the end of green baboon (a zimbabwean analogy?)

The end of green baboon


Once upon a time,
in a town at the end of the rainbow,
there lived a black baboon
and a white baboon
and a green baboon

It was very hot
The sun was bloodshot.
There was not a drop of rain
“Drought!” shouted the Daily Baboon newspaper.

Black Baboon ws hungry. Very hungry.
White Baboon was very, very hungry.
Green Baboon was also hungry.

“There is nothing but hunger at the end
of the rainbow,” said Daily Baboon newspaper.

Black Baboon heard a voice.
The voice was the voice of his hunger.
The voice was coming from his stomach:
“A is Awful, B is Baboonery, C is Cad!” said the
voice.
“Shut up!” cried Black Baboon, “Shut up!”

White Baboon was walking down the street.
He stopped and listened. He leaned over the gate.
Black Baboon was shouting, “Shut up! Shut up!”
White Baboon was very angry. He jumped over the gate.
He hit Black Baboon on the head.

Black Baboon forgot the voice of his hunger
Black Baboon hit White Baboon. They fought. They bit.
They hit. They smashed. They scratched. They snarled.
Green Baboon was passing by. “Stop!” he screamed, “Please stop!”

“What did you say?” said Black Baboon and White
Baboon together, “What did you say?”
“Please don’t fight,” said Green Baboon, “I can’t stand it!”
Black Baboon looked at White Baboon.
White Baboon looked at Black Babon.
They both looked at Green Baboon.
Their eyes were small and sharp.

“No!” screamed Green Baboon, “No, don’t!”
Green Baboon was very afraid. “NO! No—ooh!”
Black Baboon looked at White Baboon.
White Baboon looked at Black Baboon.
They looked at Green Baboon.
Their eyes were small and sharp.

They jumped on Green Baboon.
They hit. They bit. They scratched. They beat him up.
They hit hom the whole day. It was like thunder.
The rainbow drained of all colour.
Black Baboon and White Baboon were eating Green Baboon.
White Baboon liked his Green Baboon with garlic.
Black Baboon liked his Green Baboon with chillies.

“Let us eat him in a civilised way,” said White Baboon.
Black Baboon agreed, “Yes, let us eat him in a civilised way.”
They carried Green Baboon into the kitchen.
They cut Green Baboon into chops and steaks.
They cooked Green Baboon with spices and dry white wine.
White Baboon made the salad.
Black Baboon made the custard.

They spread the tablecloth on the table out on the verandah.
They set the knivers and forks. They placed two plates
and two serviettes and two comfortable chairs.
They sat down to eat. The moon was up, big and round.
Black Baboon had put a record on the gramophone.
“Ah, Beethoven!” sighed White Baboon, listening to the music.

It was beautiful.
It was romantic.
It was the end of Green Baboon.


--d marechera