Before I Reach Waterside

I thinking how to reach Waterside for I not get plenty money again (only 10 Liberty in my pocket) and I way to Lonestar Office, God just bless me I spy one my friend them, one Gio boy that get motorcycle passing on the main road. The man first name Zegle-zegle-teh, what meaning to say, Small-Zegle-zegle in the Dan dialect. But we can just call him Zegle-Zegle for short.

I running behind him yelling, "Zegle-zegle! Zegle-zegle!" He spy me and turn around straight.

Soon he reach me he speak to me, "oh! Kato, babwaaa," and I answer him, "ahooo. Then he ask me, Ko mein?" And I answer, "Dae Suh."

Now the thing that I not want talk it until now, that my own of tribe business. My ma say my pa that Congo man, but he not agree to say that I his child for he say my ma sleeping around too much. Then he want marry one different woman again. My ma that Bassa, but when her own of people hear that the Congo man not want her, they not agree for her to hold the belle, what make it she jump behind one Gio man, he carry her to Nimba County. The Gio man what my ma staying with him, he acting too fine to me, just like to say I his own self born child. For that thing reason, I take him to be my pa and I able to speak Gio clear – the Gio people self can swear say I Gio man. Then again, that the place where I join the bush own of society.

Zegle-zegle self that student that studying to the university, and he using his motorcycle for taxi job to get money when he get chance. He can carry three, sometime he force it he carry four passengers at the same time, he making good money. He staying right on Duport Road in the same zinc house, right next to the place where I living at.

I talk to him, I say, "Zegle-zegle I beg you come carry me Waterside, I looking for money bad way, I low on cash just now to catch car, I thinking say one of my friend there I know can help me."

Zegle-zegle say, "Eh my brother, no problem. Only thing, we rushing for Nimba County meeting. Come let's go, when the meeting finish I will carry you Waterside."

Myself, I happy to go to Nimba County meeting! It can be too enjoyable. Nimba County people like talking business. In fact self, all Liberian people like talking business – but Nimba County people own of talking worse. Those people can talk! You in Nimba County town in the interior, small palaver, that three day talking. And everybody got to be inside. But the other thing what I like about them, they get unity. That for those people unity business nobody able them. But Gio people get to much of jealousy. Anything one Gio person get, the other one want the same thing.

When only Gio people among themselves, they can say the Mano people get dry-face. And when only Mano among themselves too, they can say the Gio too uncivilized, just like to say they themselves better off. But you put any different people among them, just like to say the Gio and Mano that not two people, that one man. No differences. They can't even say Gio and Mano, they just say Nimba County people. But don't try to put Nimba County Mandingo person inside. You spoil it.

We rushing to reach the meeting near the place where Police Academy, one policeman trying to stop us on the road for his cold club beer. Zegle-zegle dodge the policeman with the motorbike he not want stop, what make it we almost knock one taxi bending from in the junction. The cabman dress the car to the side not to cause accident, that what make it, the car go in the gutter. The cabman cuss us, he hollering, "you damn stupid ass! That stupidity what make it they can kill plenty of y'all motorcycleman-them on the road here in Liberia."

Yeaaaah.. That one make me damn vex! My friend what helping me to carry me on motorcycle fine way like that, the other man come cuss him; it leave small for me to jump from on the motorbike to go beat his ass. I getting ready to jump that Zegle-zegle self stop me, he say, "My-man, we already rushing to meeting you want the policeman catch us, he eat our money we be late? Leave that man. That for-nothing talk."

I turn around to cuss him good, "I see the policeman now finish grabbing the cabman. No way for him to run. The way how the policeman acting vexed self, I know he happy like hell – for that not club beer again, that one whole Guinness stout he coming drink on the cabman for his falling in the gutter business before he release him. If the policeman lucky, the cabman rushing for passengers, he coming get one $5 scratch card; he now finish forgetting about us long time he know he coming to eat small money. I look at the cabman, I holler, "It sweet for you!"

Zegle-zegle and myself reach the meeting we on time. When we say we on time here in Liberia, we meaning to say, the majority of the people or some kind of big person we waiting for have not arrived yet so the event not yet start formally. For instance, if that 4 o'clock meeting, it reach 6 o'clock, and the majority of people not reach yet, you still on time. Only thing, the way how Liberia looking, some people like to be exact, so when that 4 o' clock meeting, they can come two hour ahead of time, by 1 o'clock, 2 o'clock they there. Why they can do that one, I not know. But they get plenty people like that in Liberia too. Most people in Liberia not exact, but do they not like to be late, and they know they get plenty people they coming to meet to talk different-different things. Those that already arrive will be relaxing easy, but the majority can always come on time; which can usually be one or two hours after the appointed hour. For this reason, any simple meeting in Liberia, can be whole afternoon event and good for socializing.

We reach inside, come see the big-big people on stage: Prince Johnson o, Peanut Butter o, big-big people, ministers and all there! The place pack with so so Nimba County people, the majority there that in-town (Monrovia) student's what come from Nimba County doing different-different things in town. Some market people, some that union people, teachers, mining people, sawyers and others just passing through town for short time, man-them looking for woman, woman-them looking for man, and anybody interested in politics, they all there. The only people not want come that big-money business people – because when they reach there the people will give them too much hard time for contribution and so so begging.

I meet plenty people I not see for long time, but the main one I spy I want talk to that Alfred Paye who just coming from Jojotuo, the same town my own-self mother staying at. I want speak to him to hear news but the people starting the opening something. Myself want join inside. I will look for him later.

The Reverend on the stage speaking, "Nimba County Kabwaa?!!"
The people answering him, "Ahoooo!!!

He ask again louder,"NIMBA COUNTY, KABWAAA??!!!!!"
All of us answering him louder too, "AAAHOOOOO!!!!!!!"

"Ka sieh kpa taw-la!"
"TAW ZIEH, TAW ZIEH, TAW ZIEH FEFE-LOU!!!!!"

"Ka sieh kpa fruu la!"
"FRUU ZIEH, FRUU ZIEH, FRUU ZIEH FEFE-LOU!!!!!"

"Nimba County, kabwaa?!"
"Ahoooo!!"

Then the meeting now start and the first person on the stage ready to lecture. All that talking, the people have finished pronouncing their unity; speaking say that no gossiping and corruption should be among them. Even self they not agree on everything and make palaver, they will talk it openly and make joint decision for the good of the people. If all Liberians were coming to do their own like Nimba County people, then the Liberian people unity complete. They say Liberia people get that thing, what they call it – democracy. It sounding just like the Nimba County people own of behavior among their selves.