Insightful Revolution

INSIGHTFUL REVOLUTION

By:  Ives (George) Pereira

CHAPTER 1

John and Alison Harding were married.  Both of them had barely reached the age of twenty.  Neither of them had jobs that paid well enough for them to live comfortably, still less could they think of ever affording a house.  In fact there were times that after they paid their bills, there was not enough left over to buy some of the most basic foods that were necessary to stay alive.  They spent many days and nights wondering what their fate would be, and often fantasized about what they would do if by some stroke of luck they became wealthy.  Alison declared that the first thing that she would buy is a house.  John whispered that he would be happy to live a life free from the nagging thought of where the next meal would come from.  Somehow, they both felt more miserable when they came down to reality about their present circumstance.  Yet John was able to encourage Alison and to assure her that every cloud had a silver lining and that, if anything, their lives of poverty would only serve to make them strong. 

Before long, however, John and Alison became proud parents of a healthy boy who they loved with all their hearts.  John had a nagging fear, however, that in their economic situation bordering on penury, there would not be much of a future for their son Alfred.  John often spoke to Alison about moving to Toronto where jobs were available and where he could perhaps work two jobs or more in order to make a good living.  John got in touch with a friend in Toronto with the hope that he would assist him in making the transition.  But his friend Jim informed him that the job situation was very uncertain and precarious in Toronto and that John would do well to hold on to his job until things improved.

Fortunately, Alison and John had good and generous neighbours.  They were aware that John and Alison were facing hard times.  They often helped Alison by buying extra groceries for them whenever they were out shopping.  This act of generosity was much appreciated by John although he felt badly because he was not able to keep the family going on his own.  Accepting charity was demeaning to him as with most of his species, but he understood that he was in a tight and uncompromising situation and that the demonstrated charity of his neighbours had to be accepted.  John often reflected on those who were less fortunate than he was, and vowed that if he ever won a lottery, that he would share his fortune with all the poor people around him.  But then he was once again speculating and he had to face reality all over again. 

His neighbour Peter, though on a subsistence level of life himself, was also on the lookout for a job that would improve his family’s standard of living.  Going through the newspaper, he saw that there were jobs being advertised by an oil company way up in the frozen north.  When John came back from work, Peter engaged him before he entered his house.  He explained to John that he was going to apply for one of those jobs since no experience was required, and that new recruits were going to be trained.  The salary was twice the minimum wage in the city and in addition there was a bonus added to the monthly salary because of the isolation.  Recruits would be allowed a two week paid vacation each year. Salary increases were assured every year, and after training was completed workers were assured a substantial increase in their salaries. Working overtime was frequent in order to meet the demand for oil, and it was not uncommon that most workers doubled their monthly wages by working extra hours each day.  A further boost to their salaries was if they worked Sundays which was a time and a half.

“What do you think John?  ” asked Peter. 

“I guess that I would like to go for it, but who will take care of our families?” asked John.

“I know that separation from our families for such a long stretch is going to be difficult for all concerned.  But John our wives are strong and I’m sure they will watch over each other while we are away. Remember also that our wives are strong and will understand that if we are to extricate ourselves from biting our nails day after day, they will probably encourage us to embark on this project.  After all, if we do well, they will be better off for it,” said Peter.

“Thank you, Peter for sharing this information with me.  You and your wife have been good to us and we are most grateful to you,” said John.

“Please do not say any more.  Speak to Alison about our plans and remember that there are many like us in this Province who are hurting and will be applying for these jobs too.  We must get our applications in as quickly as possible,” said Peter.

Alison, being the strong and pragmatic woman that she was, surprised John when she not only asked him to apply for the job, but also encouraged him to do so.  She assured him that she would look after Alfred and that everything would be fine on the home front.  She had tears in her eyes when she told John that she was going to miss him while he was away, and that she hoped he would take care of himself.  John always admired the strength of his wife’s character, and knew that he was going to miss her immensely when he was gone.

Both John and Peter mailed their applications the following morning.  They had no idea how long they were going to be kept waiting for a response.  Much to their surprise, a letter was sent to them a couple of days later, requesting that they report to work within a week.  A bank draft was enclosed for their passages by plane to the oil outfit.  John and Peter promptly booked their air passages and spent what time that they had with their respective families.  John spent most of his time with Alfred who was still a little baby.  He wondered whether Alfred knew that he was his father.  In six months’ time, when he was due for his holiday Alfred would be walking.  He felt saddened that he would not be around to see his son painstakingly trying to stand and take his first steps.  While they were in bed, Alison sobbed silently for she was aware that John would not be in bed to keep her warm.  She knew that it was going to be a lonely existence for both of them, but she felt relieved that Alfred was there to take her mind off her loneliness.

CHAPTER 2

John and Peter arrived at the oil field within a couple of hours.  The location was within the Arctic Circle and was covered with permanent ice and snow.  It was also dreadfully cold.  As soon as they arrived both John and Peter were assigned to different work crews.  Each of them had to work closely with an expert in the field.  They were given their contracts to sign and were cautioned that if they were not up to the job that they were being assigned to, that they would be asked to leave and return home.  They were also cautioned that work in the oil field was full of hazards and that they would have to be very careful when operating the machines.

Since they were on the job for the first time, they were asked to quit their training for the day and directed to follow the supervisor.  They were led to their living quarters which was like a Boarding School dorm.  They were led to the far end of the dorm where each of them was shown a bed.  Besides each bed was a small cupboard into which they could place their valuables.  When the supervisor used the word “valuables” both John and Peter looked at each other and frowned.

Both John and Peter were happy to be able to exchange news about their families and though this information may have set them at ease, it heightened their desire to get home as soon as possible.  After six months, both of them were excited about going home.  When they met their spouses, it seemed as though they were in seventh heaven.  John was surprised to see his son so grown up.  Alfred clung on to his mother’s legs when John asked him tenderly to come to him.  John’s heart was saddened that his son really did not know him.  He knew, however, that given a little time his son would come to realize that dad was not just another man.  He was his dad.

Two weeks did not seem a long enough holiday.  Before John and Peter knew it, they were preparing to return to work.  Alison made sure that she prepared for John all the goodies that he liked so that he could take them with him when he returned to the oil fields.  It was again a heart breaking departure for John.  However, he assured Alison that he was now making it big and that she never had to worry about buying anything that she wanted.  John opened a special account at the bank for Alison and deposited a few thousand dollars for her to use while he was away.

This going back and forth did not seem so bad with the passage of time.  After ten years, John had accumulated close to two million dollars in savings.  He soon decided that it was time for him to retire so that he could be permanently with his family.  Because of the isolation from his family, he acquired bad habits such as the consumption of alcohol.  He also smoked a lot and this did not do him any good.

He was now able to buy himself a Victorian Style four bedroom house and he paid cash for it too.

Having lived in the cold North for so long, he explained to his wife that it was time to enjoy their lives by moving to a warm country.  Alison thought that it was a great idea but she was cautiously optimistic.

He went to a travel agent for information regarding a good vacation destination in the tropics.  There was a special that was being offered for a week’s all-inclusive stay in Nicaragua.   He jumped at the idea of going to a warm country. Alison, on the other hand, was sceptical about leaving for a foreign country.  She was full of apprehensions, many of which were drawn from her imagination, but was not based in reality. However, she soon adopted the attitude that “nothing venture, nothing gained.”

John and Alison stayed in a five-star hotel.  They loved the extravagance that they were encouraged to enjoy.  Above all, they bathed in the warmth of the country and felt renewed by walking about without their heavy coats and boots. 

John knew that he had found his nirvana and vowed to return to Nicaragua to plant his roots there.

What attracted him most were the people out in the hinterland who were living subsistence existences but who never failed to smile even at a stranger like himself.   He also noticed that the locals lived a wonderful communal life and propped each other up with the little that they had.

 John soon realized that the cost of living was very low and that he could stretch his savings and the interest gained to live a stress free life.  He also thought that he would use some of his money to invest in property which was one-third the price in Alberta. 

When he and Alison got back to Nicaragua, they rented a modest house out in the countryside.  Alison felt a little insecure locating too far away from the city.  Even if they had motorized transportation, the roads were in a state of disarray.  No sooner had the potholes been attended to, heavy rains would soon undo all the work that was done.  It was a hazardous proposition for any car to withstand the dangers on the roads. 

John threw himself into befriending the local villagers.  To demonstrate his friendship, he often invited local families to his house.  He wined and dined them with the kind of generosity that the locals admired.  In a very short time the entire village came to know him.  Those that were closest to him were treated with special consideration.  He freely paid for medical treatment, and was known to take families on holidays to the closest beach.  Alison was not sure whether John was doing the right thing but she went along with him since helping the less fortunate appeared to make John very happy.  There were times when Alison would ask John to exercise restraint but somehow John did not hear her.

John made up his mind that he did not intend returning to Canada.  He therefore invested some of his money in buying large tracts of land and built himself a luxurious house that stood out like a sore thumb in the village that had makeshift houses that were badly in need of repairs.

He also built a couple of smaller houses which he hoped would attract tourists so that his investment could bring in some income, which, he thought he did not need anyway.

John continued to smoke and drink locally brewed liquor.  Alison began to notice that her husband was aging fast because of his lifestyle.  She often warned him about the need to exercise restraint but somehow it did not register with her husband.

John continued to entertain his many drinking friends.  Many of these friends lived unproductive lives and made no effort to support their wives and families.  The wives tried to apply themselves to any job that would help keep their families from virtually starving. 

There were several families in the village who began to envy John and Alison for their obvious wealth.  Had they approached John for a handout, John would have gladly given them enough money to save them from starvation.  However, the locals began to argue that this was their land and here was a foreigner who was living the life of luxury yet they were suffering so much.  This was just not fair.

John and Alison sensed that there were a few individuals who demonstrated open hostility towards them.  John made sure that these people were always on his list of invitees whenever he threw a party hoping that they would accept them as a part of the community.  Unlike most of the expatriates who lived in Nicaragua, John would do everything in his power to help those who requested his help.  Most expatriates lived in palatial houses and lived insular lives.  Their life style was more like the proverbial colonials who view the locals as sub-human individuals who were to be kept at arm’s length in order to ensure their own safety.

John was like a breath of sunlight and he went overboard by extending himself extravagantly and selflessly to the locals.  He created scholarships for a few of the talented local children, and those families who he considered close to him, he would wine and dine them sometimes for days.  Alison, on the other hand, was sceptical about John’s relationships and cautiously warned him that perhaps he should ease off on his frequent socializing which was beginning to take a toll on his health.  John was greying very fast and his frequent imbibing in alcohol showed on his tired face.    Alison, unfortunately, was treated like an interruption by John and he went on living the life that he thought he enjoyed.  John assured Alison that he had no intention of ever returning to Canada.  Alison, on the other hand, had made up her mind that if anything did happen to John, she would pack her bags and promptly return home.  She never articulated this to her husband for, like a loyal wife that she thought she should be, she did not want to take away from her husband’s infatuation with his adoptive country.

CHAPTER 3

John frequently visited the local market.  By now, everybody, for so it seemed, knew him and greeted him with much enthusiasm.  They generated a feeling in John that made him feel that he was a part of them.  They were quick to share their meals with him.  Where would he get this love and affection in Canada where people tended to be insular and private?   He became ever so convinced that he had found his niche and that he would spend the rest of his life with the people that he had now come to love unreservedly.

Alison continued to be his conscience and from time to time skillfully reminded him that age was catching up with both of them and before long they would need to be cared for in a good home.  John was quick to tell Alison that if anything happened to them they would easily be able to find help from the community and that it would be something that they could richly afford.  Alison was not thinking about the unskilled help which was obtainable locally.  She was thinking of spending her very senior years in a clinically clean home where medical help was available on the premises. She was thinking about the meals that would be prepared and served to them and the many recreations that would be made available to them on the premises.  Right now all of these were nothing more than a pipe dream.

The following day, John decided to spend a couple of days with friends close to the beach which was a few miles away.  Alison explained to John that she was not up to it and that it would be best if he went with his friends but without her.  Martin and his wife Juana accompanied John in a chicken bus all the way to the beach.  When they got there, it was early in the afternoon and the sun was scorching.  Much to his surprise, however, he ran into a number of people that he knew and they welcomed him into their midst.  John felt that the group that he met appeared to be quite tense and that was not in character with their normal behaviour.  He thought that perhaps he had intruded on their turf and so he graciously excused himself and moved away to another spot with Martin and Joana and their two children. 

“What is the matter with those guys?” asked John.

“Those people are very political. They always meet together but usually far away from the town,” said Martin.

“I noticed that they are not with their wives or children.  Perhaps their political discussions do not interest their families,” remarked John.

“I get the impression that they are planning an anti-government movement,” said Martin.

“I can see why they would want to do that.  Since I have been here I have not seen the government do anything to prevent the growing mass of people getting poorer and poorer with each passing day,” said John.

“They would like to hear that from you and I am sure that they would pat you on the back for such an observation,” said Martin.

“Perhaps I should go back to them and tell them exactly how I feel,” said John.

“I would not do that if I were you.  Getting into that group is a slow process.  They have to be convinced that you will be an asset to their movement before letting you in,” assured Martin.

“And how does one do that?” asked John.

“The leader of the group is Jose Martinez.  He is often seen talking with his friends at the Soaris Bar in the village.  Without making it obvious, you should visit this bar.  A free drink to those who are there will make you friends in a hurry.  Your conversation with the group should be about the inaction of the government with regard to raising the standard of life of the people.  Vocalized loud enough, Jose Martinez will certainly be drawn to you and if all goes well, he will invite you to the private meetings that you see here on the beach,” advised Martin.

“I am surprised that you are not into politics Martin. What you say makes perfect sense.  Soaris Bar, here I come,” concluded John.

“One word of warning my dear John.  The Martinez group is rumoured to be thinking of ousting the government through armed violence.  Your involvement in the group can bring you into serious trouble with the present government.  You must understand that whatever is happening in the villages is being closely monitored by government spies and information is being constantly examined.  Your name will certainly be recorded in their list of people to watch,” warned Martin.

“Thanks for the warning Martin, but those jokers do not scare me. I believe that one has to take a stand against tyranny of any kind but particularly ones that are imposed on the citizens of the land who are living in poverty,” said John.

“You are a foreigner in this country no matter how many friends you have here.  If the government is made aware that you are doing something politically underhanded, they will either throw you into prison and throw away the key; or they will deport you immediately and confiscate your property,” warned Martin.

“What will be, will be,” responded John.

CHAPTER 4

When John returned home, Alison was waiting for him.  Because of the lateness of the hour of his return, she was nervous that something untoward might have happened to him.  She had learned long ago not to question her husband about his whereabouts.  As soon as he made his entry, Alison informed him that his dinner had probably got cold but if he was hungry, she would warm up the food.

“No thanks Alison.  I stopped over at a village restaurant and had my dinner.  You should have come along with us to the beach.  It was a bright warm day.  You would have enjoyed it,” said John.

Alison told John that she was very tired.  She would have liked to tell him that it was more because of the stress that he created, but refrained from doing so in order to avoid a confrontation.  She excused herself and strode off to her bedroom.

John sat on the veranda puffing a cigar.  He recalled the events of the day but somehow focussed on the conversation that he had with Martin regarding the group that was planning a coup.  Though he had come from a more affluent society, he identified with the poor all around him.  He remembered the piercing pain of poverty in his own life and somehow he knew that he had to help the poor in his adoptive country in order to improve the lives of all concerned.  Somehow, it would seem, the government was doing very little to help the poor.  Rumour had it that most of the government officials were on the take and were syphoning their ill begotten money to banks in Switzerland.  This was enough reason for John to join the group that was seeking to overthrow the corrupt government.  However, Martin’s warnings were also to be taken seriously.  Furthermore, his wife would not approve of her husband getting involved in local politics and John was aware that he could not possibly keep it away from his wife.

John decided to turn in and to postpone any of his decisions to another day.

He woke up the following morning even more determined to join the group that was planning the coup.  Alison was aware that something was in the works.  Wives are generally sensitive to the moods of their husbands, and can read into their general disposition that something was in the works.

John felt that it was as good a time as any to let Alison know about his plans.

“A penny for your thoughts,” commented Alison.

John made no reply.

