One Monday morning when I visited the Chapel, Ross was in a high... It was to early in the morning to drink... and he never had never tried a joint...
I was puzzled...
But his enthusiasm had no bounds... He was bragging about Distillery District, close to downtown... He was insisting that we visit it together... and when I was leaving for my classroom, "It's just like visiting Europe...", he whispered after me...
The next day he reminded me about his "discovery" again... and on Wednesday I could not resist his persistent praise of his discovery of the "New World"... and yielded...
We were going to visit Distillery District... in ten days, the weekend after... and have lunch...roam around... get acquainted with the New World and attend Waiting for Godot... for which Ross hardly could wait...
The District was wonderful... and Ross had the right to brag about it... It was an artsy island withing the downtown jungle... Peaceful and quiet... Sculpture all around and the cobble stone roads... and people roaming around...
We visited the galleries... Things are beautiful... Ross spotted souvenir shops... and wanted to visit them too... and why not?
We had our lunch... when eating outside I always have wild salmon... I do not like the kitchens outside...
We had few glasses of wine too...
It was still early for the play... and Ross suggested that we visit Balzac's for a coffee... I am sure all these were part of his plan and he knew very well what he was up to...
The sculptures were scattered around and we're fascinated with them..
We stayed outdoors for a while and roamed around looking at the people and the sculptures too... We were happy and content... Ross was happy... He noticed that I approved his discovery... "It's like Europe, isn't it...?", he wanted and affirmation from me and appreciation of his discovery... and indeed the place was lovely and tranquil... Quiet and artsy... a good place to be...
The theater corner... Wonderful and just at the boundary of the District... I had read Waiting for Godot... on few occasions... I has seen several versions of the play in Europe and North America... and was anxious to see another version of it with young talents... Ross had the tickets... He always holds our tickets... he was the leader of all our excursions... and later we shared the cost...
Balzac's was another gem within the complex... The sidewalk cafe was good... But Ross insisted to go inside... We did... The ambiance inside was impressive...
We ordered coffee and cognac... "Let's take doubles Ross suggested..." and "I don't want to bother them again...!", he added as an afterthought...
I am easy going when it comes to coffee and drinks... So I did not complain...
We ordered coffee and cognac... "Let's take doubles Ross suggested..." and "I don't want to bother them again...!", he added as an afterthought...
I am easy going when it comes to coffee and drinks... So I did not complain...
Ross guided us to the upstairs... It was a cozy gallery... with paintings and artists too...
We settled down in comfortable chairs and sipped the cognac and the coffee... sip by sip... and with each sip I noticed that Ross is closing his eyes... I must have been overwhelmed at school and tired... After all, he was always running around... from the admin to the caretakers to staff work rooms and tending to student needs... He never stopped...
Ross was napping... and i was listening to accordion playing a gypsy tune...
Now that Ross had stopped to brag about the District and insist that we visit again... it was even quieter... more tranquil...
I did not have any complains... I sat there and waited... and waited... and waited for Ross... to snap from his nap...
I relaxed... I knew what was going to happen when Ross woke up...
...And Ross opened his eyes... took a wake up sip from the brandy and checked the clock...
"We are late...almost missed the entire play...", he exclaimed...
"You needed the nap... We'll see the play another day...", I consoled...
"But you should have kicked me...", he continued...
"I will never do that...", I covered my mischief...
We took the jackets and left... He headed to the theaters and I followed his lead... When we were there he went to the box office and chatted with the guy... very quietly... He even took the somewhat crumbled tickets out of his pocket... and gave them to the guy... After a while he returned with a smile...
He had convince the guy in the box office for replacements...
I felt a bit guilty about the situation... So I did not ask what he said the the guy in the box office... he did not volunteer too...
... and we agreed to attend Waiting for Godot... on Thursday...
I felt a bit guilty... and could not refuse...
***
...And Diogenes Things...
Europe has a refugee problem... Europe has a cultural dilemma... Europe has an identity crisis...
Read below what Manuel Valls, the French prime Minister said at Davos...
22
January 2016
Manuel Valls: 'Europe is in grave danger over migration crisis'
The
French prime minister has warned that Europe's migration crisis is
putting the European Union at grave risk.
Speaking
to the BBC at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Manuel Valls said
Europe could not take in all the migrants and refugees who wanted
to settle in Europe.
|
Europe... might be in grave danger... but the Middle East and North Africa are in wars...
The wars were instigated by Western powers... and not the consequences of the wars are not only overwhelming the Middle East and North Africa, but also destabilizing Europe...
I guess eventually The White man's Burden is bearing its fruits...
Check the centuries old adage of The White Man's Burden... below...
In February 1899, British novelist and poet Rudyard Kipling wrote a poem entitled “The White Man’s Burden: The United States and The Philippine Islands.” In this poem, Kipling urged the U.S. to take up the “burden” of empire, as had Britain and other European nations.
Take
up the White Man's burden, Send forth the best ye breed
Take
up the White Man's burden, In patience to abide,
Take
up the White Man's burden, The savage wars of peace—
Take
up the White Man's burden, No tawdry rule of kings,
Take
up the White Man's burden And reap his old reward:
Take
up the White Man's burden, Ye dare not stop to less—
Take
up the White Man's burden, Have done with childish days—
The lightly proferred laurel, The easy, ungrudged praise. |
The "white man's burden" has created a chaos in the Middle East and Africa... and the refugees are overwhelming the cultural fabric of Europe... and the West...
After the technological revolution... everything happens on a global scale... and now we have a globalized crisis...
Davos and all the lectures and the talks will not resolve anything... They say blood begets blood, brutality begets brutes and anarchy creates terror...
At Davos and in Western capitals they are speculating that it will take at least a decade to put things back in order...
Will the world survive another decade of anarchy...?
Who knows...!
Ross hated "The White Man's Burden..." and one time I heard him swear... he said, "You know this white man's shit stinks..."
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