balls and went home. Yesterday I also went to the court but there was no dogfight that day. The girl was there but she managed to aim her doggy balls away from me. Pretty unexciting after the other day anyways I managed to score some shots from the furthest end of the court. I reckon I keep going and going until I have perfected my skills. Who knows this could also assist me in losing some of the kilos I have put on since coming to Australia.
Wednesday, April 19, 2006
Taste of the Army
I remember the day I went to Girifushi for Basic Army Training. There were four guys with an ‘A’ level qualification and I, being one of them, was put in charge of one of the platoons – Mike Platoon to be exact. I remember thinking I was in over my head as I listened to the guys and girls in my platoon bitching and whining about not being fit enough to handle the training. The problem was that there was nobody to whom I could whine and bitch to. I did not know any of these guys with whom I would be spending the next few months in very extreme conditions. My friends with whom I had been recruited had already finished their training. I had lost out because I had gone to serve on an island.
I did know some people. There was one guy who had served on that island with me. There was another who had been drafted with me and there was one who had been a classmate. Of course they all were in different platoons and I was stuck with strangers. Before heading off to Girifushi I had been on my knuckles a few times. I was not looking to score any points with the platoon leaders on training officers. I just wanted to get there, do my thing and come home. That was my attitude to everything undesirable, I suppose. When I was drafted, I remember thinking I had to serve four years which was my bond and then I could get out.
So off I went to four weeks of extremes that I would rather not get into. Even if I wanted to I don’t really remember much except that I was more tired and exhausted than I had ever been in my life.
There are some things that do stand out. Like being taught how to eat (to army standards!!) there was a particular way of holding the knife and fork and spoon. Also all the food had to be consumed no matter what it was and no matter how much they put on the plate. And it had to happen in a set time of about ten minutes or sometimes even shorter period of time.
The first thing I did when I finished that training was revert back to how I was before. I stopped holding my cutlery in army standard and just used them in any way else I could. I took my time eating, savouring every single taste that could come out of the food and delicacies that I had to consume.
I am still trying to make up for that time when I missed putting my sense of taste to its fullest use. I take my time and often am not even halfway through my meal when my wife finishes and puts her fork down.
I did know some people. There was one guy who had served on that island with me. There was another who had been drafted with me and there was one who had been a classmate. Of course they all were in different platoons and I was stuck with strangers. Before heading off to Girifushi I had been on my knuckles a few times. I was not looking to score any points with the platoon leaders on training officers. I just wanted to get there, do my thing and come home. That was my attitude to everything undesirable, I suppose. When I was drafted, I remember thinking I had to serve four years which was my bond and then I could get out.
So off I went to four weeks of extremes that I would rather not get into. Even if I wanted to I don’t really remember much except that I was more tired and exhausted than I had ever been in my life.
There are some things that do stand out. Like being taught how to eat (to army standards!!) there was a particular way of holding the knife and fork and spoon. Also all the food had to be consumed no matter what it was and no matter how much they put on the plate. And it had to happen in a set time of about ten minutes or sometimes even shorter period of time.
The first thing I did when I finished that training was revert back to how I was before. I stopped holding my cutlery in army standard and just used them in any way else I could. I took my time eating, savouring every single taste that could come out of the food and delicacies that I had to consume.
I am still trying to make up for that time when I missed putting my sense of taste to its fullest use. I take my time and often am not even halfway through my meal when my wife finishes and puts her fork down.
Friday, April 14, 2006
Thursday, April 13, 2006
Journey towards knowledge
I remember a time when I had four good friends. We would walk to school together as we did not have bikes which we could ride to school with. Anyways I would get up in the morning and get ready for school and go outside. More times than not, my friend S. would be waiting for me or just coming down the road. His house was just two blocks up at the end of our road. We would walk together towards the other end where we would meet up with another friend, N., whose house was at that end. Cross the road and joined by M. the four of us would walk up Majeedhee Magu to Sosun Magu where we would be met with the last member of our little Qunitet, Sh. So the five of us would be taking our time – talking about nothing and everything – while on our way towards the school. This would sometimes take half an hour but should have taken only fifteen minutes.