“I know that something is bothering you.  Perhaps you could share it with me.  Your mantra has always been that there is a solution to every problem if discussed in a rational way,” coaxed Alison.

“Well said Alison.  Perhaps I should put my plans on the table.  I know that you are not going to like what I am about to say, but it needs to be said.  We have been witness to the poverty that is so endemic in this village.  This poverty exists right around the country.  There is a group who feel that the government will not act simply because it is run by greedy, self-centred, avaricious, and corrupt politicians who are funnelling money to accounts in Switzerland instead of spending it on programs to enhance the living conditions of its people.  This seems to be typical of most developing countries around the world.   The difference is that the people are now thinking of getting rid of the present government,” pontificated John.

“Why don’t they do it during election time,” asked Alison.

“Most people are aware that the polls are often rigged in favour of the same politicians who are looting the government coffers,” said John.

“Perhaps a better way would be to make the people politically aware of what is happening in the country so that during election time they will cast their vote appropriately. Anyway, what has all this got to do with you my dear?” asked Alison.

“It is my intention to throw in my lot with the group that is planning a coup.  I have no idea whether the group will accept me.  I guess that they will have to do a whole lot of vetting to determine whether I will be up to the responsibilities that go with membership,” commented John.

“I have not said this to you before, but you obviously have a bone for a brain.  Don’t you understand that when you are caught…….notice, I’m saying “when” and not “if” you are caught…..you are going to be history.  You are playing with fire my dear husband!  I really think that we should pack our bags and return to Canada,” stressed Alison. 

“What do we have to look forward to in Canada?  Months of snow and ice that keeps us homebound; friends that are far too busy for you because they have their own lives to worry about; a cost of living that will gobble up our savings and will soon return us to the poverty that we once suffered?” said John.

“At least we will have our lives, and live a life free from the intrigues that will only add stress that neither you nor I need in our old age,” said Alison.

“I think that we should inject some purpose in our lives if we are to live productive and meaningful existences.  Helping the poor is a noble cause.  Some do it by establishing food banks which would be totally unnecessary if the government provided its people with jobs so that everybody could be self-sustaining.  In this country, this can only be done if the present government is kicked out and responsible people were put in its place to help put people to work and to invite investment from other countries to create jobs and establish appropriate training for its people,” said John.

“It seems obvious to me that you are going ahead with your plans.  I do not want to be around to pick up the pieces.  Please book me on the first plane home,” Alison insisted.

John kept silent.  He knew that life would not be the same without Alison, yet he felt a compulsion to hook up with his renegade friends as a matter of duty.

“I cannot promise you that I will not join my friends in their noble cause.  Life will not be the same without you here.  I would rather see you stand by me as you have done all these years.  However, I cannot stop you from doing what you think is best for you,” responded John.

“Please book my air ticket to Canada right away.  I have no idea how far gone you are in this crazy plan of yours.  I would rather not be around when bullets keep flying.  I have always stood by you over the years because you always struck me as a reasonable man.  But what you are embarking on right now is the height of stupidity.  This is not your fight.  Let the local people fight for their rights.  We are merely guests in this country and have no right to interfere in the internal affairs of the people who belong here,” reprimanded Alison. 

CHAPTER 5

John continued to make the rounds of the local bars.  He was outspoken about the ineptitude of the government in power but not once did he suggest that the government be overthrown.  He steadily became increasingly popular with the people and wherever he went he attracted crowds.  Part of the reason is that he splurged drinks on all those who joined his table.

Now John had more time to spend with the people.  Alison packed her bags in frustration, and flew home.  The only way he could compensate for the loss of his wife’s company was to spend as little time as possible in his large empty house. 

One dreary evening, however, there was a knock on John’s door.  John wondered who it might be since it was rare, since his wife had left him, that anybody came to visit.  When he opened the door, he was surprised to see Jose Martinez standing at the door.

“Come in my amigo,” said John.

“Gracias, I hope that I am not disturbing you at this hour,” said Jose.

“My door is always open to you.  What is it that I can do for you?” asked John.

“I have been getting frequent news about you and your feelings for the poor in this country.  I come to invite you to a meeting of like minds tomorrow at the beach,” said Jose.

“I will be happy to put my two cents in if it is going to help the poor in this country,” said John.

“You are a very unusual man.  Most foreigners who come here have very little empathy for the poor.  They buy big homes, live opulent lives and treat the locals as though they are sub-human beings,” said Jose.

“That is not true of all of them my dear Jose.  Many of them treat the locals with much respect and their very presence in the country helps the economy along,” said John

“Why don’t you come to the beach tomorrow at ten o’clock?  It is not quite so hot at that time and you will meet a bunch of people who will share with you their plans to raise the living standards of the people,” said Jose.

After a couple of drinks, Jose and John shook hands warmly.  John’s wish to be included in the group had now been realized. Somehow, deep in his heart he felt that he was now on a collision course with fate.

The meeting started on a jovial tone with that hail-fellow-well-met attitude that seemed to precede the impending conversation. It then worked up to a more serious and contentious tone as they condemned the ineptitude of the government in a crescendo of invectives.

There were at least fifteen individuals, each wanting to be heard at the same time.  Jose Martinez invited the group to conduct themselves in English so that John could understand what was going on.  However there were a few who preferred to express their opinions in Spanish but John was able to get the gist of what they were saying. Jose Martinez then exercised his leadership by intervening.

“It is clear that all of us are convinced that the government should be overthrown.  We are only a small group here who are trying to get organized.  However, this is a big country and we have to get all the suffering people on our side.  This can be done by having cells all over the country in order to propagate the change that we are seeking.  If we do not have the people on our side, we will be wiped out by the government forces,” advised Jose Martinez.

There was silence for a few seconds by the group.

“You are absolutely right,” said John. “We need to have a few hundred of us who are committed to the cause.  Those committed individuals should then be posted to various villages around the country.   They, in turn, will expand the group until we have an army of our own,” continued John.

“Revolution requires a sound organization.  If it does not have one, it is doomed to failure.  Remember that we will be fighting a formidable foe who are well armed with guns and tanks.  There are two ways that we can match them with weapons.  One way is to canvas some of the disgruntled soldiers to our cause.  They know where the arsenal of guns are kept and when the time is ripe we can obtain the guns by a surprise attack on the arsenal.  The other way is to pass the hat around and buy guns,” advised Jose Martinez.

“Buy guns?!!  What are you saying Jose?  People hardly have money to buy themselves a good meal.  Where are they going to find the money to buy thousands of guns?  Perhaps our rich friend here can tell us,” asked Manuel smiling at John.

The entire crowd turned their heads to observe John’s reaction.

“I have some money to enable us to buy a few guns.  But where are we going to get the guns from?”  Most guns are made in the United States and it is going to be a hard sell to obtain them from there.  The U.S. government has come down strongly on gun stores and every sale is monitored,” said John.

“In times like this the only person that we can rely on is the President of Cuba.  He will supply us with the weapons if they are going to set us free.  If we play our cards right, the President of Cuba will probably send us some specialists in the use of modern weapons so that our people will be prepared when the time comes,” encouraged Jose Martinez.

“I don’t think that we should approach Cuba.  It is a communist state.  The people there are suppressed by that regime, and if they give us military aid it is sure to be conditional that we set up a communist state.  Our people will be worse off than they are now,” put in Kino.

The others in the group nodded their approval.

“We may be poor, but at least we are free,” said Emilio.

“Think of what Communism has done for Cuba.  It has brought poor people out of biting poverty and through education it has made over ninety percent of the population literate.  Surely, it has forced the people to work hard in order to eat, and perhaps our people need to do that too instead of spending so much of their time in bars,” said Jose Martinez.

If you are making a case for Communism, I would rather be where we are right now.  It may be true that a few people in this country are making big bucks, and somehow the government does very little to tax them so that the money could be used for programs to uplift the people.  However, once the government is in the hands of the people it could enact policies and enforce the law to trim the fat from the rich.  We don’t need to become Communists to bring about change,” declared Emilio.

Jose was unsure what to say but thought that it would be best to conclude the meeting.  He set a date for the next meeting for the following week, and urged the group to think seriously about the direction that should be taken to make the Revolution a success.  When it came to revolution, he was aware that the nations that were ever willing to help would be Russia and Cuba.  However, obtaining their help was like going from the frying pan into the fire.  Yet there seemed to be no other option.  Guns were badly needed and so was advice on strategies to make the Revolution a success.  None of those in the group had any idea how to form, or even run a government still less how to organize a Revolution.   Jose Martinez knew that it would be a dangerous situation even if the Revolution was a success leading to chaos that would throw the country into anarchy which would be a worse state than it was presently.   He was convinced that this concern should be raised with the group at the next meeting. However, he was disturbed that if his visitor was genuine, word had already traveled much too far.  This meant that the government was also aware that political action was brewing in the village and that the lives of the group were in jeopardy.

This was far too worrisome for Jose to sleep.  He got dressed in a hurry and made his way to Emilio’s house.  Emilio’s wife answered the door.

“Hello Sofia,” greeted Jose.

“Is there something wrong my dear Jose?” enquired Sofia.

“I know that it is very late, but could I please speak with Emilio?  It is of the greatest importance.”

Emilio suddenly made an appearance rubbing his eyes.  He walked across to Jose and hugged him.

“What is the matter Jose?  You look very worried.  Have you been drinking?”

“Could you and I talk somewhere private?”

“Sure.  Come with me,” said Emilio walking him to the kitchen.

“Emilio, I had a visit from a representative from the Russian embassy.   He came to me offering help to enable us to kick out the government.  At first I thought that he was a government spy trying to flush us out so that they could lock us up.  The point is that our plans are somehow being transmitted far and wide,” said Jose who was now perspiring.

“What did you say to the Russian representative,” asked Emilio.

“I pretended that I did not know what he was talking about.  What if he was a government spy?”

“Well done Jose.  How did this guy learn about our plans?”

“Obviously, someone in our group has been talking to his friends about our plans.  You know what it is like in a village.  Word gets around very fast.”

“I think we should lie low and stop meeting for a month or so.  We must stress the importance of keeping everything discussed a guarded secret.  When we hold meetings in future it has to be done where nobody will see or hear us,” cautioned Emilio.

“The agent gave his name as Ivan Petrov and I asked that he meet me at nine p.m. at my house tomorrow.  I have asked him to prove his credentials before I talked to him any further.  He said that he would comply.  Could you be at my house at nine tomorrow?  If he is genuine,

“You bet I will be at your side tomorrow,” said Emilio.

“I knew that I could depend on you my friend.  I will see you tomorrow then, “said Jose.

Good Night

CHAPTER 6

It was a dreary day.  It seemed that the heavy rain clouds would never leave.  Late that evening, there was a heavy knock on Jose Martinez’s door.  Jose wondered who would have come to see him at such a late hour.  It was almost mid-night. 

Jose cautious opened the door. He noticed a man standing there anxiously awaiting to get out of the rain. 

“Are you Jose Martinez?” asked the stranger.

“Yes, I am.  What do you want at this late hour,” asked Jose.

“Please let me come in.  I have some important information to give you,” pushing his way into the house.

As soon as he got in, he wanted to set Jose at ease.

“Please Sir, my name is Ivan Petrov.  From my name, you can tell that I am Russian,” said the stranger.

“Hello Ivan.  What brings you here?  If you are looking for a loan, you have come to the wrong place.  I have no money just like the majority of my counterparts in this country,” declared Jose.

“No my friend.  I have come to help you and your fellow countrymen out of your poverty.  It is my understanding that you and your followers require help.  I am a representative of the Russian Government.  It is our understanding that you need our help to overthrow the present corrupt government,” stated Ivan.

“Who told you that must be out of his mind.  I am a poor man going about my own business and trying very hard to make ends meet,” cautioned Jose thinking that Ivan was probably a Government spy.

“Jose, please do not play games with me.  We know from a very reliable source that you are planning a coup d’état.  This is a very serious business and you are going to need the assistance of the Russian government to develop strategies and to provide you with arms to counter the might of the present government.  We are prepared to train your men and this will only be done because we believe that you are our brothers who are badly in need of good government that cares more for the people than for itself,” stressed Ivan.

“I understand where you are coming from Mr. Petrov.  Please see me tomorrow at nine p.m. right here.  Make sure that you have something other than yourself to prove that you represent the Russian Government, otherwise don’t waste your time coming here,” said Jose.

“I respect your wishes and understand your cautious approach which is a hallmark of leadership. Thank you very much for your time, and do forgive me for the lateness of the hour.  I will see you tomorrow at nine p.m. and will possess all the evidence that I am a genuine representative of the Russian Government.”

With that he saluted Jose, turned around and walked out into the dark and rainy night.

As soon as Ivan left, Jose got dressed hurriedly and made his way to see Emilio.  Oblivious of the lateness of the hour, Jose knocked at the door.  Emilio’s wife Sofia opened the door.

“Hello Jose.  Why are you up so late?  Is there something the matter?” asked Sofia.

“I apologise for visiting this late.  Is it possible for me to talk with Emilio?  Something has come up and it is very vital that I talk to him,” acknowledged Jose.

As Jose spoke, Emilio walked in wiping his eyes with the back of his palms and his pyjamas looking crinkly with use.

“Hello Jose.  What brings you here at this unearthly hour,” asked Emilio.

“Is there a place where we can talk privately?” asked Jose.

“Don’t worry.  You can remain right here.  I will go to the kitchen and make some tea for all of us,” said Sofia.

“Thanks Sofia,” said Emilio and Jose in unison. 

“I had a strange visitor come to visit me this evening.  He confessed to be a representative of the Russian government.  He made me understand that his government had become aware that the people of Nicaragua were planning to overthrow the government and that his government would be happy to assist the people.  I thought that perhaps this was a trick and that he might be a government spy fishing for information regarding our movement,” said Jose in deep thought.

“If the Russian government has come to hear about our plans, it is even more likely that the Nicaraguan government has already got wind of our plans.  This has certainly put the whole movement in jeopardy and our lives may be in much danger.  We could be rounded up and taken up for treason which, in our country, is punishable by death,” continued Jose.

“I think that there are some in our group who are passing on the information that we discuss at our meetings to their friends.  Typical of small town mentality, these friends pass on the information to their friends and in no time it reaches precisely those who should not know our plans.  I think we should call a meeting right away.  This time it should done in private.  Our members should be informed that they will not divulge anything even to their mothers or fathers.  They must be made to take a vow to that effect.  Any breaking of the rules should have serious consequences,” stressed Emilio.

“I couldn’t agree with you more,” said Jose.  “However, I think we need to lie low for the next month or two.  Our whole attitude should now be to spread the word that our government is doing a fine job, and that rumours that Nicaraguans were trying to overthrow the government is one big joke.  If this is repeated in all the public places, it will certainly get to the government and the incident will be put on the back burner. After two months, under very tight security, we can commence holding meetings once again to further our plans,” continued Jose.

“I think that would be the right way to go,” approved Emilio.

“I am meeting the supposedly Russian representative tomorrow at nine p.m. at my place.  You are a very perceptive person Emilio so I want you to be at this meeting to pick up anything that I may have missed.  Ivan Petrov, that’s his name, is going to reveal his identity tomorrow.  If he is who he says he is, perhaps we could ask him how we should proceed in the light of our new discovery,” said Jose.

“I will be there at nine on the button, “assured Emilio.

Sofia made an entry with steaming hot tea and some homemade biscuits.

She noticed a seriousness about their demeanour but did not venture to question them about what was going on.

It was close to three o’clock in the early hours of the morning but neither Emilio nor Jose were sleepy or tired any more.  They did, however, say good night to each other and parted company.

CHAPTER 7

Early in the morning, John woke up feeling mildly depressed.  It had been almost three weeks since Alison left him for Canada.  He began to feel the loneliness precipitated by the distance that separated them.  John tried phoning her when he was feeling very low, but more often than not, he had to leave a message on her voice mail. He had spoken to her only twice since her departure so he began to wonder whether it was all over for them.  If absence makes the heart grow fonder, John felt that he was missing his wife very intensely.  He self-medicated his loneliness by drinking heavily.  He became increasingly aware that his health was slowly but steadily going down the tube.   He often debated whether he should pack his things and join his wife in Canada.   But somehow, he believed that he had a calling in Nicaragua.  Deep in his heart, he felt that he had to remain where he was if only to help in the cause of restoring a good and decent standard of living for the people.  He had already pledged his loyalty to the group who were undertaking this ambitious but perilous movement in a bid for change.  There were moments when he wished that change could come without any violence.  However, he lived long enough in Nicaragua to believe that the greed and corruption of those in charge was so endemic and so pervasive that violence seemed the only way to make changes.

