16th January 2000

Old souls meet in heaven

"I say," said Stephen, "what is all this talk about a conspiracy?"

"It looks as if the greens are again trying to overthrow the greens by unfair means…" Solomon said.

"You were saying such things even when you were there" John argued, "I don't think there is any such conspiracy…"

"But the lady says so…" Dudley pointed out.

"But it looks as if we can no longer rely on what the lady says…" Junius said.

"Why do you say that?" Solomon wanted to know.

"Why, look at how she behaved on television the other day…" Stephen pointed out.

"Ah" said John, "I loved every bit of it. That was more my style…"

"We all know that" Dudley retorted, "but even you didn't make such pronouncements in public, did you?"

"Not that I can remember" John conceded, "but then in my day, television wasn't there and if it was, who knows, I may have done the same…"

"I don't think so" Junius said, "and anyway, you wouldn't let someone write your speech for you…"

"I think," Solomon suggested, "we are all blaming her unfairly. Her problem is that she first says what she thinks and only then does she think about what she has said…"

"Actually, as a matter of fact," Stephen said, "that makes her a bad politician…"

"I'll agree with that," Dudley said.

"Yes", Junius also agreed, "If I wanted to attack my rivals I too would have done that but I would have quoted Shakespeare in doing so and then everyone would think I'm a very learned dignified man…"

"Yes" Solomon conceded, "now she has lost all the sympathy she generated only a month ago…"

"But" Junius said, "don't you worry about her; she will survive…"

"How can you be so sure about that?" Solomon wanted to know.

"Why, I survived, and she is also using every trick in my book…"

"How can you say that?" John asked.

"Why, she has been elected for two consecutive terms like I was; she has also disabled her opponents with defections and divisions like I did…" Junius said.

"But those tactics are standard political practice now in Paradise Isle" Stephen said.

"Why," Junius recalled, "remember how I talked of a 'Naxalite' plot against me just after winning re-election; now, she is also accusing that there is this plot against her just after being re-elected…"

"What else has she learnt from you?" Dudley asked.

"Why, now she is trying to amend the constitution just to suit her needs, just like I did, so many times…" Junius pointed out.

"And" Solomon agreed "she also seems to have learnt how to win elections."

"And, like you", John told Junius, "she also seems to have learnt how to continue the war without offering a solution…"

"I don't quite agree with that" Junius said, "but I hope that she has at least learnt one more thing from me…"

"What's that?" Solomon wanted to know.

"I left when I had to, without waiting till I was asked to go and I also groomed a successor to follow me…" Junius said.

Stephen, Dudley and John readily agreed but Solomon was seen shaking his head.

"Her problem" he said, "is that her successor is with the greens…"

The Jungle Telegraph

Editorial/ Opinion Contents