Sometimes the five would not be all there. Sometimes S. would get a bike which meant that he would ride to school which he often did. Sh. didn’t really join up with our quintet until the last year of school or so. So mostly I remember going to school with N. and M.
Let me tell you about N. He was quick witted and quick tongued. His would move a mile a minute. He always had something to say about each and every topic. He and M. were very good friends. M. was a bit on the heavy side but not as fat as I was at that time. M.’s family were supporters and managers of a very famous football club. He also had a quick tongue. I remember once we made plans to make our own movie. I was going to write the screenplay. N. was going to star in it and M. was going to direct it. That didn’t happen as we gradually lost touch over the years.
After we finished Grade ten, N, S, Sh and me all went to SEC. M. didn’t. I think he didn’t have the grades but anyway I lost touch with him. We would see each other on the road sometimes and talk for a bit but we never met up and did anything together. N. became really popular in SEC. he had lots of friends and although we remained good friends, we saw less of each other.
S. and Sh. Remain to this day my very good friends. They are part of my inner circle and know all there is to know about me. Even though I am in Australia, S. is in India and Sh. back home we still keep in touch via the internet. N. is in Russia and the last time I saw M., he was working at the airport. I saw him the last time I went back home on holidays.
During my years of studying I would always remember those walks in the early morning that the five of us together took while going forth towards that fountain of knowledge that would eventually drive us some distances away from each other. So here is a shout out to all of you my four walk buddies wherever you are. Stay cool. Drop me a line when you can.
Sometimes the five would not be all there. Sometimes S. would get a bike which meant that he would ride to school which he often did. Sh. didn’t really join up with our quintet until the last year of school or so. So mostly I remember going to school with N. and M.
Let me tell you about N. He was quick witted and quick tongued. His would move a mile a minute. He always had something to say about each and every topic. He and M. were very good friends. M. was a bit on the heavy side but not as fat as I was at that time. M.’s family were supporters and managers of a very famous football club. He also had a quick tongue. I remember once we made plans to make our own movie. I was going to write the screenplay. N. was going to star in it and M. was going to direct it. That didn’t happen as we gradually lost touch over the years.
After we finished Grade ten, N, S, Sh and me all went to SEC. M. didn’t. I think he didn’t have the grades but anyway I lost touch with him. We would see each other on the road sometimes and talk for a bit but we never met up and did anything together. N. became really popular in SEC. he had lots of friends and although we remained good friends, we saw less of each other.
S. and Sh. Remain to this day my very good friends. They are part of my inner circle and know all there is to know about me. Even though I am in Australia, S. is in India and Sh. back home we still keep in touch via the internet. N. is in Russia and the last time I saw M., he was working at the airport. I saw him the last time I went back home on holidays.
During my years of studying I would always remember those walks in the early morning that the five of us together took while going forth towards that fountain of knowledge that would eventually drive us some distances away from each other. So here is a shout out to all of you my four walk buddies wherever you are. Stay cool. Drop me a line when you can.
Wednesday, April 05, 2006
Tales of a cop - Part 1
What would you have done?
It was just another night on duty. He was placed as receptionist at the main gate and was going to be there for the whole eight hours. Normally it was two but due to some of his colleagues being sent to the Island stations and some being sick and some whose talents were too much to be wasted on reception duty, he was stuck there for the whole of his shift.
It did not faze him that much. He liked the idea of being alone on duty and having some quiet time for his writing. Pretty much nothing of any consequence happened at the main gate other than the occasional visits from officers from the other sections. But as it was the late shift these visits were not going to happen until the early hours of the morning. By them he would be all too ready to be relieved.
So it came as a surprise that the man who was brought in that night was brought in through the main gate and not through the back one which is normal for any arrestee. It was an even greater surprise that the man was in handcuffs and that he smiled at him and offered his hands to be shook all the while referring to him by name.
He was much too amazed to do anything but smile back and shake hands with this man. All too quickly he was ushered up the stairs to the holding cells and he was left there wondering what the hell just happened. He had shaken hands with a man who was in handcuffs and who seemed to know his name. He scratched his head and sat back down behind the desk still wondering.