While he was having his breakfast, he was interrupted by a visitor.  He opened the main door and there in front of him was Julius.  Julius was part of the growing group of conspirators.  John met him at one of the meetings.  Julius rarely spoke or wagered an opinion.

“Hello John.  I hope I am not bothering you too early,” said Julius as a form of greeting.

“Please come in Julius.  That is your name isn’t it?  I have seen you several times at our meetings but never had an opportunity of talking to you, or discussing the issues that were brought up at our meetings,” said John.

“Yes, it’s Julius.  How kind of you to have remembered my name. Since I joined the group, I have been in a state of depression.  You see, I do not believe in violence and what is constantly being advocated by the group is the violent overthrow of the government,” said Julius.  “On the face of it, it would seem to me that nothing short of an armed struggle that would bring about to this country,” declared Julius.

“If you are a true patriot, you should be prepared to lay down your life for your country,” said John.

“I understand what you are saying.  But there have been countries like India that adopted the policy of non-violence and were able to throw off the shackles of colonialism.  If you examine many of the African countries that obtained their independence through violent means, the governments that replaced them became more repressive, brutal and exploitive than the government that they overthrew,” said Julius. “Why don’t we follow India’s example and start with non-cooperation with the government unless the demands of the people are met.  The moment the present government is hit in the pocket, it will be persuaded to make changes to its economic policies, and the people will become beneficiaries,” stressed Julius.

“As I see it, Revolution is a short cut to improving the lot of the people.  But I do see what you are saying.  Why don’t you bring this up at the next meeting my friend.  It would be worth discussing.  As I see it, we need an intelligent and strong leadership…..one that is incorruptible and one that can garner the support of the majority of people.  Such leadership has not emerged as yet.  What we also need in this country is a very strong labour union.  Many leaders have emerged from the labour union who are generally well informed about the state of the country and particularly the needs of its people,” advised John.

“By the way, I am such a bad host.  Please let me offer you something to drink.  Have you already had your breakfast?”

“Coffee will be fine my dear friend,” said Julius.

Both Julius and John continued to discuss a number of issues.  It was finally decided that their concerns had to be raised with the group.  Perhaps there were others sitting on the fence with regard to armed insurrection and so it was important to clear the air for all concerned.

After Julius and John had parted company, Emilio appeared at John’s residence.  He told him in whispers that the meeting slated for the week had been called off.  He explained to him that there were new developments in their plans, and that he would be informing him shortly about a possible meeting in the near future.  He also told John that it was very important that anything that was discussed at their former meetings not be divulged to anyone.  This was of the utmost importance for the safety of the group. 

“Why this special visit to give me this information.  Something is going on and somehow you are not telling me the whole story,” admonished John.

“Please do not ask me anything.  There is something in the works right now.  Only after this has been resolved will the group be let in on it,” said Emilio.

With that, Emilio took his leave and promptly left the house

John wondered why there was such drama, but he became conscious of the fact that something serious was going on. He thought that he had to get to the bottom of it.

CHAPTER 8

At nine p.m. on the button, there was a knock on Jose’s door.  Both Emilio and Jose looked at each other as though in disbelief.  Ivan Petrov had come visiting as he had promised.

“Hello Jose.  I see that you have a friend with you,” said Ivan.

“Please come in my friend.  This is Emilio who is one of my dear friends,” said Jose.

“Any friend of Jose is also my friend,” said Ivan patronizing Jose.

“As I had promised, I have come bearing good news.” 

He produced a letter from his brief-case and handed it to Jose.

Jose split open the envelope and in it he found an official letter with the Russian emblem embossed in gold on top of the letter.  The letter was from the Russian Ambassador and it was brief and to the point.  It stated that the bearer of the letter was Ivan Petrov and that he was one of his assistants.  It further stated, that if Jose wished, he could visit the Embassy by phoning ahead, and it provided Jose with the ambassador’s personal phone number.

“I guess that the letter is sufficient proof to lay your suspicions to rest,” said Ivan.  Jose made no reply.

“This is hardly the place to discuss politics.  Your walls are far too porous for that.  I would like to set up a meeting for your group somewhere in the city.  Your group will not have to worry about paying for anything for the week that you will be with me.  The Ambassador will pick up the tab.  However, nobody is to say anything to anybody about your departure from the village.  Each of you will have to find some credible excuse for your absence, that even your families will buy,” stressed Ivan.

“When is this going to happen?” asked Jose.

“You will be given ample notice so that your group can prepare themselves for this life saving trip,” said Ivan.

“You may be taking things for granted here.  We have not said that we are going to accept your terms, so why are you wasting your money?” asked Jose.

“After the meeting your group will have the option to accept or reject the assistance that we are offering you, “said Ivan.

Jose pulled Emilio aside, and asked him whether he saw any danger in what was developing.  Emilio stressed that they were still living in a free country, and attending a meeting would not hurt them.

Jose smiled at Ivan for the first time and declared that it was a deal.

“I would like to leave you with a sober thought,” said Ivan. “In order for a Revolution to work, there is a whole lot of spadework to be done. A plan has to be drawn up and above all there must be a whole lot of training to undergo.  It is a lot of hard work which demands the sacrifice of thousands of committed people who are prepared to give up their lives in order to take their country back,” continued Ivan. 

Neither Jose nor Emilio responded to this warning. 

They bid Ivan goodbye and he, in turn, left the house unceremoniously.

Emilio told Jose that he was quite impressed with Ivan’s honesty and sincerity.  Jose, however, had another take.  He told Emilio that Ivan was perhaps a great salesman and that they had to be very careful before they signed on the dotted line. 

“I am of the firm belief that nobody gives something for nothing,” concluded Jose.

CHAPTER 9

On the other side of town, Chief Inspector Sebastian Santiago was scanning through several reports that were left on his desk.  Sebastian was a well-known police officer reputed for his stern demeanour and no-nonsense attitude.  His instructions to his officers had to be carried out without any excuses and with precision.  Several officers were demoted because they failed to do as they were instructed.  He was feared by all his equals and subordinates.

He had in his hand a report that he read several times over in order to understand the information which he thought was of much concern to him.  The report was signed by Diego Mateo from the Security Department.  He got on the phone and asked Diego to report to his office within an hour. 

The report read: 

“Please be informed that our investigation has revealed that there is a fledging group in the East of Nicaragua who are apparently planning to conduct a coup.  Your intervention at this stage might help stamp out any attempts for this group to grow in popularity and strength. It has to be nipped in the bud. While there is universal dissatisfaction among the people against the government because of its economic problems, it is only this group referred to earlier, who seem to be taking positive steps to spread their treasonable doctrine in an effort to draw more people to their cause.”

“Do you have a list of the people involved in this movement?” asked Inspector Santiago.

“No Sir.  However, please be informed that since we are still a democracy, people have a right to express their views about the government.  It is not easy to arrest anybody unless there is iron clad proof that they are breaking the law.  As you know, Sir, right across Nicaragua there is a growing dissatisfaction among the people.  In some cases there is genuine anger and this can translate itself into all kinds of threats against the government which will never materialize.  The group that I am referring to are now meeting to organize themselves into a parallel government.  I have received this information from the grapevine and it requires further investigation by your department to verify the authenticity of the movement.”

“Now you listen to me.  I would like you to get me names of people who are flapping their mouths off about the government.  I would like to have a chat with them.  I hope that is very clear,” demanded Santiago.

“Respectfully Sir, if that is the case I would have to bring in thousands of people who do not have anything good to say about the government.”

“You know what I mean Diego. Don’t be a smart ass with me.   If you get to know of anybody who poses a threat to the government, I need to be informed right away.”

Diego knew that he had to follow orders.  He also knew that once names were handed to Santiago, those people would be summarily arrested, and rumour had it, they would never be seen again.  He was aware that Santiago’s reputation for brutality was well known but never documented. However, orders were orders and it was now up to Diego to supply Santiago with the list of dissidents. 

When he got back to his office, however, Diego was having pangs of conscience.  He, himself had friends and relatives who were suffering biting privations because they could not find jobs and money was very scarce.  He was aware of the nepotism that was practiced by the higher-uppers when jobs had to be filled.  In Security he was privy to information about the siphoning of government money to Swiss banks by government officials.  Inspector Santiago was one of the biggest offenders but nobody would reveal this since their lives were at stake.  His job was important to him in as far as it brought in a reasonably good wage.  However, his conscience constantly nagged at him because of the corruption that prevailed at all levels of government.  He left the office early, and went to his favourite bar. 

“Hello Mr. Mateo, you are here early today,” said the barman.

“Hello Adolpho, could you pour me a double Scotch?”

“Yes, of course.  Is something bothering you?” asked Adolpho.

“If you had some of the problems that I have, you would probably want a double Scotch yourself,” said Diego.

Adolpho was a seasoned barman, who was a master of human behaviour.  He knew that he should not ask too many questions.  His experience had revealed that it was only a question of a couple of drinks (a form of self-medication) that the troubled person would pour out with his problems.

“Adolpho do you come from a village a few miles from here?”

“Yes Senior.”

“Are the people happy over there?”

“It is hard to be happy when one is poor,” said Adolpho.

“I cannot agree more with you,” said Diego taking a long sip at his Scotch.

“Most people depend on their little gardens for food since they do not have the money to buy it.  But, because of the changing seasons, many people starve for most of the year.  Unfortunately, the government does not reach out and help poor people,” ventured Adolpho.

“Is it not true that the majority of people are far too lazy to work for a living?  Perhaps the people are responsible for their own failure to work for a living,” said Diego.

“In every community you will find some lazy people.  In my village, most men and women are prepared to work but there is no work to be had. After looking for work time and time again and failing, many just stay at home and are often labelled as being lazy. This is most unfair.  You work for the government Senior, have you seen any initiative by the government to create jobs for the people?” asked Adolpho.

There was silence for a few seconds.

“Why do people always have to depend on the government to create jobs?  Why don’t people start their own businesses and in the process create jobs for other people” asked Diego.

“In order to start a business one needs money Senior.  Our banks will only loan money to rich people.  Poor people are far too great a risk on their finances.  Many villagers have approached banks for money but were rudely rejected,” said Adolpho.

Diego handed over his glass to Adolpho and asked for a fill-up. 

By this time Diego was feeling liberated and for the first time he decided that if there was a movement intended to overthrow the government, perhaps he should be a part of it too.

“You know Adolpho, what if I said to you that we should get organized and try to overthrow the government.”

“I would think that you are crazy,” said Adolpho defensively.

“You know that I work for the government and I see with my own eyes the corruption that exists.  Money that should be spent on uplifting the standard of life of the people is being siphoned off and sent to Swiss accounts created by government officials.”

“Why don’t you report the matter to the Police,” responded Adolpho innocently.

“I have already said too much Adolpho.  If you pass on this information to anybody else, I will deny that I ever said it,” warned Diego.

“Information?  What information?  I never heard anything,” replied Adolpho with a serious look on his face.

“That’s my man.  Now how much do I owe you?”

Diego left the bar, meandering towards the main door and mumbling to himself something that was totally incoherent.

Adolpho knew that he was a disturbed man.

CHAPTER  10

A meeting was called to order to inform the group of patriots about the recent developments.  This meeting was to be held in secrecy.  John’s house seemed to be the ideal place to accommodate the group in attendance.  John was very obliging and assured Jose that the group would be very comfortable.  Emilio and Kino were instructed to inform each member in person that the meeting was to take place at nine p.m. the following Tuesday.  They were also to keep the meeting a guarded secret.  Nobody was to know about it; not even their spouses.  They were also warned not to approach John’s house in groups for fear that John’s neighbours might be alerted to the meeting.  In any event, the neighbours were already used to the crowds that visited John and the noisy partying.  The parties went on well into the early hours of the morning. They would, therefore, not bother with those who came there even if it was for nefarious reasons.

Jose opened the meeting.  He informed the group that things were getting frightfully serious and it was important for the group to know whether they still wanted to proceed with liberating the country.  He warned them that it was going to be a very difficult journey fraught with many dangers to themselves and their families.  If they did not have the intestinal fortitude, the conviction of the nobility of their actions, the determination to bring about change no matter what the consequences, then only was it going to be worth their while to proceed.  The meeting was called to make a head count of those who were going to be loyal to the cause. 

“lease rest assured that there is no pressure on you to stay with the group.  However, once you are in, your unstinting loyalty is expected. If this is not forthcoming your lives may be in forfeit,” said Jose. 

There was silence while each member of the group contemplated what had just been said. Finally, one member of the group stood up and walked out of the meeting.  He did not utter a word.  Jose did not say a word to him either, but in his heart he praised him for his conviction.

“Thank you for your loyalty to our country.  Now, before we proceed I have to emphasize the importance of keeping everything you know about our plans and our activities a guarded secret.  If the secret service gets to know what we are up to, it is going to be curtains for all of us.  Nobody, but nobody apart from this group, will be your confident. Those of us who are married will have the onerous task of keeping our plans away from the ears of our spouses.  It is not going to be easy, but secrecy is of the greatest importance.  We are now going to have an election for the person who is going to lead this group.  I now call for nominations,” said Jose.

“I nominate you, Jose,” shouted Emilio.

“Do not underestimate the leadership skills of those here.  I call for further nominations,” declared Jose.

“I move that the nominations be closed,” said Julius.

“I second the nomination,” said Kino with satisfaction.

“Thank you my brothers. As your leader, I am going to frame some rules of conduct which are very essential to the success of our venture.  When the rules have been constructed, I will have you discuss them and hopefully pass them.  We are a democratic organization and we are going to do things by consent of the majority.  Now for the good news.  I am going to ask Emilio to give you the news,” concluded Jose.

“My brothers, we have been in touch with the Russian embassy.  One of the assistants there approached us and offered us help in making our revolution a success.  All of us require training not only in the use of firearms which they will supply us when the time comes, but also to become good fighters in the field.  This training will not take place here.  We are going to be transported to Cuba and then flown to Moscow where we will be for three weeks of intensive training. This is going to be done in pairs so that the villagers do not get suspicious about the sudden absence of so many of us if we all got away together. Those of us who are behind will have to scout around for recruits to our cause. I need hardly say that you have to be very discrete about who you recruit.  Prospective recruits have to be deeply committed to getting rid of the government.  It will not be very difficult to find them in the villages around us.  There are so many who live in desperate poverty and really have nothing to lose.  However, your search should not be confined to people in our immediate neighborhood.  We need to get the whole country on our side. Those of you who have friends in the North or South will have to travel to meet with them. Jose will give you the money that you need to travel to and back again.”

“Isn’t it dangerous for us to seek help from the Communists?” asked Kino.

“I thought that we had discussed this at the beach once and most of us were against the idea,” said Julius.

“We have no other way to get out of the poverty that has enveloped our country.  Most Western countries will not help us since they tend to gain far more from our country the way it is.  The Communists cannot force us to run our country the way they do theirs.  I have no doubt that they will try to indoctrinate us when we go for training.  Politics is a game and we have to learn to play it.  After the revolution is a success, it is up to the people to decide what kind of government they want.  I am sure that there is a sizeable group who will favour a communist state.  In my opinion any kind of government would be better than what we have right now.  But don’t get me wrong.  I am with you and will do everything in my power to establish a democratically elected government,” said Jose.

“Somehow, I get a strange feeling in the pit of my stomach,” said Julius. “But who can argue with you? Anything would be better than what we have now,” continued Julius.

“Then this is settled,” said Jose.

“My final word to you all is that everything that is said here has to be a guarded secret.  Try to abstain from alcohol for it tends to loosen ones inhibitions and makes you very vulnerable to divulging your secrets to others.  This may cost you your life if divulged to the wrong person or group of persons.  Now go your separate ways and remember that you are the chosen ones who will make or break the movement,” warned Jose.

