“Unuth ekai, munuth ekai!” The truth of this dawned on this cat only very recently, even though many people repeated the expression with fervour and fear. She was sent a Gypsies video with the song with some recognizable faces!! All the persuasion to admit that THESE had failed did not convince nor shake her faith. She has now sadly succumbed to believing the succinct saying. Of course you know who they are: the unuth and the munuth.
Going back in recent history, this cat was utterly and deplorably SICK of unuth – THEM. She was scared of THEM too. She heard of a so popular editor, handsome and humorous, voluble and witty being done to death in a high security zone. He was not strangled or shot at, deplorable enough. He was done to death, apparently, by a sharp pointed giant needle being inserted into his brain: a silent killing and so very horribly cruel, sadistic to the utmost of the perpetrator and the instigator. Of course we do not know who did it. Then there was that charismatic rugby player who may have charmed others’ lassie gals or his greater crime may have been being a better sportsman on the field and going places. He crashed into a wall in his car leaving his purse in one place and slumped in the front left seat with no one in the driver’s seat. But his death was said to be an accident on account of bashing into a wall. Of course we do not know who did it or ordered it done.
Everyone in this Fair Isle knew that all of THEM were grabbing money illicitly, illegally. They were getting fat and rich. A person of THEM who did not have Rs 50 to go on a tour to Sigiriya before he took to politics started going for facials to local beauticians when he entered politics and when he crossed over to the dinung paththa he went to Singapore for beautification. (Sounds like Raymond’s but it was to a beautician to make him even slicker than he is). He sent his kids and wifey to Disneyland, USA, on holiday and built himself a mansion. He was also a philanthropist: gifted houses to kith and kin. In times when he wanted to be in dire straits, he armed himself with Maliban lemon puff. (Poor Maliban and Company: what an ad!)
You know who he is.
Then there was the father and son combination: Papa falling off a balcony when he, apparently, tried to creep into another room in the Land of the Kangaroo and son, returning from there, trying to disembark while the plane was flying sky high by opening an emergency exit. He had the brawn to do it, so his bravado should have been allowed to have its due results. We know who they are.
There was a Man from Kandy who people knew to be living on quite meagre means. He joined THEM and his alimony to wifey dear was stupendous, it is rumoured. You know him.
There was the one who jumped from side to side. He had the gift of the gab though the voice was far from melodious, actually a bit off-key and squeaky. He built a mansion in the outstations with a swimming pool on a higher floor. It is said that apart from the Great Wall of China which was the only man-made object seen from outer space, his swimming pool was seen by astronauts cruising way up there. Of course, this cat did not see the bungalow but these are rumours which could really be truths which her sharp ears caught. We know who he is.
Ohmegosh! Upon my whiskers! They came in with a bang on January 8, 2015 and again eight months later in August. How we scrambled and rushed to vote first for the Prez and then for the Parliamentarians. Some now say they voted against the former Prez and not for the incumbent. That’s just quibbling. But vote they did and M Sirisena who came as the common candidate, swept the boards and the electorates and emerged winner. The sighs of relief exhaled could have caused a typhoon. He had a very simple swearing in and was almost crushed and annihilated, so many psychos wanting to be selfie photographed with the gentle man in the Independence building where the Father of the Nation stands watching all in his granite stateliness. How this cat jubilated with so many million others. Our Ranil was selected Prime Minister sans elections. We cheered loud again and waved our arms in jubilation. He seemed to have changed. Eight months later, pushing some of THEM aside, THESE won. Again our joy and this cat’s especially that green spread across the map of Sri Lanka but also with blue. The patches in the North and East turned definitely green.
The first mistake of the yahapalanayas THESE was taking in through the backdoor party loyalists, mostly blue, and giving high positions to oldies, mostly green. Party came before country. And how’s the situation now? An autumn of discontent has set in. There are no murders of enemies and even innocents who place a foot wrong or a tongue wags brashly or the pen writes something that stings. No! Critics can say anything; media can write almost anything; except once in a while when a media man can be chased by a rabid old Minister of State.
Yes, discontent is present; very much so. This feline held her loyalties tight for THESE, the yahapalayana leaders as there were very good ones among the rest. The PM burnt his fingers and you know how. The President kept a steady course only veering slightly once in a while for the Party’s sake. The sharks of THEM infest the sea around the ship of government making it so turbulent. Haalmessas in their multitude, swimming alongside the JO sharks, are pushed to stage disrupting waves all the time, the sprats being university students and docs. A yellow eel came along with a few abberated eels following him to cause a whirlpool. Now though summoned by the courts is in hiding or being hid by a high up. None of THESE have shown signs of jumping ship. Our people are so quick and dexterous in turning into rats. Some may be growing tails and waiting and watching to jump if the ship slants. What this cat feels, now infected with disillusionment, is that the top two of THESE should dump some of THESE overboard. They have to do this to reach the harbour safe and ship-shape the ship of government. Let not gloomy autumn turn into a winter of discontent from where there is no return. We DO NOT WANT THEM back!
Please, please President Maithripala save us from THEM and some of THESE too.
- Menika