Dancing Bottle

The Chief and the council of Elders are on their way to thank you for saving the life of an indigene said Tari through the walkie-talkie. Thanks Captain Harry replied and told the crew, so they all went out and sat in a bench, under a tree beside their hut, awaiting the Chief's presence.

The Chief arrived and thanked them for saving a life in the village. I'd like to ask you guys for a favor, the Chief said. It is okay, the Captain replied. There is a mysterious fisherman that is making us curious and we want you to keep an eye on him and monitor his activities but dont make him know he is being watched, said the Chief. All the Elders nodded their heads in unison.

We want some information about his fishing habit and wed like his canoe to be identified to us said Captain Harry. Am sorry we cannot understand his habit of fishing but Tari can identify his canoe to you said the Chief. He stood for a few seconds and left when he was sure there was no other question to be answered.

Tari come to the hut immediately, ordered Steve. Tell him to meet Patrick at the aircraft instead, said Anthony to Steve, who immediately sent Tari to the aircraft. Patrick collected the radio communication device and asked Tari to identify the mysterious fishermans boat and return to him at the aircraft. Identify the canoe and meet me here, said Patrick.

In no distant time, they were seated in the aircraft connecting the chips that would transmit visuals from the mans canoe straight up to the monitor and to the aircraft carrier where they hoped the Captain was having a great time with boredom.

On their way out of the aircraft after assembling the Long Range Wireless Transmitting systems on the canoe, they saw Tari running towards them. The canoe is by the river bank said Tari and led the way till they got to a very large wooden canoe. This is the mysterious fishermans canoe said Tari. Okay guys time to play, said Captain Harry. Patrick screw a bug inside the canoe to give us visuals of the inner part of the canoe, ordered the Captain.

Steve and Tony, bug the front back of the canoe, while Tari should concentrate on the road, to ensure we are not seen by anybody, ordered the Captain. Within few minutes they were through and Tari forgot to close his mouth when he saw the Captains monitor showing moving pictures of the canoe and its surrounding.

They returned to the aircraft and found the screen showing unclear images. A few taps on the keyboard revealed the mysterious fisherman taking off his clothes and dived head first into the river. Does he usually fish without a net asked Captain Harry? Thats why they call him a mysterious fisherman and whenever was questioned, he tends to get angry and accuse everybody of jealousy.

There was a day that all the fishermen returned home without fishes, but the mysterious fisherman returned home with a canoe full of fishes, that he particularly sold fishes to the other fishermen for dinner said Tari.

When we returned from the neighboring communities, we will have a clear picture of his entire secret dealings, said Anthony. It seems certain, said Patrick.

On the way to the hut, Tari asked the crew if they attended church at home. Do you guys attend church in the West asked Tari. We all attend different churches, replied Anthony. Im asking because its so sad that there is no church in my village, although there many churches in the city and I was fortunate to attend one when I and my aunt used to stay in the city, said Tari.

There are some bibles and Christian literature supplies in the basement of the vessel and Im sure our Christian friends in the floating fortress wouldnt mind setting up a crusade, said the Captain. Dont you think we would need to discuss it with the Chief and Elders first, asked Patrick .Im sure they will be happy since it is associated with development said Tari?

They met Elder Thank God on their way and he told them the canoe was set to depart for the neighboring communities. With their knapsacks on their backs, they followed him to the jetty. Jump in, said the controller of the wooden engine boat and Elder Thank God ushered the crew and Tari onboard before making himself comfortable in the boat.

After a few minutes they arrived at the first community and were directed to the Chief, who promised to pass the message to the other communities, after persuading them to stay back with him instead of traveling to the other communities.

Why stress yourselves by going to the neighboring villages, when I can order some people to get the accurate data of the neighboring communities in less than no time, the Chief said. The whole crew and Elder Thank God looked at each other and arrived at a wordless agreement. Its ok by us the Captain said, and looked at the faces of his crew and the Elder who gave an encouraging nod in support of his view.

The town crier went round the village hitting a stick on the rusty metallic cone in his hands, and a spare stick tied to his side. Chief say make all Elders go to the nearby villages and collect documents of our way of life and resources and bring am to the Western men on the masquerade dance tonight, at the masquerade dance compound, the man shouted, while walking around the village.

All the Elders of the village ran up, and about and half an hour later, several documents were brought to the compound of the Royal Highness and as that party left, more flooded in and it became obvious that they would have more documents than they could handle. However most Elders returned empty handed, saying the people needed time to get them together and will submit it later in the night, during the masquerade display at the masquerade dance compound.

Loud voices were coming closer to the Chiefs compound and the unmistakable sound of a womans scream could be heard. What could be the problem this time, asked Captain Harry. I guess they have misunderstanding amongst themselves and are coming to the Chief for settlement, said Tari. Is it that there is no judiciary court around here asked Anthony? We have a lot a lot in the major cities and a few in the headquarters of the local government but it must first be settled by the Chief except it occurs in the city where they are more government inclined, said Tari.

The woman was muscular, dark and tall with a masculine body frame. Her eyes were swollen and some parts of her face where darker as a result of what was obviously blow and slaps.

How could they be this barbaric asked Steven? Im sure that if the facts were presented, you couldnt care to ask this question anymore. Tari dont tell me you are this heartless, said Patrick. How can you see a woman in pain and besides, nothing on earth justifies that kind of beating on a woman, he rushed his words, so he struggled for breath of fresh air.