CHAPTER 11

Diego Mateo was on the horns of a dilemma.  While at his desk, he wondered whether he should seriously investigate who were part of the conspiracy so that their names could be handed over to Sebastian Santiago, the Chief of Police.  His job demanded that he should follow the instructions given to him by the Police Chief.  Deep down in his heart, however, he was convinced that the Chief of Police represented all that was wrong and morally reprehensible to the human spirit.  His conscience told him that rounding up those who did not agree with government policies was undemocratic at best.  How could anybody exterminate people who did not agree with what the government was doing to its people?  It was not only heartless but downright murder.  He was convinced that he had to find a way of exposing the corrupt practices that he witnessed, and hopefully the pressure would be off those who were trying to change the status quo.

As he was deep in thought, the phone rang.

“Hello Diego, this is your friend Gustav.

“Hello Guz,” replied Diego. “I am so happy that you called.  I have been in a depressive mood for the past week.   Your voice is a breath of fresh air,” continued Diego.

“You have a fine job my friend…..making a whole lot of money.  What would someone like you be depressed about?” asked Gustav.

“I cannot talk to you on the phone my friend.  Can we meet at “La Taberna” at eleven-thirty today?”

“If you have the cash, I will be happy to join you.  If you don’t, I know a good outlet that sells good ‘Guaro de contrabando’ which is something I can afford, and gives you a better buzz than the best liquors in the world,” invited Gustav.

“No Guz, it is going to be my treat, so do we meet at eleven-thirty or not?”

“Your invitation is music to my ears my friend.  I will be there an hour early with great anticipation,” said Gustav.

There were only a few customers at “La Taberna” and Diego felt that he could talk to Gustav freely.  Gustav was happy to meet Diego.  Their friendship started in High School.  Gustav was a very enterprising student and Diego often envied him for his intelligence and for his good looks that seemed to attract girls without him wooing them.   Unfortunately, Gustav came from a poor family and so he did not have the where-with-all to advance his education in college.  There were also far too few job opportunities so Gustav had to accept any job that was offered to him.  Most of these jobs were temporary in nature and paid very poor salaries.  Minimum wages were not as yet established by law. According to Gustav, he was more often than not unemployed.  He hoped for better days but somehow things were getting worse. 

“What will you have to drink,” asked Diego.

“Will it be too extravagant of me to ask for a Scotch?” asked Gustav.

Diego called the waiter and ordered two double Scotches on the rocks.

“Now, my friend, what is this I hear you say about being in a state of depression?”

“It is a long story Guz, but I have to tell somebody about it to lighten the burden that seems to be weighing so heavily on my heart.”

Diego told Gustav the entire story and he wondered whether Guz had any advice for him.

“It is a well-known saying, and I’m sure that you know it well.  If you work for the government, you have to be culpably dishonest.  What you have just described to me is not at all surprising.  You are asking me for advice so I will give it to you.  If you want to be happy, you have to quit your job and lose all the monitory benefits that you are receiving in order ease your conscience.  You should look out for a job in the private sector and this is not going to be easy.  I can confirm to you that there is a movement afoot to overthrow the government.  Perhaps you and I should hook up with this movement so that we could give our country the kind of renewal that it has never seen before.  The movement is also in need of intellectuals who will inject some form of sanity into a movement that will require a sense of political direction,” advised Gustav.

“At present I am of two minds.  If I stay where I am, I can provide the movement with inside information that they may not be privy to.  If I quit now, I am sure that I will be watched closely by the police.  Inspector Santiago is no fool.  He will definitely associate my sudden departure with his request for names of what he considers to be dissidents.  He is sure to suspect that I am with them, and that will restrict the contribution that I could make if I stayed on,” said Diego.

“Then how are you going to get around giving him the list that he has demanded of you,” asked Gustav.

“I will have to come up with a cock-and-bull story to massage his ego,” replied Diego with a pensive expression on his face.

“There is another way Diego.  Why don’t we get in touch with the underground and have Santiago neutralized?  I know of quite a few desperate people who would only need to be given the word.  It will also be another way of getting rid of a despotic murderer who has done away with so many bread winners from the village in the past,” invited Gustav.

Diego asked the waiter to bring another two doubles.

After a long silence as though he was waiting for his drink but was actually deep in thought he declared, “I think that I am with you my friend.  How do I get into this movement?’

“Give me a phone number where you could be reached.  As soon as I leave you I will approach the leader of the group who is organising an armed insurrection against the government.  His name is Basilio Camilo.   I will arrange for you to meet him so that the Chief of Police will soon be history,” declared Gustav.

They drowned their drinks, hugged each other and parted.

CHAPTER 12

John remained awake until the early hours of the morning.  His concern was that Jose had not assigned to him any responsibilities making him feel that he was really not a part of the movement.  He wondered whether since he was from a foreign land and belonged to a very visible minority within the community, whether perhaps that was the reason for his seeming distrust of him.  Furthermore, he was also going through the pains of separation from his wife who made no effort to contact him, and that added to his loneliness and his frustration.   There were times when he thought seriously about selling all he had and returning to Canada.  Yet deep in his heart, he knew that he could play a role in seeking the freedom of the people, who he had come to love and respect.

He thought that he would have a tete a tete with Jose and determine just exactly what role he would play if any.

“My dear friend John, everybody in the group is going to be assigned a responsibility.  I was thinking that perhaps you should be handling the funds of the organization.  It is not going to be easy to raise funds in a society that is so cash strapped as ours is.  I am also very convinced that you are the right man for the job since you are independently well off, and there will be no temptation for you to abscond with the money.  You will also have to come up with ways to raise money and that in itself is going to be quite a challenge,” advised Jose.

“Thank you Jose.  For a moment there I thought that I was being phased out, but you have set my mind at ease. Sure, I will accept the responsibility of handling the cash.  As far as organizing fund raising activities, I am going to need at least two others from the group to put our heads together to have some kind of activities that will generate funds,” said John very much at ease.

“You can go right ahead and choose whoever you think will be creative enough to raise funds,” advised Jose. ”Furthermore, I am expecting some money from the Russians to help us pay for incidentals and that money will be kept by you,” said Jose.

“To cement my allegiance to the party, I am going to sell some of the land that I bought when I got here, and that money will be transferred into the account as a part of my contribution,” said John.

“You are a generous man.  I am sure that the country could have been a much better place if everybody was like you,” complimented Jose.

“Well, I guess that I had better be going.  There is a whole lot of work to be attended to,” said John.

They shook hands warmly and went their separate ways.

When John got home, he felt a sense of relief that he had now become very much a part of the group.  He admonished himself for thinking that the group had abandoned him.  He was also deep in thought about including a couple of members from the group to assist him in raising funds particularly since he was aware that he would be confronted with donner fatigue largely due to the many pleas for donations from mainly Church groups who used the money to ease the suffering of the very poor in the community.

Amaranto Bajardo and Carlito Dimas were well known to him.  However, he did not know whether they would join the underground.  Both these men were creative and popular within the community.  They would be persuasive when it came to generating funds, but he first had to bring them aboard before recruiting their help.  Both these gentlemen had little makeshift stalls in the market.  Amaranto sold freshly slaughtered goat meat and Carlito sold fruit and vegetables.  In addition he sold lottery tickets which were the biggest sellers in this impoverished community.  Both Amaranto and Carlito were single.  They would very much have liked to be married and raise children but their income from their businesses just about kept their heads above water.

John made his way to the market when he knew that they would not be busy.   Siesta was taken quite seriously by the locals and John thought that it would be the best time to engage them individually.

“Hello my friend Amaranto.  How are you?” asked John.

“It is always a pleasure to see you.  What have you been doing with your life?  How is your wife?  Is she back from the old country?” asked Amaranto.

“I am well my dear friend.  I have been quite busy recently.  I would like to see more of you. This may be short notice, but is it possible for you to visit me tomorrow at 7 p.m. at my house?  We can have a few drinks followed by dinner?” invited John.

“What’s the occasion?  Is it your birthday?”

“Not at all.  Why can’t two friends meet each other on a social level without having to celebrate something or other?”

“I will be there at seven p.m. and thanks for your invitation,” said Amaranto.

John then moved further down the road where Carlito had set up his stall.

“My friend Carlito, how are you?” asked John.

“It is always a pleasure to see you John.  What brings you to the market?  Interested in some great, fresh vegetables and fruit?”

“Sure, why not!” said John. 

After John had picked up the choicest fruit and some vegetables he looked Carlito in the eyes and said,

“I have not spoken to you for such a long time.  Why don’t you come over to my house at seven p.m. the day after tomorrow? We can have a few drinks and have a chat,” asked John.

“You are always very generous my friend.  I would love to have a few drinks with you,” exclaimed Carlito.

“Now don’t forget, the day after tomorrow, Wednesday to be exact at seven p.m.”

“I will be there!”

CHAPTER 13

A couple of weeks later, Jose Martinez was met at the market by someone he did not know.  The man, who did not give his name, bumped into him and whispered to him that his boss Ivan Petrov would like to meet him at the “Tipsy Cow Bar” at eight that evening.  This arrangement was being made for his own safety. Before Jose could ask him a question, the man walked away and disappeared in the crowd.

If anything, Jose began to become conscious that secrecy was important since government spies were posted all over the country. He was abundantly aware of the brutality that could befall anybody if the government felt that there was anything anti-government that was going on.

That evening, Jose entered the “Tipsy Cow Bar” hoping that Ivan Petrov was already there.  Jose had arrived at the bar twenty minutes early, so he took a seat at a table at the far end of the large sitting area.   At eight p.m. sharp, Petrov entered the bar.  He walked straight to where Jose was sitting, as though somebody had already tipped him off as to where he was.

“Thank you for coming.  I have some good news for you,” announced Petrov sounding very official.

“Good news is always appreciated,” replied Jose.

Petrov pulled out a large brown envelope from his bag and handed it over to Jose.

“You will find ten thousand dollars in this envelope.  The Russian government is aware that your group is going to need money for a variety of incidentals and this money should help ease the way.  I need hardly emphasize that the money should be kept by someone who is very trustworthy.  This money should only be used for activities hinging on the movement,” warned Petrov.

“Please thank the Russian government for its assistance.  Also be assured that this money will be held by a gentleman from Canada who is independently rich, and is sworn to help the cause with much of his own money,” said Jose. 

“The Russian government knows of Mr. John Harding and we have him in our files,” said Petrov.

“The second topic that I need to discuss with you is your training.  We are going to fly leaders of different cells right across Nicaragua to Russia for a week of intensive training.  You will be flown from Nicaragua to Cuba in a private plane.  From Cuba you will be flown directly to Moscow.  I suggest that you had better get ready for the flight since you will be given only a few hours’ notice before one of our drivers will pick you up and drive you to a destination which, for security reasons, will not be divulged to you right now.  You must find some plausible reason for leaving, so that the family does not get anxious about a week’s absence from home.  A good excuse is to say that you are going to visit some relative on the other side of Nicaragua. There is no need for you to bring a change of clothes or any toiletry.  All this will be provided.  You must travel as light as possible,” said Petrov standing up and extending his hand to Jose.  They shook hands and parted company.

Jose never had so much money in his hand.  He felt very insecure carrying it.  He slipped the envelope in his shirt and hoped that nobody had noticed him.  He made directly for John’s house and without telling him the source of the money, asked him to place the money in a bank account under his name.  John did not ask any questions but just like a good accountant, he opened the envelope and counted the money with Jose looking on.  It counted correctly and John assured Jose that the money would be banked first thing in the morning.

When Jose left, John decided to hide the money where it would not be found easily.  He walked out to the back yard and in the cover of darkness, he inched his way towards a discarded drain and stuffed the envelope containing the money into it as far as his hands could travel.  He then took a bunch of rocks and stuffed them in.  Satisfied that the money was safe where it was, he had a drink to calm his nerves and then decided that it was time to go to bed.

In the early hours of the morning, he could not help feeling that there was a presence in his room.  He was wide awake.  It took him some time to get used to the darkness.  He dared not switch on the lights.  His ears were eager to catch any sound so that he could focus on the area from which it came.  Before he knew it, however, the lights suddenly came on.  John sat up in bed.  Right in front of him was a man dressed in black.  He kept his face covered. 

“Where is the money,” asked the voice with a level of threat to it.

“Money?  What money?” asked John?

In a flash, a ten inch knife blade appeared in the intruder’s hand.

“I have money Sir, but it is all in the bank.  I will be very happy to give you some if you need it that badly,” said John.

“Don’t give me that you lump of shit.  Where do you keep your money?  Tell me, or I will cut you into small pieces,” said the voice in a menacing tone.

John got up from the bed holding on to the blanket just in case the intruder attacked him. 

Much to his surprise and good luck, a car was heard driving into his driveway and flashing its high beams.  The intruder could hear footsteps approaching the entrance to the house.  He suddenly made for the window through which he had entered the house and before John knew it there was a knock on his door. John breathed a sigh of relief.   It was Jose.  John opened the door but rather than welcoming him in, he shouted that there was a thief who was about to kill him.  Jose ordered his driver to scout around the house but there was no sign of anybody. 

“Are you sure you have not been drinking and have been imagining things?” asked Jose.

Jose assured him that there was a thief.

In any event, Jose explained to John that he was on his way to Russia for training and that he was the only one to know about this.  He would be back in a week, but during this time he suggested that he invites one or even two of the group to stay with him so that he would be safe.  Before Jose left, John hurried to the backyard and was heartened that the money that he had stuffed up the drain was still there.  He took it in with him knowing full well that the thief would not have the guts to venture into his house again.

Jose got into the car and drove away without saying goodbye.

It was only after Jose left that John came to a full realization of how close he came to death or, if he was lucky, he would be left seriously hurt.  He noticed that he had broken into a cold sweat and found himself shaking as though he had a bout of malaria.

CHAPTER 14

Diego waited anxiously for a call from Gustav.  Before long he knew that the Chief of Police Sebastian Santiago would be in touch with him seeking the list of dissidents that Diego was ordered to bring to him.  If he told Santiago that he did not have the list ready, he knew that he would be in for a serious reprimand or even out of a job.   To his good luck, Gustav called him while he was still deep in thought.  The first ring of the phone caused him to be in a state of shock.  He finally plucked up the courage to answer the phone and was richly relieved that it was Gustav and not Santiago. 

“Please meet me at the “Zanzi -bar” at 8 p.m.  It has all been arranged,” declared Gustav.

“Thanks Guz.  I will be there at exactly 8. Bye,” said Diego. 

This was a pivotal moment in Diego’s life.  He was off to meet the gang that Gustav spoke to Diego about.

In order to maintain the integrity of the gang, the meeting was to be held deep in the woods.  It was a dark night but Gustav appeared to know the way.  Finally they reached the spot where he met at least fifteen gang members.  The leader of the gang approached Diego and placed his palm on his shoulder.

“I believe that you want us to solve one of your problems,” he stated.  “You have come to the right place,” he continued.

“Santiago is no friend of ours.  In fact he is no friend of Nicaragua. Gustav has told me that you would like to join our cell.  We are freedom fighters and it is our hope to unseat this government at the earliest possible time.   If you are certain about joining, you have to swear your loyalty to the group,” said the Leader who did not give out his name.

“Yes Sir.  I swear my loyalty to the group and to Nicaragua,” said Diego.

“My name is Basilio Camilo.  Welcome to the group.  One of the things that we insist on is secrecy.  Whatever you learn when you attend our meetings is to be held in utter secrecy.  We are like brothers and will protect each other even if it is going to cost us our lives.”

“I understand Basilio,” said Diego shaking Basilio’s hands.

“Gustav,” shouted Basilio, “take Diego and introduce him to the rest of the gang.

After introductions were made, Basilio addressed the group.

“Brothers, we have now come to the purpose of this meeting.  We have known the Chief of Police for some time now.  We know him to be a twisted and corrupt murderer who has brutalized and killed several of our brothers.  We now have added proof from brother Diego that he is still at it.  He is an impediment to our movement.  He needs to be neutralized.  By show of hands, let us decide that he has to go,” said Basilio.  All hands went up.

“Benjamin and Julio you will have to come up with a plan to get rid of this animal,” said Basilio. “Remember that the plan should be so perfect that it would not give any of the police force any reason to accuse you or any of us,” declared Basilio. “This plan should be ready by tomorrow since Diego’s life is perilously in danger,” Continued Basilio.

