One sunny Saturday morning Chileshe was very discouraged. From his seat upon the low wall surrounding his property, he gazed sadly at his simple home, the one he had just finished building in Chilenje .His wife frequently appeared at the open door. Her furtive glances in his direction reminded him that the Mealie Meal bag was almost empty and he should be at work finishing of the website he was designing for a local company.
Nevertheless, his well built muscular body sat stolidly on the wall. His slow mind was struggling patiently with a problem for which he could find no answer. The hot, Zambian sun beat down upon him mercilessly. Beads of perspiration formed on his brow and trickled down unnoticed to lose themselves in the hairy jungle on his chest.
Chileshe was too engrossed in his thoughts to notice the white Toyota corolla that had pulled up into his driveway.
“Shani boyi,â€the smiling face of Kabwe, his best friend, said as he approached him.
“Mwalila?†Kabwe went on to say.
“Panono,†Chileshe replied barely looking up.
“How can you say panono? You have just finished building your own house. Though the painting and the finishings leave much to be desired but at least it’s yours. You are an Unza graduate, one of the best engineers around. You have even taught yourself how to design websites. You have a beautiful wife. Boyi I think God has blessed you. Now lend me K100 000 from that bulging wallet of yours. I will return it next week. You won’t even miss it,†said Kabwe.
“If I did have K100 000,†Chileshe responded gloomily, “I would not even lend it to you, for it would be all I have.â€
“What!†exclaimed Kabwe with genuine surprise. You don’t have any money, yet you sit like a statue on the wall. Why not design some websites or do some PJs?
Where is your energy my friend? Is there something bothering you?â€
“Yes, there is something bothering me,†agreed Chileshe. “It began in a dream, a senseless dream in which I thought I was a man of means. I owned massive houses. The most beautiful houses I’d ever seen. I had my own private jet, parked right here in Chilenje. I dined with people like Bill Gates. The politicians here trembled in my presence. My wallet was full of $100 notes. It must have been $100 000.I was freely giving beggars $100 notes. I had enough money to buy my wife fine clothes and jewelry and whatever I desired. My wife would go shopping in Paris, New York and London. Only when she needed things like Chibwabwa would she shop in Lusaka. It was such a glorious feeling of contentment. You would not have known me as that hard working friend. Nor would you have known my wife, she was so free from stress and her face was shining with happiness. She was the smiling bride of our early married days.â€
“Yes, that was a pleasant and senseless dream indeed†commented Kabwe , “but why should such pleasant feelings turn you into a miserable statue on the wall?â€
“Why indeed!†lamented Chileshe. “It’s because when I woke up and remembered how empty my bank account was, a feeling of rebellion swept over me. Lets discuss this Kabwe. As youngsters we were both top students and even got ZCCM scholarships. As young men, we played hard but still graduated from Unza with distinctions. As grown men we have been satisfied to work long hours and spend our money freely. We have earned millions of kwacha in the years that have passed, yet to know the joy that comes from wealth we must dream! After half a lifetime of labor, you my close friend comes to ask me for K100 000.Why can’t we acquire wealth more than enough for food, clothes, cars and these substandard houses we are building.â€
“Think of our sons,†Chileshe continued, “are they not following our footsteps? They will also go to school, get more degrees than a thermometer and still struggle with money like we do.â€
“I have never heard you talk this way in all the years of our friendship Chileshe,†a puzzled Kabwe said.
“Never in all those years did I think like this before. From morning till night I work hard as an engineer, hoping some day God would recognize my deeds and reward me with great prosperity. That is just not happening. So my heart is sad. I wish to be a wealthy man, a man of means. I wish to own lots of land, lots of houses and wear the finest clothes. I’m willing to work for these things with all the strength in my back, with all the skill in my hands and with all the intellect in my mind, but I wish my labor will also be fairly rewarded,†cried Chileshe.