Susie
flew to Athens as she couldn't run
"Thaaththa", Bindu Udagedera asked, what is all this fuss
about green people being arrested?"
"They are alleged to have been very naughty during their time
in power, Bindu" Percy said, "which is why they are being
charged now…"
"Isn't
that very funny, thaaththa?" Bindu asked.
"Why is it funny?" Percy queried, "if they have indeed
done what they are alleged to have done, shouldn't they be punished?"
"Of course, they should," Bindu agreed, "but what
is funny is how all these alleged misdeeds come to light when the
Blues and Reds come to power…"
"Which
can only mean that there will be more of the same…" Percy
suggested.
"What do you mean by that, thaaththa?"
"Why, it means that whenever the Greens return to power we
will be hearing of alleged corruption and misdeeds the Reds and
the Blues engaged in…"
"Of course, there is a way of avoiding that, thaaththa…"
Bindu proposed.
"Yes, the easiest way is not to be corrupt…" Percy
said.
"No, thaaththa, there is yet another way…"
"And
what way is that?"
"Why, you can always promise to switch sides…"
"What do you mean by that?"
"Why, thaaththa," Bindu asked, "do you think that
that former minister would be dragged out of his house and arrested
if he promised to vote with the Reds and Blues, regardless of whether
the allegations against him were true or not?"
"Politics is always a game that is played with very few rules,
Bindu…" Percy observed.
"In
this country it is even bigger than the Olympics, thaaththa…"
Bindu said.
"How could you say that?" Percy demanded, "there
are no games bigger than the Olympics…"
"But there was a lot of politics in this year's Olympics, thaaththa,
especially with our team…"
"Why do you say that?"
"Why,
thaaththa, why else did Susie conceal the fact that she had an injury…"
"If she made that public, she wouldn't be captain, would she?"
Percy asked.
"But what gives her the right to be the captain of the team
and proudly announce later that she knew all along that she wouldn't
be running?"
"They say it is an honour accorded to her because she won us
a medal four years ago…" Percy countered.
"Then,
thaaththa," Bindu asked, "why didn't they say that in
the first instance and announce that she would be captain even if
she is not running her races…"
"That is a bit intriguing…" Percy conceded.
"Which is why Susie is quite like Satellite…" Bindu
said.
"How can you say that?" Percy wanted to know.
"Why,
thaaththa, they both surprise people by what they say and what they
do…"
"And they both don't like S. B. very much…" Percy
pointed out.
"And they both seem to think that the entire country will have
faith in them, no matter what they do…" Bindu said.
"But, Bindu," Percy said, "there is an important
difference among them…"
"What is that, thaaththa?"
"Susie
wants to be the captain but she doesn't want to run the race; Satellite
doesn't want to be the captain but she certainly wants to run the
next race…"
Bindu did not argue with that. |