The two men left promptly in order to devise a plan.  Unfortunately, neither of them nor the group possessed any guns and this posed a disadvantage.  The Chief of Police had to be killed at close quarters.  Benjamin owned a Bollock Dagger and Julio carried a Trench Knife.  Both these weapons were lethal if used strategically.  Benjamin and Julio were convinced that they had to study the habits of the Police Chief.  Their best bet was to engage him when he was in a crowd.   Unfortunately, most crowds gathered when it was celebrating a Catholic feast especially when paying tribute to the Virgin Mary.  They considered that murder was heinous act and participating in it on a Christian feast was unforgivable. They therefore had to do it when the opportunity presented itself perhaps when the Chief of Police was visiting the market.  However, they discovered that they were running ahead of themselves and decided that keeping an eye on the Chief was the first thing that they had to do.

Benjamin agreed to watch his movements during the week and Julio was to observe him on the weekend.  It was not an easy task, but after a week they were able to determine that it was not going to be easy to engage the Chief since he spent long hours at his desk at work, and drove straight home around ten p.m.  His house was guarded by an armed policeman so entry into the house, was very risky at best.  Santiago rarely went out on the weekend, and that added to their concern about how and where to engage him. Chief Santiago did, however, have a girlfriend.  She was a matronly looking woman with hard features and a strong body.  She lived out in the country, and rumour had it that the Chief would sometimes spend a night with her.  It was difficult to determine when he would next visit her.  Basilio and Julio took turns watching the girlfriend’s house.  Through their good luck, the Chief drove up to the house around ten p.m.  They lay low in the bush closest to the entry.  As soon as Santiago got out of the car, they rushed him and dropped him to the ground.  Julio thrust his knife into his throat and slit it.  Gurgling sounds began to be heard while blood spurted out unceasingly.  Benjamin gripped his arm and dragged him into the bush.   Julio made to stab him in the chest, but Benjamin stopped him.  Santiago’s heart had stopped beating. 

Benjamin and Julio made the sign of the cross, and promptly disappeared into the night.

The following morning all the major newspapers carried the dramatic news about Santiago’s murder.  Most of the villagers thought that it was an occasion for celebration.  The Police had issued a warning that the murderer would soon be apprehended and would be hanged for that dastardly deed.  The warning was ignored.

CHAPTER 15

John waited impatiently for Amaranto Bajardo’s arrival at the house.  At seven p.m. sharp there was a knock at the door. John opened the door and warmly welcomed his friend.  Amaranto declared how pleased he was to be invited and hoped that they would have a pleasant evening together.

John brought out the drinks, but said very little to his friend about the underground movement.  He knew that after a few drinks, Amaranto would lose his inhibitions and John could then broach the issue in an effort to canvas him to the cause. They spoke about their families and spouses and out of a matter of interest, Amaranto was curious why John’s wife was away for such a long time.  As an excuse, John explained to his friend that his wife had to return to Canada to attend to a business that she was running over there.  He knew that this was an outright lie, but he hoped that the explanation would stop Amaranto from asking any further questions. It did.

When the two them were reasonably sauced, John thought that it was time to dabble into politics.

“I have often wondered why a man of your intelligence, creativity and ambition would continue to live here.  I have observed, and in talking with a lot of people, there is nothing here for anybody to reach for the top, when there are no jobs here.  All you see is biting poverty,” baited John.

“Isn’t that a shame?  It would seem that the government is doing nothing to help raise the standard of life.  Rumour has it that most of the taxes that we pay, goes into private accounts in Swiss banks instead of being spent on improving the economy so that people could find work,” said Amaranto almost apologetically

“In many developing countries, people have stopped the bleeding of government fund from their countries, by going to the polls and changing the government.  Why is that not happening here?” asked John pretending ignorance.

“It is because our people seem to be used to the punishment that they are receiving.  Nobody is prepared to bell the cat for fear of retributions by the government that has all the power,” said Amaranto in disgust.

“What if I told you that there is a movement under way to get rid of this repressive government?” asked John.

“I would probably have to say that there will be many heads dropping, but there is no doubt in my mind that an armed insurrection would be the only way to rid ourselves of this government.  Please do not tell anybody that I said this. If you do I will deny that I ever said it,” warned Amaranto.

“Nobody will ever know from me how you feel about the Government.  The point is that I feel exactly as you do about it.  Please keep this a secret too.  I want you to know that I am a member of the underground.  If you feel as strongly about getting rid of the government, why don’t you join us?  Your talents are very important to us and will be used to free the motherland,” said John.

There was silence for a few seconds while Amaranto was thinking over what he had just been told.

“You are a foreigner to this land, my friend John.  I am almost ashamed of myself that as a foreigner, you are prepared to lay down your life for our people, and I sit here trembling at the thought of joining the underground,” said Amaranto.

“I don’t fault you for how you feel my dear Amaranto.  But let me tell you that I need you very badly to help the cause.  As you know everything costs money.  Unfortunately, even to gain one’s freedom money is badly needed.  I belong to a cell here and I have been appointed to raise funds for the cause.  As a foreigner here, though I do not consider myself one anymore, I would like to use your creativity and expertise to raise as much money in the shortest possible time.  The easiest way would have been to rob a bank, but we are trying to keep things as honest as possible,” encouraged John.

“I need to think about this and perhaps discuss it with my wife,” said Amaranto.

“No! No! No!”  put in John.  “Ours is a secret movement and everything that is done has to be kept a guarded secret.  We have dozens of freedom fighters who have pledged their allegiance to the cell. They have vowed their secrecy even with their wives and children.  It is only under these conditions can you become a part of the group,” reprimanded John.

“I will have to leave right now.  It is already quite late.  I’m afraid that the drinks have gone up to my head.  Thank you very much for a very revealing evening.  Please leave this offer on the table.  I am going to have to think seriously about your invitation to join the group.  There are so many things to consider.  As soon as I have made my decision, I will let you know,” offered Amaranto.

“Goodnight my friend.  I respect you for who you are.  I also respect you for giving the proposition serious thought.  All I ask you to pledge to me is that our conversation tonight will never be divulged to anybody for security reasons.  I look forward anxiously for your decision,” said John.

“Thank you John. I also respect you for what you are doing for us.  Our country is going rapidly downhill.  Give me some time to think about my role in all of this.  I will not keep you waiting long. Goodnight my amigo.”

The following day John was to meet with Carlito.  He thoughtfully reviewed his interaction with Amaranto and wondered whether his approach to Carlito needed a change so that he could bring him on side without any hesitation or reservations.  A direct approach would perhaps be unproductive and would perhaps scare Carlito away.  He was aware, however, that much depended on Carlito’s disposition and his attitude towards the hopelessness that he witnessed all around him. 

“I’m so happy to meet with you Carlito.  I am glad that you were able to come over,” said John.

“Thank you my friend.  You are a good man…..so different from the other white folk around here,” said Carlito.

“Thank you again,” said John.  “You know that I love the people here and have been trying very hard to become a part of the community.  I know that I have gained acceptance among some, but there are others who are genuinely hostile toward me,” continued John.

“In any country, you have all kinds.  I guess the ones that do not like you are those who are jealous that you have more than they do.  This is a human frailty and there is not much that one can do about it,” said Carlito.

“I really think that something can be done about it.  Unfortunately, the present government is totally inept and is only fattening its own pockets rather than building an economic structure that will create jobs to improve the lot of the people,” said John.

“I wish that the people would organize themselves to rid itself of this corrupt government,” said Carlito.

“Actually they are,” said John.  “And they are looking to enlarge their organization to gain in strength,” continued John.

“I have been hearing all kinds of rumours that this is happening but nobody has ever approached me to enlist me,” said Carlito.

“If you are dead serious and committed to unseating the government, I could introduce you to the group that is working hard towards that end,” said John.

“Great! “ said Carlito.  “Does that mean that you are also a member of this group,” asked Carlito?

Both of them paused and took a long sip at their drinks.

“I honour you for your empathy towards our suffering brothers my dear Carlito.  The freedom fighters, as we prefer to call ourselves, are seeking to restore the dignity of the people.  As a member, I am asking that you join me in raising funds for the organization. I know you to be a creative and aggressive person and I am going to need your assistance.  I will also arrange for you to be sworn in by our leader who is presently away on training.  As soon as he gets back I will contact you,” encouraged John.

They drank well into the night and since both Carlito and John were inebriated to the point that they could not even stand up, they both fell asleep in their respective comfortable leather covered chairs and woke up late in the morning.

CHAPTER 16

The death of Chief Sebastian Santiago was taken seriously by the Police Department.  As with most police forces, there existed a brotherhood which dictated that if one of their own was murdered, the other members of the police force would double their efforts to find the culprit and bring him or her to justice.  More often than not, the Police dispensed justice on their own by killing the suspect. 

The first duty of the government was to find a replacement for Chief Santiago.  This was done as expeditiously as possible.  The replacement was Chief Agapito Alfredo.  Chief Alfredo was a brutal individual and reputed to be even more devious than his predecessor Chief Santiago.

In public he presented an image of an understanding and benevolent father, but his Jekyll and Hyde personality was well known and the community was alerted to avoid him as much as possible.  Chief Alfredo called a meeting of all the Inspectors that served under him.  He made it clear that each of them had to be vigilant about a wave of suspected terrorists who intended to unseat the government.  They were to introduce a number of spies into the community in order to identify the culprits.  Arrests were to be made on the slightest suspicion of anybody attempting to break the law. 

In a very short time, the entire east side of Nicaragua was placed in a state of alert with spies dressed as labourers, salesmen, and vendors, who intermingled with the locals in the bars and restaurants and even Church groups.  Several arrests were made by the police who were tipped off by these spies.  The entire community lived in fear, and the market place, which was once bustling with sounds of people and animals, soon became quiet and subdued.

It soon became obvious that spies were at work, and the growing resistance group made it their task to spot these spies and exterminate them.  Within a month, at least ten spies were identified and all ten of them were neutralized.  The Police then poured their forces into the villages and used any excuse (even made-up ones) to brutalize the inhabitants.  Even young children were not spared the wrath of the police force.

The underground had now grown to a regular army.  This was not surprising since with all the repression against the people, the common man was looking out for a way to fight back.  At least thirty of the freedom fighters had been trained in Russia.  These men were given their own cell of manageable numbers.  Regular meetings were held in secret and training in the use of firearms (scanty as the weapons were) in remote areas were undertaken.  The frequency of these meetings increased as the day of reckoning drew closer.    A large number of newly signed up fighters received their army training in Cuba.   Now that the freedom fighters had become an organized group, they were ready to hit back.  Their weapon of choice were knives.  Their training in the use of these lethal weapons was thorough.  Weapons, such as guns and ammunition were smuggled in from Cuba at regular intervals and distributed to the freedom fighters all over the country.

At regular intervals, the police were attacked in different parts of the village and it was not unusual that several policemen were killed, usually at night.  Their guns were then harvested and kept in safe hiding places.

A reign of terror developed and no government politician was safe anymore. 

It reached a stage that the police officers were afraid to monitor what was going on in the villages since they feared for their lives.

CHAPTER 17

There was an exodus of foreign visitors and  settlers from Nicaragua.  The Americans were the first to leave since the Nicaraguans felt deeply that they were not to be trusted.  They were suspected of complicity with the existing government run of Anastasio Somoza so that they could establish a presence closer to Cuba and other unfriendly countries around Nicaragua, who the Americans considered hostile to America.

The Nicaraguan army was put on high alert.  However, little did the government know, that many in the army itself privately ceased to be loyal to the government, and if push came to shove, the army in all likelihood, would switch their allegiance to the freedom fighters.

Of course, those in the army who had divided loyalties remained very quiet about it.  The army dissenters, however, were kept abreast of the preparations that were being put in place for the final assault on the government in power.  After all, they belonged to the communities all over Nicaragua and were therefore made aware of what was in store fr the government.

John discovered that it was an onerous task trying to raise funds from a community that was on the subsistence level.  He reported the matter to Jose Martinez, the cell leader, who was more than willing to concede that John’s time should be put to a more productive and purposeful use.  Jose was also aware that the entire movement was now being financed by the Russians.  Even the military hardware was steadily being smuggled into the country by way of Cuba and distributed to various cells within the country. Private tutorials in the use of these weapons were given to cell members in preparation for the final assault.

 Since John was answerable to nobody and lived alone, Jose cast him in the role of “messenger”.  His task was to convey to other cells, through word of mouth, any important decisions regarding strategy.  What was once the underground movement was now called the “Sandinistas” and was headed by Danial Ortega.   The telephone service was now being seriously monitored by the government and this rendered it totally unsafe as a communicative device.  This placed a serious sense of responsibility on John’s shoulders.  The State Police was not to be caught napping either.  They had already compiled a generous list of villagers who they suspected to be involved in what they considered treasonable acts against the government.  John was somewhere on that list and was warned to be on the alert at all times.

What complicated John’s life, however, was the sudden, unannounced arrival of his wife.  Alison had enough time to think about her role as a wife when she returned to Canada.  She had pangs of conscience that since she had taken the marriage oath of “for better and for worse”, her loyalty and place was to be beside her husband.  She also hoped that she would be able to convince John to return to Canada since things were getting very tense in Nicaragua.  She hoped to be persuasive enough and compromise with him that after things returned to some semblance of normality, they could then return to the country.

John was of two minds when he came home after one of his assigned trips.  He was happy to see her, however, he was so involved in the political movement that her presence would seem an impediment to his contribution to the effort.  Furthermore, since the revolution was inevitable, he thought that that Alison’s life was in jeopardy because of his involvement in the revolution.  He thought that it was only fair for him to put his cards on the table.

“I am happy that you came back my dear.  I really thought that I had lost you forever,” commenced John.

“Honey, I am sorry I left you.  I did it because it was my hope that you would have time to think about our lives together.  I recognize that you are a good man.  I know how giving you are, but this is not our country and I was in perpetual worry about what our fate would be if you got involved in the politics of this country,” said Alison.

“After you left Alison, I had little to live for.  I rarely heard from you so I thought that it was curtains in our relationship.  I am now deeper into the politics of this land because I had nothing else to live for,” replied John.

“I’m sorry about abandoning you John, but I had become really worried about your involvement in this dangerous game of politics.  Furthermore, your safety was my main concern and so was mine.  Perhaps I was being selfish but then there was no way that I could convince you that as a foreigner, you would eventually get caught and then find yourself languishing in prison,” said Alison.

“Things are getting dangerously serious right now.  My suggestion is that you take the first plane out of here and await word from me that you return,” said John.

“No John.  I am going to stay with you for better or for worse.  My place is besides you,” insisted Alison.

“A word of warning.  I am rarely going to be at home.  You are going to have to fend for yourself.  I am bound to secrecy about my whereabouts and in any case, it is best that you did not know where I will be, just in case you are questioned by the police,” said John.

Alison made no response. 

CHAPTER 18

The Revolution started.  All over the country, the police stations were the first to be targeted.  Once taken, the arms storage was forced open so that the guns and ammunition were promptly absconded by the invading forces.

Members of the government were rounded up at gun-point and taken into custody by the Sandinistas.

There was chaos in the streets.  Villages, loyal to the Sandinistas, ran through the streets with machetes and anything that might serve as a weapon for their personal protection.  Many villagers broke into stores and left them bare after they left.  Poverty can sometimes raise the appetite of people for revenge and it was not uncommon to use this period of anarchy to get even with people against whom they carried a grudge.  There was a lot of blood spilt on the roads of Nicaragua.

And where was the army at this time?  More than half the army deserted and joined the Sandinistas.   Those soldiers loyal to the government declared war against those who deserted.  It was the army fighting the army.

In a short time, victory was declared by the Sandinistas, and Daniel Ortega was installed as the President of Nicaragua.

When John returned to his house, there was nothing left of it.  It was burned to the ground.  Alison was nowhere to be seen.  He feared that the worst must have happened to her.  He felt pangs of conscience that he might have been responsible for her death.  While he stood staring at the building, telling himself that he should return to Canada now that the people were in the hands of a caring leader, he heard a voice behind him.