The man was not familiar. He looked the same as most of the people from the islands did. Dark, sun-burnt skin. Scraggly black hair that were turning grey in places heralding that he was past middle age. His eyes had looked kind but the overgrown beard gave the appearance of a mildly deranged caveman. He was wearing a green tee shirt and brown pants.
He was still trying to remember whether he knew the man when his colleague came back downstairs after handing the man over to the cell guards. As he was sitting down he asked him who that man was. He replied that the man had been a cop about two years ago and had retired and gone back to his island. He had been in this same patrol.
It dawned on him who the man was when he was told his name. He remembered the time he was a recruit and was placed in this patrol and the man had been a senior officer. Senior, as in older. He did not have any stripes which did not mean much as folk from the islands did not have a good education. And without a good education it was hard to get promoted.
But he still remembered the guy as being kind and nice. What had happened to have this man in handcuffs and in a cell in the same place that he had worked for most of his life?
His colleague came out with the story that the man had cut up another man with a knife, so bad that he had bled to death. This other man was the man’s father-in-law. It seemed that the man had a daughter about ten or twelve years old. He had found out that this other man – his daughter’s grandfather – was molesting her. And had been doing it for sometime.
He had waited for the old man to finish his prayers at the mosque and waylaid him on his way back home. He had used a kathivalhi for pretty much what that knife had been made to do – and carved up the old man.
After telling this story, his colleague went on that he would have done the same if faced with the same circumstances. He, himself was not too sure what he would have done. But then people were driven to do some crazy things in difficult situations. He just hoped that nothing of that sort would happen to him and force him to decide.
It was just another night on duty. He was placed as receptionist at the main gate and was going to be there for the whole eight hours. Normally it was two but due to some of his colleagues being sent to the Island stations and some being sick and some whose talents were too much to be wasted on reception duty, he was stuck there for the whole of his shift.
It did not faze him that much. He liked the idea of being alone on duty and having some quiet time for his writing. Pretty much nothing of any consequence happened at the main gate other than the occasional visits from officers from the other sections. But as it was the late shift these visits were not going to happen until the early hours of the morning. By them he would be all too ready to be relieved.
So it came as a surprise that the man who was brought in that night was brought in through the main gate and not through the back one which is normal for any arrestee. It was an even greater surprise that the man was in handcuffs and that he smiled at him and offered his hands to be shook all the while referring to him by name.
He was much too amazed to do anything but smile back and shake hands with this man. All too quickly he was ushered up the stairs to the holding cells and he was left there wondering what the hell just happened. He had shaken hands with a man who was in handcuffs and who seemed to know his name. He scratched his head and sat back down behind the desk still wondering.
The man was not familiar. He looked the same as most of the people from the islands did. Dark, sun-burnt skin. Scraggly black hair that were turning grey in places heralding that he was past middle age. His eyes had looked kind but the overgrown beard gave the appearance of a mildly deranged caveman. He was wearing a green tee shirt and brown pants.
He was still trying to remember whether he knew the man when his colleague came back downstairs after handing the man over to the cell guards. As he was sitting down he asked him who that man was. He replied that the man had been a cop about two years ago and had retired and gone back to his island. He had been in this same patrol.
It dawned on him who the man was when he was told his name. He remembered the time he was a recruit and was placed in this patrol and the man had been a senior officer. Senior, as in older. He did not have any stripes which did not mean much as folk from the islands did not have a good education. And without a good education it was hard to get promoted.
But he still remembered the guy as being kind and nice. What had happened to have this man in handcuffs and in a cell in the same place that he had worked for most of his life?
His colleague came out with the story that the man had cut up another man with a knife, so bad that he had bled to death. This other man was the man’s father-in-law. It seemed that the man had a daughter about ten or twelve years old. He had found out that this other man – his daughter’s grandfather – was molesting her. And had been doing it for sometime.
He had waited for the old man to finish his prayers at the mosque and waylaid him on his way back home. He had used a kathivalhi for pretty much what that knife had been made to do – and carved up the old man.
