The window cleaner

Siin in Congo zaire

Getting a seven days pass from the management of the facility had been like collecting sweet from the hands of a toddler. The salvation which Siin had brought to them still resonated freshly in their so when he had asked for a seven day leave to take on a challenging research. The whole council approved without asking a single. They believed he was a man of integrity who needed the holiday not because he wanted to go on a cruise but because he wanted to achieve a feat that promised to change the field of medicine. The trip to congo had been smooth as Siin flew in a business class to get the best experience he felt was relevant to his status. He could afford the first class tickets without thinking twice but he felt being to excessive in spending was not good for him. The Plane had arrive at Zaire Airport which was the capital of Congo and his village of Lukaku was just some kilometers behind the airport. The fact that a grand airport stood not too far from a village where people still had touches of primitive antics in them, baffled strangers alot. Everyone would have expected the village of Lukaku to have developed into a fine town of educcated people, tared road, standard hotels and tourist attractions but alas the reverse was the case as the locals of the village were die hard loyalist to the cultures of their forefathers, thereby negating any form of modernity that tried to alter the way they day things especially in terms of worship and mechanical Innovation. It was due to this reason that Siin had to walk for three hours to school and walk for another three hours back home as no school was allowed to function for more than a term. Many people claimed that it was the witches and wizards in the village that chased away the teachers with their black magic. On Many occasions , teachers and students have reported seeing a giant black python that spoke to them like humans. Others swore to have seen brings with horns playing across the fields before dissapering into thin air. Soon there was hardly a teacher or a student who was yet to see a shocking revaletion of mother nature. They all agreed that their lives was better than the meagre salary which was paid to them by the local government, and abondoned the job.

" Good day sir. Do you know Lukaku. Can you take me there.?" Said Siin , to a cabman who had stopped.

" Yes sir. I know Lakaku. The village behind those mountains over there right." said the cabman who was an middle aged man in his late fifties.

" Yes Lukaku village . How much is it. " Said Siin who opened the door of the car regardless of not hearing the amount. What ever the amount was. He was optimistic that he could afford it.

" 300 Francs. Sir. And I will take you to the very end of the Village. " Said the Cabman with an air of enthusiasm.

" What . Sir three hundred Franc is rather too high. I will give you two hundred Franc and nothing more." Said Siin as he gazed at the mirror in the car to see just how well his black shirts fitted him.

" Make it two hundred and fifty Francs sir. There has been an upsurge in the prices of goods and services in the country. Things are not as easy as they used to be anymore. All we do is struggle to survive." Said The cabman as he turned his gaze to the back of the car to Engage Siin.

" Okay then. But if someone offers to pay you lesser. Don't turn them down . All fingers are not equal and even a hundred and fifty Francs is fair enough for the short journey at hand." Said Siin as he observed the looks of his new Ray baine googles which he wore to wade off unnecessary staring from the locals or anyone at all.

" Okay Sir. I will collect the two fifty Francs. But I'm afraid that even if you are going to spend the week negotiating the cost of the fare to go below hundred Francs, you still would not be able to convince a riksaw owner to take you anywhere.," Said the Cabman and made a serious face.

" And why is that sir. " Said Siin as he checked on his leather watch to see what the time was.

" It seems you haven't been here for a while . Or maybe you must be a stranger someone who has been around for a while now. " Said the Cabman." Who was earger to get going..

" I that the this country stil bask in the shadows of the civil war. " Said Siin as he rested his back on his leather chair and snapped his finger In a bid to signal the Cabman to Incept the journey.

" Exactly my point and more sir. Our country has not recovered from the downturn of the civil war. All the proceeds from our diamonds have been diverted into private pockets. Majority of the leaders don't really care about us. All they do is full their boxes with money and run away." Said the Cabman as he twisted the key which was submerged in the key hole by steering.

" Bad leaders are found all over the world. It's just that some leaders take it too far." Said Siin as he examined the jean trousers and leather boots he wore, to see that they were not flashy as flashy things was sure to attract staring from the villagers and if he was not luck with lucky it was going to attract hoodlums who would try steal from him.

" The ones here are too much. It seems Africa is a third world country for a reason absence of good road. Lots of civil war witchcraft and a whole lot more. We are really in need of a Messiah to turn things around for us." Said the Cabman and nodded his head in pity.