“Senior, I am sorry to see your beautiful house in such shambles.  This was not done by the government or the army.  It was the people from the village who torched the house.  When I saw them coming, I quickly knocked on the door to determine whether there was anybody home. There was no answer, so I thought that perhaps everybody had gone into hiding.  As I was about to leave, however, I heard the voice of a woman asking who I was.  I promptly told her that she had better come with me since the villagers were going around burning all the houses that belonged to foreigners.  She promptly got her things, and I took her over to my house where she could be safe.  My wife was very happy to help her too.”

“So she is alive???!!”

“Yes, senior.  You come with me.”

Alison was overjoyed to see John approach the house.  She ran into his arms and told him how worried she was about his safety.

“My job is done here, my dearest.”

“Let’s go home.”

INSIGHTFUL REVOLUTION

By:  Ives (George) Pereira

CHAPTER 1

John and Alison Harding were married.  Both of them had barely reached the age of twenty.  Neither of them had jobs that paid well enough for them to live comfortably, still less could they think of ever affording a house.  In fact there were times that after they paid their bills, there was not enough left over to buy some of the most basic foods that were necessary to stay alive.  They spent many days and nights wondering what their fate would be, and often fantasized about what they would do if by some stroke of luck they became wealthy.  Alison declared that the first thing that she would buy is a house.  John whispered that he would be happy to live a life free from the nagging thought of where the next meal would come from.  Somehow, they both felt more miserable when they came down to reality about their present circumstance.  Yet John was able to encourage Alison and to assure her that every cloud had a silver lining and that, if anything, their lives of poverty would only serve to make them strong. 

Before long, however, John and Alison became proud parents of a healthy boy who they loved with all their hearts.  John had a nagging fear, however, that in their economic situation bordering on penury, there would not be much of a future for their son Alfred.  John often spoke to Alison about moving to Toronto where jobs were available and where he could perhaps work two jobs or more in order to make a good living.  John got in touch with a friend in Toronto with the hope that he would assist him in making the transition.  But his friend Jim informed him that the job situation was very uncertain and precarious in Toronto and that John would do well to hold on to his job until things improved.

Fortunately, Alison and John had good and generous neighbours.  They were aware that John and Alison were facing hard times.  They often helped Alison by buying extra groceries for them whenever they were out shopping.  This act of generosity was much appreciated by John although he felt badly because he was not able to keep the family going on his own.  Accepting charity was demeaning to him as with most of his species, but he understood that he was in a tight and uncompromising situation and that the demonstrated charity of his neighbours had to be accepted.  John often reflected on those who were less fortunate than he was, and vowed that if he ever won a lottery, that he would share his fortune with all the poor people around him.  But then he was once again speculating and he had to face reality all over again. 

His neighbour Peter, though on a subsistence level of life himself, was also on the lookout for a job that would improve his family’s standard of living.  Going through the newspaper, he saw that there were jobs being advertised by an oil company way up in the frozen north.  When John came back from work, Peter engaged him before he entered his house.  He explained to John that he was going to apply for one of those jobs since no experience was required, and that new recruits were going to be trained.  The salary was twice the minimum wage in the city and in addition there was a bonus added to the monthly salary because of the isolation.  Recruits would be allowed a two week paid vacation each year. Salary increases were assured every year, and after training was completed workers were assured a substantial increase in their salaries. Working overtime was frequent in order to meet the demand for oil, and it was not uncommon that most workers doubled their monthly wages by working extra hours each day.  A further boost to their salaries was if they worked Sundays which was a time and a half.

“What do you think John?  ” asked Peter. 

“I guess that I would like to go for it, but who will take care of our families?” asked John.

“I know that separation from our families for such a long stretch is going to be difficult for all concerned.  But John our wives are strong and I’m sure they will watch over each other while we are away. Remember also that our wives are strong and will understand that if we are to extricate ourselves from biting our nails day after day, they will probably encourage us to embark on this project.  After all, if we do well, they will be better off for it,” said Peter.

“Thank you, Peter for sharing this information with me.  You and your wife have been good to us and we are most grateful to you,” said John.

“Please do not say any more.  Speak to Alison about our plans and remember that there are many like us in this Province who are hurting and will be applying for these jobs too.  We must get our applications in as quickly as possible,” said Peter.

Alison, being the strong and pragmatic woman that she was, surprised John when she not only asked him to apply for the job, but also encouraged him to do so.  She assured him that she would look after Alfred and that everything would be fine on the home front.  She had tears in her eyes when she told John that she was going to miss him while he was away, and that she hoped he would take care of himself.  John always admired the strength of his wife’s character, and knew that he was going to miss her immensely when he was gone.

Both John and Peter mailed their applications the following morning.  They had no idea how long they were going to be kept waiting for a response.  Much to their surprise, a letter was sent to them a couple of days later, requesting that they report to work within a week.  A bank draft was enclosed for their passages by plane to the oil outfit.  John and Peter promptly booked their air passages and spent what time that they had with their respective families.  John spent most of his time with Alfred who was still a little baby.  He wondered whether Alfred knew that he was his father.  In six months’ time, when he was due for his holiday Alfred would be walking.  He felt saddened that he would not be around to see his son painstakingly trying to stand and take his first steps.  While they were in bed, Alison sobbed silently for she was aware that John would not be in bed to keep her warm.  She knew that it was going to be a lonely existence for both of them, but she felt relieved that Alfred was there to take her mind off her loneliness.

CHAPTER 2

John and Peter arrived at the oil field within a couple of hours.  The location was within the Arctic Circle and was covered with permanent ice and snow.  It was also dreadfully cold.  As soon as they arrived both John and Peter were assigned to different work crews.  Each of them had to work closely with an expert in the field.  They were given their contracts to sign and were cautioned that if they were not up to the job that they were being assigned to, that they would be asked to leave and return home.  They were also cautioned that work in the oil field was full of hazards and that they would have to be very careful when operating the machines.

Since they were on the job for the first time, they were asked to quit their training for the day and directed to follow the supervisor.  They were led to their living quarters which was like a Boarding School dorm.  They were led to the far end of the dorm where each of them was shown a bed.  Besides each bed was a small cupboard into which they could place their valuables.  When the supervisor used the word “valuables” both John and Peter looked at each other and frowned.

Both John and Peter were happy to be able to exchange news about their families and though this information may have set them at ease, it heightened their desire to get home as soon as possible.  After six months, both of them were excited about going home.  When they met their spouses, it seemed as though they were in seventh heaven.  John was surprised to see his son so grown up.  Alfred clung on to his mother’s legs when John asked him tenderly to come to him.  John’s heart was saddened that his son really did not know him.  He knew, however, that given a little time his son would come to realize that dad was not just another man.  He was his dad.

Two weeks did not seem a long enough holiday.  Before John and Peter knew it, they were preparing to return to work.  Alison made sure that she prepared for John all the goodies that he liked so that he could take them with him when he returned to the oil fields.  It was again a heart breaking departure for John.  However, he assured Alison that he was now making it big and that she never had to worry about buying anything that she wanted.  John opened a special account at the bank for Alison and deposited a few thousand dollars for her to use while he was away.

This going back and forth did not seem so bad with the passage of time.  After ten years, John had accumulated close to two million dollars in savings.  He soon decided that it was time for him to retire so that he could be permanently with his family.  Because of the isolation from his family, he acquired bad habits such as the consumption of alcohol.  He also smoked a lot and this did not do him any good.

He was now able to buy himself a Victorian Style four bedroom house and he paid cash for it too.

Having lived in the cold North for so long, he explained to his wife that it was time to enjoy their lives by moving to a warm country.  Alison thought that it was a great idea but she was cautiously optimistic.

He went to a travel agent for information regarding a good vacation destination in the tropics.  There was a special that was being offered for a week’s all-inclusive stay in Nicaragua.   He jumped at the idea of going to a warm country. Alison, on the other hand, was sceptical about leaving for a foreign country.  She was full of apprehensions, many of which were drawn from her imagination, but was not based in reality. However, she soon adopted the attitude that “nothing venture, nothing gained.”

John and Alison stayed in a five-star hotel.  They loved the extravagance that they were encouraged to enjoy.  Above all, they bathed in the warmth of the country and felt renewed by walking about without their heavy coats and boots. 

John knew that he had found his nirvana and vowed to return to Nicaragua to plant his roots there.

What attracted him most were the people out in the hinterland who were living subsistence existences but who never failed to smile even at a stranger like himself.   He also noticed that the locals lived a wonderful communal life and propped each other up with the little that they had.

 John soon realized that the cost of living was very low and that he could stretch his savings and the interest gained to live a stress free life.  He also thought that he would use some of his money to invest in property which was one-third the price in Alberta. 

When he and Alison got back to Nicaragua, they rented a modest house out in the countryside.  Alison felt a little insecure locating too far away from the city.  Even if they had motorized transportation, the roads were in a state of disarray.  No sooner had the potholes been attended to, heavy rains would soon undo all the work that was done.  It was a hazardous proposition for any car to withstand the dangers on the roads. 

John threw himself into befriending the local villagers.  To demonstrate his friendship, he often invited local families to his house.  He wined and dined them with the kind of generosity that the locals admired.  In a very short time the entire village came to know him.  Those that were closest to him were treated with special consideration.  He freely paid for medical treatment, and was known to take families on holidays to the closest beach.  Alison was not sure whether John was doing the right thing but she went along with him since helping the less fortunate appeared to make John very happy.  There were times when Alison would ask John to exercise restraint but somehow John did not hear her.

John made up his mind that he did not intend returning to Canada.  He therefore invested some of his money in buying large tracts of land and built himself a luxurious house that stood out like a sore thumb in the village that had makeshift houses that were badly in need of repairs.

He also built a couple of smaller houses which he hoped would attract tourists so that his investment could bring in some income, which, he thought he did not need anyway.

John continued to smoke and drink locally brewed liquor.  Alison began to notice that her husband was aging fast because of his lifestyle.  She often warned him about the need to exercise restraint but somehow it did not register with her husband.

John continued to entertain his many drinking friends.  Many of these friends lived unproductive lives and made no effort to support their wives and families.  The wives tried to apply themselves to any job that would help keep their families from virtually starving. 

There were several families in the village who began to envy John and Alison for their obvious wealth.  Had they approached John for a handout, John would have gladly given them enough money to save them from starvation.  However, the locals began to argue that this was their land and here was a foreigner who was living the life of luxury yet they were suffering so much.  This was just not fair.

John and Alison sensed that there were a few individuals who demonstrated open hostility towards them.  John made sure that these people were always on his list of invitees whenever he threw a party hoping that they would accept them as a part of the community.  Unlike most of the expatriates who lived in Nicaragua, John would do everything in his power to help those who requested his help.  Most expatriates lived in palatial houses and lived insular lives.  Their life style was more like the proverbial colonials who view the locals as sub-human individuals who were to be kept at arm’s length in order to ensure their own safety.

John was like a breath of sunlight and he went overboard by extending himself extravagantly and selflessly to the locals.  He created scholarships for a few of the talented local children, and those families who he considered close to him, he would wine and dine them sometimes for days.  Alison, on the other hand, was sceptical about John’s relationships and cautiously warned him that perhaps he should ease off on his frequent socializing which was beginning to take a toll on his health.  John was greying very fast and his frequent imbibing in alcohol showed on his tired face.    Alison, unfortunately, was treated like an interruption by John and he went on living the life that he thought he enjoyed.  John assured Alison that he had no intention of ever returning to Canada.  Alison, on the other hand, had made up her mind that if anything did happen to John, she would pack her bags and promptly return home.  She never articulated this to her husband for, like a loyal wife that she thought she should be, she did not want to take away from her husband’s infatuation with his adoptive country.

CHAPTER 3

John frequently visited the local market.  By now, everybody, for so it seemed, knew him and greeted him with much enthusiasm.  They generated a feeling in John that made him feel that he was a part of them.  They were quick to share their meals with him.  Where would he get this love and affection in Canada where people tended to be insular and private?   He became ever so convinced that he had found his niche and that he would spend the rest of his life with the people that he had now come to love unreservedly.

Alison continued to be his conscience and from time to time skillfully reminded him that age was catching up with both of them and before long they would need to be cared for in a good home.  John was quick to tell Alison that if anything happened to them they would easily be able to find help from the community and that it would be something that they could richly afford.  Alison was not thinking about the unskilled help which was obtainable locally.  She was thinking of spending her very senior years in a clinically clean home where medical help was available on the premises. She was thinking about the meals that would be prepared and served to them and the many recreations that would be made available to them on the premises.  Right now all of these were nothing more than a pipe dream.

The following day, John decided to spend a couple of days with friends close to the beach which was a few miles away.  Alison explained to John that she was not up to it and that it would be best if he went with his friends but without her.  Martin and his wife Juana accompanied John in a chicken bus all the way to the beach.  When they got there, it was early in the afternoon and the sun was scorching.  Much to his surprise, however, he ran into a number of people that he knew and they welcomed him into their midst.  John felt that the group that he met appeared to be quite tense and that was not in character with their normal behaviour.  He thought that perhaps he had intruded on their turf and so he graciously excused himself and moved away to another spot with Martin and Joana and their two children. 

“What is the matter with those guys?” asked John.

“Those people are very political. They always meet together but usually far away from the town,” said Martin.

“I noticed that they are not with their wives or children.  Perhaps their political discussions do not interest their families,” remarked John.

“I get the impression that they are planning an anti-government movement,” said Martin.

“I can see why they would want to do that.  Since I have been here I have not seen the government do anything to prevent the growing mass of people getting poorer and poorer with each passing day,” said John.

“They would like to hear that from you and I am sure that they would pat you on the back for such an observation,” said Martin.

“Perhaps I should go back to them and tell them exactly how I feel,” said John.

“I would not do that if I were you.  Getting into that group is a slow process.  They have to be convinced that you will be an asset to their movement before letting you in,” assured Martin.

“And how does one do that?” asked John.

“The leader of the group is Jose Martinez.  He is often seen talking with his friends at the Soaris Bar in the village.  Without making it obvious, you should visit this bar.  A free drink to those who are there will make you friends in a hurry.  Your conversation with the group should be about the inaction of the government with regard to raising the standard of life of the people.  Vocalized loud enough, Jose Martinez will certainly be drawn to you and if all goes well, he will invite you to the private meetings that you see here on the beach,” advised Martin.

“I am surprised that you are not into politics Martin. What you say makes perfect sense.  Soaris Bar, here I come,” concluded John.

“One word of warning my dear John.  The Martinez group is rumoured to be thinking of ousting the government through armed violence.  Your involvement in the group can bring you into serious trouble with the present government.  You must understand that whatever is happening in the villages is being closely monitored by government spies and information is being constantly examined.  Your name will certainly be recorded in their list of people to watch,” warned Martin.

“Thanks for the warning Martin, but those jokers do not scare me. I believe that one has to take a stand against tyranny of any kind but particularly ones that are imposed on the citizens of the land who are living in poverty,” said John.

“You are a foreigner in this country no matter how many friends you have here.  If the government is made aware that you are doing something politically underhanded, they will either throw you into prison and throw away the key; or they will deport you immediately and confiscate your property,” warned Martin.

“What will be, will be,” responded John.

CHAPTER 4

When John returned home, Alison was waiting for him.  Because of the lateness of the hour of his return, she was nervous that something untoward might have happened to him.  She had learned long ago not to question her husband about his whereabouts.  As soon as he made his entry, Alison informed him that his dinner had probably got cold but if he was hungry, she would warm up the food.

“No thanks Alison.  I stopped over at a village restaurant and had my dinner.  You should have come along with us to the beach.  It was a bright warm day.  You would have enjoyed it,” said John.

Alison told John that she was very tired.  She would have liked to tell him that it was more because of the stress that he created, but refrained from doing so in order to avoid a confrontation.  She excused herself and strode off to her bedroom.

John sat on the veranda puffing a cigar.  He recalled the events of the day but somehow focussed on the conversation that he had with Martin regarding the group that was planning a coup.  Though he had come from a more affluent society, he identified with the poor all around him.  He remembered the piercing pain of poverty in his own life and somehow he knew that he had to help the poor in his adoptive country in order to improve the lives of all concerned.  Somehow, it would seem, the government was doing very little to help the poor.  Rumour had it that most of the government officials were on the take and were syphoning their ill begotten money to banks in Switzerland.  This was enough reason for John to join the group that was seeking to overthrow the corrupt government.  However, Martin’s warnings were also to be taken seriously.  Furthermore, his wife would not approve of her husband getting involved in local politics and John was aware that he could not possibly keep it away from his wife.