After telling this story, his colleague went on that he would have done the same if faced with the same circumstances. He, himself was not too sure what he would have done. But then people were driven to do some crazy things in difficult situations. He just hoped that nothing of that sort would happen to him and force him to decide.
Monday, April 03, 2006
spidey wallpaper
get the new spiderman 3 wallpaper here
this is gonna be one awesome movie. cant wait for it to come out. then i just have to convince dina to go and see it with me...
life's little coincidences
i rented two movies yesterday. DOOM and SERENITY. if you look at the names i guess they would be complete opposites but i found some similarities between these two movies that i could have just rented the one or the other instead of both. but i guess they have their own unique qualities.
both DOOM and SERENITY involves genetic mutation. what with scientists trying to inject a 24th chromosome into humans in DOOM and the "Alliance"/government injecting PAX to try and control the people in SERENITY. In both movies they end up as psychotic monsters unable or unwilling to control their rage and hunger for the human flesh.
the best thing in DOOM was Karl Urban. The Rock was completely wasted int his movie and none of the supporting cast is worth a second look. the first person sequence in this movie did not live up to the hype. mebbe cos i did not play the game that this mnovie was based on. all in all this was a waste of money.
SERENITY at least had some good stars. i loved Summer Glau. she had the best fight sequence i have seen in a long time. Nathan Fillion is good as the captain of the crew and the girl playing his love interest Inara is beautiful. Summer Glau is outstanding!! the plot was a little weak and slow at times and not what i expected. but it was bettere than DOOM.
both DOOM and SERENITY involves genetic mutation. what with scientists trying to inject a 24th chromosome into humans in DOOM and the "Alliance"/government injecting PAX to try and control the people in SERENITY. In both movies they end up as psychotic monsters unable or unwilling to control their rage and hunger for the human flesh.
the best thing in DOOM was Karl Urban. The Rock was completely wasted int his movie and none of the supporting cast is worth a second look. the first person sequence in this movie did not live up to the hype. mebbe cos i did not play the game that this mnovie was based on. all in all this was a waste of money.
SERENITY at least had some good stars. i loved Summer Glau. she had the best fight sequence i have seen in a long time. Nathan Fillion is good as the captain of the crew and the girl playing his love interest Inara is beautiful. Summer Glau is outstanding!! the plot was a little weak and slow at times and not what i expected. but it was bettere than DOOM.
Saturday, April 01, 2006
Friday, March 31, 2006
Wednesday, March 29, 2006
changes
im trying to change my blog. update it a bit and make it more funky so that i can compete with my blogging crazy wife. hehe so keep ur eyes open darling and watch this space for more changes...
Monday, March 06, 2006
Gary Jules - Mad World
All around me are familiar faces
Worn out places, worn out faces
Bright and early for their daily races
Going nowhere, going nowhere
Their tears are filling up their glasses
No expression, no expression
Hide my head I want to drown my sorrow
No tomorrow, no tomorrow
And I find it kinda funny
I find it kinda sad
The dreams in which I'm dying
Are the best I've ever had
I find it hard to tell you
I find it hard to take
When people run in circles
It's a very, very mad world mad world
Children waiting for the day they feel good
Happy Birthday, Happy Birthday
Made to feel the way that every child should
Sit and listen, sit and listen
Went to school and I was very nervous
No one knew me, no one knew me
Hello teacher tell me what's my lesson
Look right through me, look right through me
And I find it kinda funny
I find it kinda sad
The dreams in which I'm dying
Are the best I've ever had
I find it hard to tell you
I find it hard to take
When people run in circles
It's a very, very mad world ... mad world
Enlarging your world
Mad world
Worn out places, worn out faces
Bright and early for their daily races
Going nowhere, going nowhere
Their tears are filling up their glasses
No expression, no expression
Hide my head I want to drown my sorrow
No tomorrow, no tomorrow
And I find it kinda funny
I find it kinda sad
The dreams in which I'm dying
Are the best I've ever had
I find it hard to tell you
I find it hard to take
When people run in circles
It's a very, very mad world mad world
Children waiting for the day they feel good
Happy Birthday, Happy Birthday
Made to feel the way that every child should
Sit and listen, sit and listen
Went to school and I was very nervous
No one knew me, no one knew me
Hello teacher tell me what's my lesson
Look right through me, look right through me
And I find it kinda funny
I find it kinda sad
The dreams in which I'm dying
Are the best I've ever had
I find it hard to tell you
I find it hard to take
When people run in circles
It's a very, very mad world ... mad world
Enlarging your world
Mad world
Wednesday, March 01, 2006
black and white
i dunno what it is about this story that gives me a smile and makes my heart go a-flutter. mebbe cos it is that me and my wife are black and white as well.