The dancing bottle will speak better they all shouted. Bring in the dancing bottle they all echoed. What is the dancing bottle the Captain asked? It is nothing much, just one more mystery in the Oily land, replied Tari. What is it used for and how does it dance asked Patrick? You will find out soon, said Tari. The Chief walked to the entrance of his compound after excusing himself from the Western crew.

What do you want the dancing bottle for the Chief asked? To prove that the mirror smasher had your face reflecting on it said a young man. My face? Asked the Chief. Yes they all answered and pounced on the woman one more time but the Chief had to intervene and the beating stopped.

How can the Chiefs face be on the mirror when he is here with us? Asked Steven. Its very normal, and when he is stabbed on the mirror, he dies for real Tari said. How can that possibly happen, asked Patrick. We should consider ourselves lucky that the Chief didnt fall down dead, while we were taking to him said Tari. I hope you guys see why I asked about setting up a crusade to bring Christ into their lives.

I now understand for real, the Captain said and ordered Steven to cover it and transmit to the aircraft. Yes Sir, Steven answered. Tari looked at Steven and except for a pair of eyeglasses; he couldnt see Steven transmitting anything. Western mysteries I guess thought Tari and wondered why the Western mysteries were normal for the crew but the mysteries of Oily lands always got them nervous.

Two men behind the Chiefs compound brought the dancing bottle. After some chanting by an old man that consists of almost only skin and bones, with his eyes lost in their sockets in his skull, the bottle was handed over to the woman who screamed and refused to touch it.

The old man dropped the bottle on the ground, and the bottle hopped towards the direction of the woman who turned to flee, but was pushed back into the Chiefs compound. The crew could not believe that in a normal world a bottle will chase a woman fast and hard in all directions within the Chiefs compound.

We are not in a normal world, are we, asked Captain Harry. I dont think we are, because things like this dont happen in real world the, crew answered, swallowing hard and trying hard to suppress their tears. The bottle took a long flight and stock to the back of the woman. She fell down screaming I will confess she said.

I met a fetish priest in a shrine under the mighty oat tree that I wanted my husband to love me more. He gave me a powdery substance to put in his food, which I did, and my husband turned into a python right in front of me, and was shot by the village hunter while he crawled out of our compound. I returned to the priest and cried accusing him of killing my husband, but he said it was the Chief that infected anything within the community and all I need is a mirror that I will use in calling the Chiefs spirit. And when it appears, I should bring it to him so he could smash it with a coconut and the Chief will vanish, while my husband returns from the land of the dead since the Chief had already taken his place. As she said this, the bottle fell off her back and hopped out of the Chiefs compound and the crowd followed.

Can you imagine the things we have seen since we came to Africa, asked Captain Harry as he followed the crowd? Put on the spectacle so that I could carry you on my shoulder for you to look at the bottle above the crowd said Steven to Tari. With all pleasure but I would like to know why said Tari. Without giving an answer, Steven carried Tari and placed him on his shoulders.

Wow this is green and beautiful said Tari. Shut up and look at the bottle, Steven ordered. I get it, this is the stuff used to video activities, thought Tari.

The fetish priest heard the sound of voices but was caught up with a woman he was trying to purify from the evil dreams that tormented her. Before he knew what was happening, the crowds were at his door, the dancing bottle hopping up and down right in front of his shrine.

He came out confidently but lost confidence when he saw the battered woman. What is the meaning of this he asked? This was the last word he said before the dancing bottle hopped and got stuck to his neck, exploded and shattered his neck. The woman immediately dropped dead. Everybody walked away wordlessly and the crew walked backed to the Chiefs compound in his company.

Do you see what it seems like to stay in a place without a church He asked? My Western friends, if there is any favor I can ask of you, it will be to bring missionaries to this place because I think the human mind needs development before any other development can be introduced. I am embarrassed and I would not want this fetish way of life to chase anybody set to develop the Oily Lands, the Chief said. We understand replied Captain Harry. There were expressions of depression written on the faces of the crew and it did not take the Chief time to understand.

I have made arrangements for you to be accompanied to the boat by a masquerade that will entertain you, the Chief said several minutes after they arrived at his compound. The whole crew looked at each other and the Captain said it was alright.

As they left the Chiefs compound, a masquerade waiting at the entrance followed them. The masquerade blew into a musical instrument that was obviously a saxophone. Little boys on each side, hanging the talking drum on their shoulders, accompanied the masquerade. The masquerade wore a multicolored veil with two holes cut for eye space. They escorted the crew to their wooden engine boat while some men loaded the boat with some documents binned by cords.

The sound of the wooden sax and the dance steps of the boys on each side of the masquerade lightened the hearts of the Westerners and they all found themselves laughing. Tari ignored them and focused on the masquerade so the visuals can be clearer.

After the documents were loaded on the boat, they headed back to Tari's village that was obviously the headquarter around there. When they got to the village it was sunset and the big red ball of setting sun was sinking in the sea far ahead.

The village was filled with excited people who moved up and down in the entire village, several masquerade boarded canoe and boats that left for the masquerade dance compound. The crew discharged the historical documents in the aircraft and grabbed some canned meal and hurried with Tari, who was obviously the Africa crew member, to meet the king and Elder Thank God.