John decided to turn in and to postpone any of his decisions to another day.

He woke up the following morning even more determined to join the group that was planning the coup.  Alison was aware that something was in the works.  Wives are generally sensitive to the moods of their husbands, and can read into their general disposition that something was in the works.

John felt that it was as good a time as any to let Alison know about his plans.

“A penny for your thoughts,” commented Alison.

John made no reply.

“I know that something is bothering you.  Perhaps you could share it with me.  Your mantra has always been that there is a solution to every problem if discussed in a rational way,” coaxed Alison.

“Well said Alison.  Perhaps I should put my plans on the table.  I know that you are not going to like what I am about to say, but it needs to be said.  We have been witness to the poverty that is so endemic in this village.  This poverty exists right around the country.  There is a group who feel that the government will not act simply because it is run by greedy, self-centred, avaricious, and corrupt politicians who are funnelling money to accounts in Switzerland instead of spending it on programs to enhance the living conditions of its people.  This seems to be typical of most developing countries around the world.   The difference is that the people are now thinking of getting rid of the present government,” pontificated John.

“Why don’t they do it during election time,” asked Alison.

“Most people are aware that the polls are often rigged in favour of the same politicians who are looting the government coffers,” said John.

“Perhaps a better way would be to make the people politically aware of what is happening in the country so that during election time they will cast their vote appropriately. Anyway, what has all this got to do with you my dear?” asked Alison.

“It is my intention to throw in my lot with the group that is planning a coup.  I have no idea whether the group will accept me.  I guess that they will have to do a whole lot of vetting to determine whether I will be up to the responsibilities that go with membership,” commented John.

“I have not said this to you before, but you obviously have a bone for a brain.  Don’t you understand that when you are caught…….notice, I’m saying “when” and not “if” you are caught…..you are going to be history.  You are playing with fire my dear husband!  I really think that we should pack our bags and return to Canada,” stressed Alison. 

“What do we have to look forward to in Canada?  Months of snow and ice that keeps us homebound; friends that are far too busy for you because they have their own lives to worry about; a cost of living that will gobble up our savings and will soon return us to the poverty that we once suffered?” said John.

“At least we will have our lives, and live a life free from the intrigues that will only add stress that neither you nor I need in our old age,” said Alison.

“I think that we should inject some purpose in our lives if we are to live productive and meaningful existences.  Helping the poor is a noble cause.  Some do it by establishing food banks which would be totally unnecessary if the government provided its people with jobs so that everybody could be self-sustaining.  In this country, this can only be done if the present government is kicked out and responsible people were put in its place to help put people to work and to invite investment from other countries to create jobs and establish appropriate training for its people,” said John.

“It seems obvious to me that you are going ahead with your plans.  I do not want to be around to pick up the pieces.  Please book me on the first plane home,” Alison insisted.

John kept silent.  He knew that life would not be the same without Alison, yet he felt a compulsion to hook up with his renegade friends as a matter of duty.

“I cannot promise you that I will not join my friends in their noble cause.  Life will not be the same without you here.  I would rather see you stand by me as you have done all these years.  However, I cannot stop you from doing what you think is best for you,” responded John.

“Please book my air ticket to Canada right away.  I have no idea how far gone you are in this crazy plan of yours.  I would rather not be around when bullets keep flying.  I have always stood by you over the years because you always struck me as a reasonable man.  But what you are embarking on right now is the height of stupidity.  This is not your fight.  Let the local people fight for their rights.  We are merely guests in this country and have no right to interfere in the internal affairs of the people who belong here,” reprimanded Alison. 

CHAPTER 5

John continued to make the rounds of the local bars.  He was outspoken about the ineptitude of the government in power but not once did he suggest that the government be overthrown.  He steadily became increasingly popular with the people and wherever he went he attracted crowds.  Part of the reason is that he splurged drinks on all those who joined his table.

Now John had more time to spend with the people.  Alison packed her bags in frustration, and flew home.  The only way he could compensate for the loss of his wife’s company was to spend as little time as possible in his large empty house. 

One dreary evening, however, there was a knock on John’s door.  John wondered who it might be since it was rare, since his wife had left him, that anybody came to visit.  When he opened the door, he was surprised to see Jose Martinez standing at the door.

“Come in my amigo,” said John.

“Gracias, I hope that I am not disturbing you at this hour,” said Jose.

“My door is always open to you.  What is it that I can do for you?” asked John.

“I have been getting frequent news about you and your feelings for the poor in this country.  I come to invite you to a meeting of like minds tomorrow at the beach,” said Jose.

“I will be happy to put my two cents in if it is going to help the poor in this country,” said John.

“You are a very unusual man.  Most foreigners who come here have very little empathy for the poor.  They buy big homes, live opulent lives and treat the locals as though they are sub-human beings,” said Jose.

“That is not true of all of them my dear Jose.  Many of them treat the locals with much respect and their very presence in the country helps the economy along,” said John

“Why don’t you come to the beach tomorrow at ten o’clock?  It is not quite so hot at that time and you will meet a bunch of people who will share with you their plans to raise the living standards of the people,” said Jose.

After a couple of drinks, Jose and John shook hands warmly.  John’s wish to be included in the group had now been realized. Somehow, deep in his heart he felt that he was now on a collision course with fate.

The meeting started on a jovial tone with that hail-fellow-well-met attitude that seemed to precede the impending conversation. It then worked up to a more serious and contentious tone as they condemned the ineptitude of the government in a crescendo of invectives.

There were at least fifteen individuals, each wanting to be heard at the same time.  Jose Martinez invited the group to conduct themselves in English so that John could understand what was going on.  However there were a few who preferred to express their opinions in Spanish but John was able to get the gist of what they were saying. Jose Martinez then exercised his leadership by intervening.

“It is clear that all of us are convinced that the government should be overthrown.  We are only a small group here who are trying to get organized.  However, this is a big country and we have to get all the suffering people on our side.  This can be done by having cells all over the country in order to propagate the change that we are seeking.  If we do not have the people on our side, we will be wiped out by the government forces,” advised Jose Martinez.

There was silence for a few seconds by the group.

“You are absolutely right,” said John. “We need to have a few hundred of us who are committed to the cause.  Those committed individuals should then be posted to various villages around the country.   They, in turn, will expand the group until we have an army of our own,” continued John.

“Revolution requires a sound organization.  If it does not have one, it is doomed to failure.  Remember that we will be fighting a formidable foe who are well armed with guns and tanks.  There are two ways that we can match them with weapons.  One way is to canvas some of the disgruntled soldiers to our cause.  They know where the arsenal of guns are kept and when the time is ripe we can obtain the guns by a surprise attack on the arsenal.  The other way is to pass the hat around and buy guns,” advised Jose Martinez.

“Buy guns?!!  What are you saying Jose?  People hardly have money to buy themselves a good meal.  Where are they going to find the money to buy thousands of guns?  Perhaps our rich friend here can tell us,” asked Manuel smiling at John.

The entire crowd turned their heads to observe John’s reaction.

“I have some money to enable us to buy a few guns.  But where are we going to get the guns from?”  Most guns are made in the United States and it is going to be a hard sell to obtain them from there.  The U.S. government has come down strongly on gun stores and every sale is monitored,” said John.

“In times like this the only person that we can rely on is the President of Cuba.  He will supply us with the weapons if they are going to set us free.  If we play our cards right, the President of Cuba will probably send us some specialists in the use of modern weapons so that our people will be prepared when the time comes,” encouraged Jose Martinez.

“I don’t think that we should approach Cuba.  It is a communist state.  The people there are suppressed by that regime, and if they give us military aid it is sure to be conditional that we set up a communist state.  Our people will be worse off than they are now,” put in Kino.

The others in the group nodded their approval.

“We may be poor, but at least we are free,” said Emilio.

“Think of what Communism has done for Cuba.  It has brought poor people out of biting poverty and through education it has made over ninety percent of the population literate.  Surely, it has forced the people to work hard in order to eat, and perhaps our people need to do that too instead of spending so much of their time in bars,” said Jose Martinez.

If you are making a case for Communism, I would rather be where we are right now.  It may be true that a few people in this country are making big bucks, and somehow the government does very little to tax them so that the money could be used for programs to uplift the people.  However, once the government is in the hands of the people it could enact policies and enforce the law to trim the fat from the rich.  We don’t need to become Communists to bring about change,” declared Emilio.

Jose was unsure what to say but thought that it would be best to conclude the meeting.  He set a date for the next meeting for the following week, and urged the group to think seriously about the direction that should be taken to make the Revolution a success.  When it came to revolution, he was aware that the nations that were ever willing to help would be Russia and Cuba.  However, obtaining their help was like going from the frying pan into the fire.  Yet there seemed to be no other option.  Guns were badly needed and so was advice on strategies to make the Revolution a success.  None of those in the group had any idea how to form, or even run a government still less how to organize a Revolution.   Jose Martinez knew that it would be a dangerous situation even if the Revolution was a success leading to chaos that would throw the country into anarchy which would be a worse state than it was presently.   He was convinced that this concern should be raised with the group at the next meeting. However, he was disturbed that if his visitor was genuine, word had already traveled much too far.  This meant that the government was also aware that political action was brewing in the village and that the lives of the group were in jeopardy.

This was far too worrisome for Jose to sleep.  He got dressed in a hurry and made his way to Emilio’s house.  Emilio’s wife answered the door.

“Hello Sofia,” greeted Jose.

“Is there something wrong my dear Jose?” enquired Sofia.

“I know that it is very late, but could I please speak with Emilio?  It is of the greatest importance.”

Emilio suddenly made an appearance rubbing his eyes.  He walked across to Jose and hugged him.

“What is the matter Jose?  You look very worried.  Have you been drinking?”

“Could you and I talk somewhere private?”

“Sure.  Come with me,” said Emilio walking him to the kitchen.

“Emilio, I had a visit from a representative from the Russian embassy.   He came to me offering help to enable us to kick out the government.  At first I thought that he was a government spy trying to flush us out so that they could lock us up.  The point is that our plans are somehow being transmitted far and wide,” said Jose who was now perspiring.

“What did you say to the Russian representative,” asked Emilio.

“I pretended that I did not know what he was talking about.  What if he was a government spy?”

“Well done Jose.  How did this guy learn about our plans?”

“Obviously, someone in our group has been talking to his friends about our plans.  You know what it is like in a village.  Word gets around very fast.”

“I think we should lie low and stop meeting for a month or so.  We must stress the importance of keeping everything discussed a guarded secret.  When we hold meetings in future it has to be done where nobody will see or hear us,” cautioned Emilio.

“The agent gave his name as Ivan Petrov and I asked that he meet me at nine p.m. at my house tomorrow.  I have asked him to prove his credentials before I talked to him any further.  He said that he would comply.  Could you be at my house at nine tomorrow?  If he is genuine,

“You bet I will be at your side tomorrow,” said Emilio.

“I knew that I could depend on you my friend.  I will see you tomorrow then, “said Jose.

Good Night

CHAPTER 6

It was a dreary day.  It seemed that the heavy rain clouds would never leave.  Late that evening, there was a heavy knock on Jose Martinez’s door.  Jose wondered who would have come to see him at such a late hour.  It was almost mid-night. 

Jose cautious opened the door. He noticed a man standing there anxiously awaiting to get out of the rain. 

“Are you Jose Martinez?” asked the stranger.

“Yes, I am.  What do you want at this late hour,” asked Jose.

“Please let me come in.  I have some important information to give you,” pushing his way into the house.

As soon as he got in, he wanted to set Jose at ease.

“Please Sir, my name is Ivan Petrov.  From my name, you can tell that I am Russian,” said the stranger.

“Hello Ivan.  What brings you here?  If you are looking for a loan, you have come to the wrong place.  I have no money just like the majority of my counterparts in this country,” declared Jose.

“No my friend.  I have come to help you and your fellow countrymen out of your poverty.  It is my understanding that you and your followers require help.  I am a representative of the Russian Government.  It is our understanding that you need our help to overthrow the present corrupt government,” stated Ivan.

“Who told you that must be out of his mind.  I am a poor man going about my own business and trying very hard to make ends meet,” cautioned Jose thinking that Ivan was probably a Government spy.

“Jose, please do not play games with me.  We know from a very reliable source that you are planning a coup d’état.  This is a very serious business and you are going to need the assistance of the Russian government to develop strategies and to provide you with arms to counter the might of the present government.  We are prepared to train your men and this will only be done because we believe that you are our brothers who are badly in need of good government that cares more for the people than for itself,” stressed Ivan.

“I understand where you are coming from Mr. Petrov.  Please see me tomorrow at nine p.m. right here.  Make sure that you have something other than yourself to prove that you represent the Russian Government, otherwise don’t waste your time coming here,” said Jose.

“I respect your wishes and understand your cautious approach which is a hallmark of leadership. Thank you very much for your time, and do forgive me for the lateness of the hour.  I will see you tomorrow at nine p.m. and will possess all the evidence that I am a genuine representative of the Russian Government.”

With that he saluted Jose, turned around and walked out into the dark and rainy night.

As soon as Ivan left, Jose got dressed hurriedly and made his way to see Emilio.  Oblivious of the lateness of the hour, Jose knocked at the door.  Emilio’s wife Sofia opened the door.

“Hello Jose.  Why are you up so late?  Is there something the matter?” asked Sofia.

“I apologise for visiting this late.  Is it possible for me to talk with Emilio?  Something has come up and it is very vital that I talk to him,” acknowledged Jose.

As Jose spoke, Emilio walked in wiping his eyes with the back of his palms and his pyjamas looking crinkly with use.

“Hello Jose.  What brings you here at this unearthly hour,” asked Emilio.

“Is there a place where we can talk privately?” asked Jose.

“Don’t worry.  You can remain right here.  I will go to the kitchen and make some tea for all of us,” said Sofia.

“Thanks Sofia,” said Emilio and Jose in unison. 

“I had a strange visitor come to visit me this evening.  He confessed to be a representative of the Russian government.  He made me understand that his government had become aware that the people of Nicaragua were planning to overthrow the government and that his government would be happy to assist the people.  I thought that perhaps this was a trick and that he might be a government spy fishing for information regarding our movement,” said Jose in deep thought.

“If the Russian government has come to hear about our plans, it is even more likely that the Nicaraguan government has already got wind of our plans.  This has certainly put the whole movement in jeopardy and our lives may be in much danger.  We could be rounded up and taken up for treason which, in our country, is punishable by death,” continued Jose.

“I think that there are some in our group who are passing on the information that we discuss at our meetings to their friends.  Typical of small town mentality, these friends pass on the information to their friends and in no time it reaches precisely those who should not know our plans.  I think we should call a meeting right away.  This time it should done in private.  Our members should be informed that they will not divulge anything even to their mothers or fathers.  They must be made to take a vow to that effect.  Any breaking of the rules should have serious consequences,” stressed Emilio.

“I couldn’t agree with you more,” said Jose.  “However, I think we need to lie low for the next month or two.  Our whole attitude should now be to spread the word that our government is doing a fine job, and that rumours that Nicaraguans were trying to overthrow the government is one big joke.  If this is repeated in all the public places, it will certainly get to the government and the incident will be put on the back burner. After two months, under very tight security, we can commence holding meetings once again to further our plans,” continued Jose.

“I think that would be the right way to go,” approved Emilio.

“I am meeting the supposedly Russian representative tomorrow at nine p.m. at my place.  You are a very perceptive person Emilio so I want you to be at this meeting to pick up anything that I may have missed.  Ivan Petrov, that’s his name, is going to reveal his identity tomorrow.  If he is who he says he is, perhaps we could ask him how we should proceed in the light of our new discovery,” said Jose.

“I will be there at nine on the button, “assured Emilio.

Sofia made an entry with steaming hot tea and some homemade biscuits.

She noticed a seriousness about their demeanour but did not venture to question them about what was going on.

It was close to three o’clock in the early hours of the morning but neither Emilio nor Jose were sleepy or tired any more.  They did, however, say good night to each other and parted company.