When Kylie Hodgson gave birth to twin daughters by caesarean section, she was just relieved that they had arrived safely. It was only when the midwife handed them over for her to hold that she noticed the difference between them. Remee, who weighed 5lb 15oz, was blonde and fair skinned. Her sister Kian, born a minute later weighing 6lb, was black.
"It was a shock when I realised that my twins were two different colours," said Kylie, 19. "But it doesn't matter to us - they are just our two gorgeous little girls." The amazing conception happened after two eggs were fertilised at the same time in the womb. Both Kylie and her partner Remi Horder, 17, are of mixed race. Their mothers are both white and their fathers are black.
According to the Multiple Births Foundation, baby Kian must have inherited the black genes from both sides of the family, whilst Remee inherited the white ones. Kylie, from Nottingham, discovered she was pregnant in the summer of 2004 and a scan at the Queen's Medical Centre
revealed that twins were on the way.
"It was a shock at first to discover I was expecting as we hadn't been trying for a family," she said
I had my 14-week scan and the sonographer ran the scanner over my stomach and announced that I was carrying twins. "We couldn't believe it. Neither of us could take our eyes off the
scanner - you could just see two of everything, even the outline of their little noses. We were both overwhelmed."
The twins were born by caesarean in April last year because one of the girls was lying in an awkward position in the womb. "I didn't see them at first," added their mother. "They were both
whisked away to be checked over and then the midwife came back and placed them both in my arms. "I noticed that both of them had beautiful blue eyes, but whilst Remee was blonde, Kian's hair was black and she had darker skin. It seemed strange, but I was feeling so ill that I didn't really take it in at that stage."The next day she mentioned the colour difference to her mother, who told her that Remee's skin would darken as she grew older. But as the weeks passed, Remee became lighter still while Kian went darker. And while Remee's eyes stayed blue, Kian's turned brown.
"There are some similarities between them," said their mother. "They both love apples and
grapes, and their favourite television programme is Teletubbies. If they haven't seen each other for a few hours, they are so pleased to see each other and will hold out their arms, wanting to hug each other. And their smiles just light up their faces. I'll explain it all to them when they get
older about why they look so different."
Million to one odds
The odds against of a mixed race couple having twins of dramatically different colour are a million to one. Skin colour is believed to be determined by up to seven different genes working together. If a woman is of mixed race, her eggs will usually contain a mixture of genes coding
for both black and white skin. Similarly, a man of mixed race will have a variety of different genes in his sperm. When these eggs and sperm come together, they will create a baby of mixed race. But, very occasionally, the egg or sperm might contain genes coding for one skin colour. If both the egg and sperm contain all white genes, the baby will be white. And if both contain just the versions necessary for black skin, the baby will be black. For a mixed-race couple, the odds of either of these scenarios is around 100 to one. But both scenarios can occur at the same
time if the woman conceives non-identical twins, another 100 to one chance. This involves two eggs being fertilised by two sperm at the same time, which also has odds of around 100 to one.
If a sperm containing all-white genes fuses with a similar egg and a sperm coding for purely black skin fuses with a similar egg, two babies of dramatically different colours will be born. The odds of this happening are 100 x 100 x 100 - a million to one.
source
Wednesday, February 08, 2006
4 things meme
Four Jobs I've had:
1. tutor
2. substitute teacher
3. police officer
4. kitchen hand
Four movies I can watch over and over:
1. lord of the rings trilogy (counts as one!)
