Dear Juned,
Since I see less and less of you at Mass in the past few weeks let me share with you a story I told the congregation. If you think you have escaped my “Sermons” you are sadly mistaken. Tell me what you think of it.
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Three friends were talking about the recent spate of hate crimes across the world. From all the way in the West to down South. And even in the cornerless world of the Internet people were being bullied and getting into fights. The three friends were dismayed: They were aghast at how people can do this. It just so happened the old nanny of one of the boys passed by and heard them. Yaya Sally, for Sally was her name sat down and told them this story.
This might seem strange. But Yaya Sally was very dear to the family. She was the Yaya of the boy’s father and the boy’s father’s brothers and sisters. In fact she was also the Yaya of the boy’s brothers, sisters and even cousins. Anyway, Yaya Sally was family.
And she told the boys this story.
There was a jungle in the middle of a great island in the middle of an even greater ocean and inside this jungle lived a tribe of little people called Putots – which was the word in their language for short. Now the Putots were almost all alike except for one thing. Some of them had eyes the color of the freasg grass while the other had eyes that was the color of the soil. It was a peaceful place. And in fact if one were to record the crime in that place and compared it to any other across the world … one would be tempted to say that perhaps this was paradise on Earth.
Then along came Mister Milkshake in his purple camel. He had crossed the Seven Seas and the Mohovicvic Disconuity to reach this patch of Earth.
And he said to himself all is good in this place.
With that Mister Milkshake began his business but whatever it was he began to mingle with the Green Eyes and the Brown Eyes.
Mister Milkshake was an affable person his words were sweeter than candy and his manner like the Summer Sun. And they liked him and he liked them back. Praising and telling them how good they were and it was true they were all good.
Soon though things were happening. Like the typhoon that visited the Jungle, It started out small, a tiny speck in the clouds, and it became big. It was an argument here and an argument there. And happened between the Green Eyes and the Brown Eyes. All good people.
Quarrels led to squabbles and sqauabbles led to debates and controversy between the Putots of the Jungle.
It was no longer paradise. Then the smallest of the small people went to Mister Milkshake in tears and told him, “Mister Milkshake you are bad bad bad bad to the bone, before you came to this place it was Paradise. But look at it now. People are getting hurt.”.
But Mister Milkshake look down at him, for he was the smallest persomn there, smiled and said, ” My dear little friend I never spoke bad about anyone nor did I spread gossip or do any muckracking. All I said were good things. They … All of you are good”.
Then Mister looked up at the Sun that shone so bright and seemed not to notice the fracas in the jungle. And then Mister Milkshake spoked again to the smallest Putot and, “Remember though little one things even good people can do bad things. All is Good”.
With that Yaya Sally left the three friends in the Sala too cook lunch.
And the three friends look at each other and shook their heads and said,” This will never happen to us. We are not bad.”
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I hope to see you soon.
Cordialament !
Padre Jose Kayumangi
