Scene Three
from The Mother of All Eating
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 21 May 2019
Summary
THE MAN enters driving a steering wheel. He has changed some of his clothes to give himself a different identity. Not much change though, for he is still THE MAN. For instance, if he was wearing a jacket in the previous scenes, he is not wearing it in this scene — or vice versa.
THE MAN: Vrooom … vro-o-o-o-oom! Po-o-o-op! Vroo-o-o-oom!
He sits on one of the chairs, directly facing the audience. He drives for some time, changing gears when necessary.
THE MAN [while driving]: Vroo-o-oom! Well, I promised I would tell you what was happening to Joe. While I was busy oiling myself with the fat of the land, enjoying the fruits of independence, what our East African brothers call matundu uhuru, Joe was a hardworking clerk at the Power Supply Corporation. You know, the organisation that lights up our lives. Joe has always been hardworking. So, through a combination of sweat and tears he diligently worked himself up — climbing the rungs of the corporate ladder very rapidly. Until he became counterpart to the Managing Director. That's the highest you can get. The M.D. was a European guy who had followed his country's aid which was funding the Power Supply Corporation. So, like I said, Joe was the counterpart. He was being trained to take over one day as Managing Director. I was so happy for him, for I knew that he was going to eat. As an M.D. of a big corporation like that you can eat left, right, and centre. So what happens to Joe? Let me tell you, and you will see why I am so disgusted with him. Perhaps I will tell the story best if I become Joe — just for a short while though for I wouldn't want to be an idiot for a long time. Okay, I am Joe now. I am driving to work. It is in the morning. The Maseru traffic is rather slow in the morning. Goddamn it! That taxi driver nearly hit me. Taxi drivers are the same all over. They drive shit and have no consideration for other road users. Taxi drivers are number one in rotten driving. They are followed by drivers of government vehicles. Then truck drivers of all types.
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- Information
- Fools, Bells and the Habit of EatingThree Satires, pp. 17 - 22Publisher: Wits University PressPrint publication year: 2002