THE CURSED NATION

CHAPTER 2

(Chapter 2)

Laying on the bed and relaxing, my thoughts turned to the past. It seemed almost like yesterday when I was allowed to join the party as a new member – I was not only very young and callow but also naïve, uninspiring as well as intransigent. But it was my sincerity, loyalty and unselfishness as well as the unique virtue of always honoring my words at any cost that always made me stand out in the crowd. It was also my perseverance, determination and never -give-up attitude that served me very well in both good and bad times of my political career.

At that time, I had just finished high school and came to the capital city for college. In reality, that was just an excuse to escape from the hardship and difficult life back at the village. The real reason behind all of it was the real chance of working at party headquarters in a big city. After all, such chances do not often repeat again and only fools wouldn't see it coming and then grab it. After completing the process of enrolling at the city university and somehow finding a temporary place for living, my new life at the mega city eventually began. I was given the rare opportunity of becoming one of the city slickers in a very big crowd. Inevitably, the possibility of me, like all the others, totally disappearing in the crowd without any trace was more than real. Nevertheless, I didn't mind at all.

The entire neighborhood was squalid and wretchedly poor. Similarly, the houses along the streets were also very small and derelict with damaged or broken roofs and walls. The streets were in even much worse condition – surfaces were all washed away by heavy and continued rain, potholes were prevalent and dangerous, and the whole place was littered with garbage as if it were the official rubbish bin for all. Most of the shops around the streets were small, temporary and unattractive. There was hardly any vehicle on the street most of the daytime hours, however, it was always crowded with working adults, wandering animals and playing children. It was probably the most neglected, underdeveloped and poorest neighborhood in the capital city. It was also the same place most of the poor unfortunate immigrants with pockets full of holes would normally go for cheap rent and never left. Understandably, within that bunch of new people, two-thirds were new students coming from all over the countryside. As we all know from our own experience, when you are in college, the only thing you never had enough of was always money.

At the entrance of the neighborhood, there was a T-junction. At the top of the T, the main road, which was on high ground, led towards the main city to the right. To the left this main highway connected the capital city with another regional city. Branching off from the main road was the mile-long street of the poor neighborhood. This street was unmaintained and bumpy and lined with old dilapidated residences. The area was flat and a river, which was used for daily laundry, flowed behind the houses on one side of the road.

The permanent feature that stood out in the neighborhood was the small temple aptly situated at the right hand side of the T-junction, facing downward towards the neighborhood, as if God were always looking at them and making sure the neighborhood was always protected and blessed. At least that was the belief one had to nourish very strongly if he or she were to remain in that particular neighborhood. Given the poor living conditions, it was doubtful many of the inhabitants felt blessed.

The modest concrete temple was a mere one-meter round and two meters high. The middle portion was supported with four small pillars and the roof was in a spiked shape, which gave it a crowned look. The temple was dedicated to the God of protection - and a statue of the swarthy god was permanently seated in the middle of the temple. The god had four hands: one with a mace, one with a conch, one with a rose and the fourth hand carried a spear. It had four different faces, each one facing a different direction: east, west, north and south. This mysterious god's appearance was unique, intriguing and mystical. There was no similarity whatsoever to any of the recognizable gods or goddesses from other well-known religions still practiced in that region or its surroundings. As a result, this god belonged to the general public in that area, not a specific religion. The god was so popular every one living in this particular place, regardless of their religion or generation, always prayed there regularly.