Er - er - it's a bit like taking a shower in a raincoat, but I guess it'll have to do.

How does it look, fellas?

Thank heavens the grown-ups are back in charge.

Thank heavens the grown-ups are back in charge.

In the Presidential Palace in the Mind of Kabul, the Sisters of Charity are ushered out through Reception. It was a jolly meeting with Karzai. Back in Kolkata, the sisters will tell all that everything is being done to educate Afghani girls. For Karzai, it is one of those pointless PR jobs heads of state have to do, but these are Karzai's specialty. Alas, if only the Taliban could be charmed so easily.

Read on -

"Ah, if only the Taliban could be charmed so easily." Karzai smiles and waves at Mother Superior. "If only the Amerikans..."

"Amerikans are finished, Master. They are, how to say, in the red."

"We too are in red, but we must carry on. This Australian, this Abbott, apparently he is like a nun also."

"Apparently he is of their religion, Master, but he does not have vows."

"This I know. He asks where he can get a girl in Kabul. Young. Clean. Preferably vaargin."

"You tell?"

"Of course I don't tell. I say he should ask taxi driver like everyone else."

"He wears a cap on his head like he is hunting for ducks."

"It was for the photo. He tried a few hats but none worked. Usually he wears a helmet for a bicycle, can you believe?"

"A bicycle? Oh, Master, it is too much!"

"This, or a rubber cap for bathing. Gud is great, he did not try this hat on for the photo."

"Oh, Master, where do they find such men?"

"In his country, they are called grown-ups. It is strange. In these rich countries, everything is reversed. Here we call them children. Kabesh!"

"He will not be back?"

"Ah, he will come for photo next election, but no. He will not be back."

"You try to talk to him?"

"I try, but he is too busy. After Kabul, he had to go to a sausage factory in Australia. There, he wears a white hairnet."

"So many hats!"

"And such a big head. Can you believe? We try a Pashtun hat for Al Jazeera, but none would fit. I suggest we try a turban, but he would not do. He said it would make his cheekbones look big."

"Master, this man is too much!"

"He is normal! We went through all this with George Bush. These sisters, they come, they go, but at least they wear just one thing. The Western politicians, they come and go, but all they have time to do is dress for photo."

"And maybe a girl in Kabul."

"This I checked with hotel. No girl."

"No girl?"

"This one prefers the company of men. It is his way."

"You mean... ?"

"No, no, he just likes to be with men. This Abbott has much in common with Taliban. Most of his photos were firing guns. In his country they call them grown-ups."

"Oh, Master, thank Allah these grown-ups are in charge."

"You think? Yes, maybe you are right. Today the grown-ups, tomorrow the Taliban. It is a sobering thought, my friend."

                                    ............................................................

Yes friends, and it must be a very sobering thought to work for Karzai.

Insh'allah, soon we will all be forced to say, "thank Allah the Taliban are back in charge."

Yes, Aunty, it is so. Bikini man. How do such men come to power? It is a riddle Karzai has pondered often.

Ah, Australia is a demokracy, no?

Say no more, my friends. Afghanistan is a demokracy too.

We are like brothers, no?

It will be just like Vietnam when the enemy over ran the country
as soon as the Yanks left.

What a waste of money - you can't help ignorant people.
It's best just to leave them alone.

Vietnam was overrun Bobby because hard men like Karnal ran away from little men in straw hats and pyjamas.

BigOl64 wrote on Dec 20^th, 2013 at 12:34pm:


I think everyone pretty much can tell Karnal is as much a veteran of Vietnam as I am.

And I was born after it ended....