2. braveheart
3. sin city
4. spaceballs
Four places I’ve lived:
1. male', maldives
2. shaviyani funadhu, maldives
3. kudahuvadhu, maldives
4. Bendigo, Australia
Four TV shows I love:
1. Lost
2. Simpsons
3. Seinfeld
4. Spicks and Specks
Four places I’ve vacationed:
1. India
2. sydney
3. Brisbane
4. Port Douglas
Four of my favorite dishes:
1. Lasagna
2. fried fish maldivian style
3. gnocchi
4. roast lamb
Four sites I visit daily:
1. Haveeru daily newspaper (www.haveeru.com.mv)
2. Maldivian Kanbalhi Party (goups.msn.com/maldiviankanbalhiparty)
3. google news
4. My blog
Four places I would rather be right now:
1. male'
2. any resort in maldives
3. any resort in hawaii
4. in bed
Four bloggers I am tagging:
i am not tagging anyone. this stupidness ends right here!
1. tutor
2. substitute teacher
3. police officer
4. kitchen hand
Four movies I can watch over and over:
1. lord of the rings trilogy (counts as one!)
2. braveheart
3. sin city
4. spaceballs
Four places I’ve lived:
1. male', maldives
2. shaviyani funadhu, maldives
3. kudahuvadhu, maldives
4. Bendigo, Australia
Four TV shows I love:
1. Lost
2. Simpsons
3. Seinfeld
4. Spicks and Specks
Four places I’ve vacationed:
1. India
2. sydney
3. Brisbane
4. Port Douglas
Four of my favorite dishes:
1. Lasagna
2. fried fish maldivian style
3. gnocchi
4. roast lamb
Four sites I visit daily:
1. Haveeru daily newspaper (www.haveeru.com.mv)
2. Maldivian Kanbalhi Party (goups.msn.com/maldiviankanbalhiparty)
3. google news
4. My blog
Four places I would rather be right now:
1. male'
2. any resort in maldives
3. any resort in hawaii
4. in bed
Four bloggers I am tagging:
i am not tagging anyone. this stupidness ends right here!
Monday, February 06, 2006
tensions
so much tension in this world...
the uproar caused by a denmark newspaper publishing cartoons depicting the prophet Muhammed (pbuh) as a terrorist is escalating. muslims do not like this so they protest against it and this usually leads to violence where they burn flags of the responsible countried and then atack anybody that they think is responsible for it. since demark, a number of european countries have published these cartoons in one or two of their newspapers thus adding to the fury of muslims everywhere. it is against muslim customs and tradition and religion to have images of the prophet. thus when these images which are actually purposefully desrespectful hit the newspapers it is understandable the rage and hurt it causes muslims. i fear however that this incident will only further escalate the tension between muslims and the rest of the world.
i understand why muslims are protesting against this. i can understand why they banned products of the responsible countries. but i do not understand why they are burning up buildings and attacking people. one incident in syria, a dutch photographer was attacked when he was thought to be of danish origin. this will not do. i am all for protesting against the responsible countries and demanding apologies but not or attacking their citizens most of whom have no idea what is hapening. this could be because i am married to a norwegian and she has opeed my eyes to getting along with everybody of different religions and customs.
the uproar caused by a denmark newspaper publishing cartoons depicting the prophet Muhammed (pbuh) as a terrorist is escalating. muslims do not like this so they protest against it and this usually leads to violence where they burn flags of the responsible countried and then atack anybody that they think is responsible for it. since demark, a number of european countries have published these cartoons in one or two of their newspapers thus adding to the fury of muslims everywhere. it is against muslim customs and tradition and religion to have images of the prophet. thus when these images which are actually purposefully desrespectful hit the newspapers it is understandable the rage and hurt it causes muslims. i fear however that this incident will only further escalate the tension between muslims and the rest of the world.
i understand why muslims are protesting against this. i can understand why they banned products of the responsible countries. but i do not understand why they are burning up buildings and attacking people. one incident in syria, a dutch photographer was attacked when he was thought to be of danish origin. this will not do. i am all for protesting against the responsible countries and demanding apologies but not or attacking their citizens most of whom have no idea what is hapening. this could be because i am married to a norwegian and she has opeed my eyes to getting along with everybody of different religions and customs.
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