CHAPTER 7

Early in the morning, John woke up feeling mildly depressed.  It had been almost three weeks since Alison left him for Canada.  He began to feel the loneliness precipitated by the distance that separated them.  John tried phoning her when he was feeling very low, but more often than not, he had to leave a message on her voice mail. He had spoken to her only twice since her departure so he began to wonder whether it was all over for them.  If absence makes the heart grow fonder, John felt that he was missing his wife very intensely.  He self-medicated his loneliness by drinking heavily.  He became increasingly aware that his health was slowly but steadily going down the tube.   He often debated whether he should pack his things and join his wife in Canada.   But somehow, he believed that he had a calling in Nicaragua.  Deep in his heart, he felt that he had to remain where he was if only to help in the cause of restoring a good and decent standard of living for the people.  He had already pledged his loyalty to the group who were undertaking this ambitious but perilous movement in a bid for change.  There were moments when he wished that change could come without any violence.  However, he lived long enough in Nicaragua to believe that the greed and corruption of those in charge was so endemic and so pervasive that violence seemed the only way to make changes.

While he was having his breakfast, he was interrupted by a visitor.  He opened the main door and there in front of him was Julius.  Julius was part of the growing group of conspirators.  John met him at one of the meetings.  Julius rarely spoke or wagered an opinion.

“Hello John.  I hope I am not bothering you too early,” said Julius as a form of greeting.

“Please come in Julius.  That is your name isn’t it?  I have seen you several times at our meetings but never had an opportunity of talking to you, or discussing the issues that were brought up at our meetings,” said John.

“Yes, it’s Julius.  How kind of you to have remembered my name. Since I joined the group, I have been in a state of depression.  You see, I do not believe in violence and what is constantly being advocated by the group is the violent overthrow of the government,” said Julius.  “On the face of it, it would seem to me that nothing short of an armed struggle that would bring about to this country,” declared Julius.

“If you are a true patriot, you should be prepared to lay down your life for your country,” said John.

“I understand what you are saying.  But there have been countries like India that adopted the policy of non-violence and were able to throw off the shackles of colonialism.  If you examine many of the African countries that obtained their independence through violent means, the governments that replaced them became more repressive, brutal and exploitive than the government that they overthrew,” said Julius. “Why don’t we follow India’s example and start with non-cooperation with the government unless the demands of the people are met.  The moment the present government is hit in the pocket, it will be persuaded to make changes to its economic policies, and the people will become beneficiaries,” stressed Julius.

“As I see it, Revolution is a short cut to improving the lot of the people.  But I do see what you are saying.  Why don’t you bring this up at the next meeting my friend.  It would be worth discussing.  As I see it, we need an intelligent and strong leadership…..one that is incorruptible and one that can garner the support of the majority of people.  Such leadership has not emerged as yet.  What we also need in this country is a very strong labour union.  Many leaders have emerged from the labour union who are generally well informed about the state of the country and particularly the needs of its people,” advised John.

“By the way, I am such a bad host.  Please let me offer you something to drink.  Have you already had your breakfast?”

“Coffee will be fine my dear friend,” said Julius.

Both Julius and John continued to discuss a number of issues.  It was finally decided that their concerns had to be raised with the group.  Perhaps there were others sitting on the fence with regard to armed insurrection and so it was important to clear the air for all concerned.

After Julius and John had parted company, Emilio appeared at John’s residence.  He told him in whispers that the meeting slated for the week had been called off.  He explained to him that there were new developments in their plans, and that he would be informing him shortly about a possible meeting in the near future.  He also told John that it was very important that anything that was discussed at their former meetings not be divulged to anyone.  This was of the utmost importance for the safety of the group. 

“Why this special visit to give me this information.  Something is going on and somehow you are not telling me the whole story,” admonished John.

“Please do not ask me anything.  There is something in the works right now.  Only after this has been resolved will the group be let in on it,” said Emilio.

With that, Emilio took his leave and promptly left the house

John wondered why there was such drama, but he became conscious of the fact that something serious was going on. He thought that he had to get to the bottom of it.

CHAPTER 8

At nine p.m. on the button, there was a knock on Jose’s door.  Both Emilio and Jose looked at each other as though in disbelief.  Ivan Petrov had come visiting as he had promised.

“Hello Jose.  I see that you have a friend with you,” said Ivan.

“Please come in my friend.  This is Emilio who is one of my dear friends,” said Jose.

“Any friend of Jose is also my friend,” said Ivan patronizing Jose.

“As I had promised, I have come bearing good news.” 

He produced a letter from his brief-case and handed it to Jose.

Jose split open the envelope and in it he found an official letter with the Russian emblem embossed in gold on top of the letter.  The letter was from the Russian Ambassador and it was brief and to the point.  It stated that the bearer of the letter was Ivan Petrov and that he was one of his assistants.  It further stated, that if Jose wished, he could visit the Embassy by phoning ahead, and it provided Jose with the ambassador’s personal phone number.

“I guess that the letter is sufficient proof to lay your suspicions to rest,” said Ivan.  Jose made no reply.

“This is hardly the place to discuss politics.  Your walls are far too porous for that.  I would like to set up a meeting for your group somewhere in the city.  Your group will not have to worry about paying for anything for the week that you will be with me.  The Ambassador will pick up the tab.  However, nobody is to say anything to anybody about your departure from the village.  Each of you will have to find some credible excuse for your absence, that even your families will buy,” stressed Ivan.

“When is this going to happen?” asked Jose.

“You will be given ample notice so that your group can prepare themselves for this life saving trip,” said Ivan.

“You may be taking things for granted here.  We have not said that we are going to accept your terms, so why are you wasting your money?” asked Jose.

“After the meeting your group will have the option to accept or reject the assistance that we are offering you, “said Ivan.

Jose pulled Emilio aside, and asked him whether he saw any danger in what was developing.  Emilio stressed that they were still living in a free country, and attending a meeting would not hurt them.

Jose smiled at Ivan for the first time and declared that it was a deal.

“I would like to leave you with a sober thought,” said Ivan. “In order for a Revolution to work, there is a whole lot of spadework to be done. A plan has to be drawn up and above all there must be a whole lot of training to undergo.  It is a lot of hard work which demands the sacrifice of thousands of committed people who are prepared to give up their lives in order to take their country back,” continued Ivan. 

Neither Jose nor Emilio responded to this warning. 

They bid Ivan goodbye and he, in turn, left the house unceremoniously.

Emilio told Jose that he was quite impressed with Ivan’s honesty and sincerity.  Jose, however, had another take.  He told Emilio that Ivan was perhaps a great salesman and that they had to be very careful before they signed on the dotted line. 

“I am of the firm belief that nobody gives something for nothing,” concluded Jose.

CHAPTER 9

On the other side of town, Chief Inspector Sebastian Santiago was scanning through several reports that were left on his desk.  Sebastian was a well-known police officer reputed for his stern demeanour and no-nonsense attitude.  His instructions to his officers had to be carried out without any excuses and with precision.  Several officers were demoted because they failed to do as they were instructed.  He was feared by all his equals and subordinates.

He had in his hand a report that he read several times over in order to understand the information which he thought was of much concern to him.  The report was signed by Diego Mateo from the Security Department.  He got on the phone and asked Diego to report to his office within an hour. 

The report read: 

“Please be informed that our investigation has revealed that there is a fledging group in the East of Nicaragua who are apparently planning to conduct a coup.  Your intervention at this stage might help stamp out any attempts for this group to grow in popularity and strength. It has to be nipped in the bud. While there is universal dissatisfaction among the people against the government because of its economic problems, it is only this group referred to earlier, who seem to be taking positive steps to spread their treasonable doctrine in an effort to draw more people to their cause.”

“Do you have a list of the people involved in this movement?” asked Inspector Santiago.

“No Sir.  However, please be informed that since we are still a democracy, people have a right to express their views about the government.  It is not easy to arrest anybody unless there is iron clad proof that they are breaking the law.  As you know, Sir, right across Nicaragua there is a growing dissatisfaction among the people.  In some cases there is genuine anger and this can translate itself into all kinds of threats against the government which will never materialize.  The group that I am referring to are now meeting to organize themselves into a parallel government.  I have received this information from the grapevine and it requires further investigation by your department to verify the authenticity of the movement.”

“Now you listen to me.  I would like you to get me names of people who are flapping their mouths off about the government.  I would like to have a chat with them.  I hope that is very clear,” demanded Santiago.

“Respectfully Sir, if that is the case I would have to bring in thousands of people who do not have anything good to say about the government.”

“You know what I mean Diego. Don’t be a smart ass with me.   If you get to know of anybody who poses a threat to the government, I need to be informed right away.”

Diego knew that he had to follow orders.  He also knew that once names were handed to Santiago, those people would be summarily arrested, and rumour had it, they would never be seen again.  He was aware that Santiago’s reputation for brutality was well known but never documented. However, orders were orders and it was now up to Diego to supply Santiago with the list of dissidents. 

When he got back to his office, however, Diego was having pangs of conscience.  He, himself had friends and relatives who were suffering biting privations because they could not find jobs and money was very scarce.  He was aware of the nepotism that was practiced by the higher-uppers when jobs had to be filled.  In Security he was privy to information about the siphoning of government money to Swiss banks by government officials.  Inspector Santiago was one of the biggest offenders but nobody would reveal this since their lives were at stake.  His job was important to him in as far as it brought in a reasonably good wage.  However, his conscience constantly nagged at him because of the corruption that prevailed at all levels of government.  He left the office early, and went to his favourite bar. 

“Hello Mr. Mateo, you are here early today,” said the barman.

“Hello Adolpho, could you pour me a double Scotch?”

“Yes, of course.  Is something bothering you?” asked Adolpho.

“If you had some of the problems that I have, you would probably want a double Scotch yourself,” said Diego.

Adolpho was a seasoned barman, who was a master of human behaviour.  He knew that he should not ask too many questions.  His experience had revealed that it was only a question of a couple of drinks (a form of self-medication) that the troubled person would pour out with his problems.

“Adolpho do you come from a village a few miles from here?”

“Yes Senior.”

“Are the people happy over there?”

“It is hard to be happy when one is poor,” said Adolpho.

“I cannot agree more with you,” said Diego taking a long sip at his Scotch.

“Most people depend on their little gardens for food since they do not have the money to buy it.  But, because of the changing seasons, many people starve for most of the year.  Unfortunately, the government does not reach out and help poor people,” ventured Adolpho.

“Is it not true that the majority of people are far too lazy to work for a living?  Perhaps the people are responsible for their own failure to work for a living,” said Diego.

“In every community you will find some lazy people.  In my village, most men and women are prepared to work but there is no work to be had. After looking for work time and time again and failing, many just stay at home and are often labelled as being lazy. This is most unfair.  You work for the government Senior, have you seen any initiative by the government to create jobs for the people?” asked Adolpho.

There was silence for a few seconds.

“Why do people always have to depend on the government to create jobs?  Why don’t people start their own businesses and in the process create jobs for other people” asked Diego.

“In order to start a business one needs money Senior.  Our banks will only loan money to rich people.  Poor people are far too great a risk on their finances.  Many villagers have approached banks for money but were rudely rejected,” said Adolpho.

Diego handed over his glass to Adolpho and asked for a fill-up. 

By this time Diego was feeling liberated and for the first time he decided that if there was a movement intended to overthrow the government, perhaps he should be a part of it too.

“You know Adolpho, what if I said to you that we should get organized and try to overthrow the government.”

“I would think that you are crazy,” said Adolpho defensively.

“You know that I work for the government and I see with my own eyes the corruption that exists.  Money that should be spent on uplifting the standard of life of the people is being siphoned off and sent to Swiss accounts created by government officials.”

“Why don’t you report the matter to the Police,” responded Adolpho innocently.

“I have already said too much Adolpho.  If you pass on this information to anybody else, I will deny that I ever said it,” warned Diego.

“Information?  What information?  I never heard anything,” replied Adolpho with a serious look on his face.

“That’s my man.  Now how much do I owe you?”

Diego left the bar, meandering towards the main door and mumbling to himself something that was totally incoherent.

Adolpho knew that he was a disturbed man.

CHAPTER  10

A meeting was called to order to inform the group of patriots about the recent developments.  This meeting was to be held in secrecy.  John’s house seemed to be the ideal place to accommodate the group in attendance.  John was very obliging and assured Jose that the group would be very comfortable.  Emilio and Kino were instructed to inform each member in person that the meeting was to take place at nine p.m. the following Tuesday.  They were also to keep the meeting a guarded secret.  Nobody was to know about it; not even their spouses.  They were also warned not to approach John’s house in groups for fear that John’s neighbours might be alerted to the meeting.  In any event, the neighbours were already used to the crowds that visited John and the noisy partying.  The parties went on well into the early hours of the morning. They would, therefore, not bother with those who came there even if it was for nefarious reasons.

Jose opened the meeting.  He informed the group that things were getting frightfully serious and it was important for the group to know whether they still wanted to proceed with liberating the country.  He warned them that it was going to be a very difficult journey fraught with many dangers to themselves and their families.  If they did not have the intestinal fortitude, the conviction of the nobility of their actions, the determination to bring about change no matter what the consequences, then only was it going to be worth their while to proceed.  The meeting was called to make a head count of those who were going to be loyal to the cause. 

“lease rest assured that there is no pressure on you to stay with the group.  However, once you are in, your unstinting loyalty is expected. If this is not forthcoming your lives may be in forfeit,” said Jose. 

There was silence while each member of the group contemplated what had just been said. Finally, one member of the group stood up and walked out of the meeting.  He did not utter a word.  Jose did not say a word to him either, but in his heart he praised him for his conviction.

“Thank you for your loyalty to our country.  Now, before we proceed I have to emphasize the importance of keeping everything you know about our plans and our activities a guarded secret.  If the secret service gets to know what we are up to, it is going to be curtains for all of us.  Nobody, but nobody apart from this group, will be your confident. Those of us who are married will have the onerous task of keeping our plans away from the ears of our spouses.  It is not going to be easy, but secrecy is of the greatest importance.  We are now going to have an election for the person who is going to lead this group.  I now call for nominations,” said Jose.

“I nominate you, Jose,” shouted Emilio.

“Do not underestimate the leadership skills of those here.  I call for further nominations,” declared Jose.

“I move that the nominations be closed,” said Julius.

“I second the nomination,” said Kino with satisfaction.

“Thank you my brothers. As your leader, I am going to frame some rules of conduct which are very essential to the success of our venture.  When the rules have been constructed, I will have you discuss them and hopefully pass them.  We are a democratic organization and we are going to do things by consent of the majority.  Now for the good news.  I am going to ask Emilio to give you the news,” concluded Jose.

“My brothers, we have been in touch with the Russian embassy.  One of the assistants there approached us and offered us help in making our revolution a success.  All of us require training not only in the use of firearms which they will supply us when the time comes, but also to become good fighters in the field.  This training will not take place here.  We are going to be transported to Cuba and then flown to Moscow where we will be for three weeks of intensive training. This is going to be done in pairs so that the villagers do not get suspicious about the sudden absence of so many of us if we all got away together. Those of us who are behind will have to scout around for recruits to our cause. I need hardly say that you have to be very discrete about who you recruit.  Prospective recruits have to be deeply committed to getting rid of the government.  It will not be very difficult to find them in the villages around us.  There are so many who live in desperate poverty and really have nothing to lose.  However, your search should not be confined to people in our immediate neighborhood.  We need to get the whole country on our side. Those of you who have friends in the North or South will have to travel to meet with them. Jose will give you the money that you need to travel to and back again.”

“Isn’t it dangerous for us to seek help from the Communists?” asked Kino.

“I thought that we had discussed this at the beach once and most of us were against the idea,” said Julius.

“We have no other way to get out of the poverty that has enveloped our country.  Most Western countries will not help us since they tend to gain far more from our country the way it is.  The Communists cannot force us to run our country the way they do theirs.  I have no doubt that they will try to indoctrinate us when we go for training.  Politics is a game and we have to learn to play it.  After the revolution is a success, it is up to the people to decide what kind of government they want.  I am sure that there is a sizeable group who will favour a communist state.  In my opinion any kind of government would be better than what we have right now.  But don’t get me wrong.  I am with you and will do everything in my power to establish a democratically elected government,” said Jose.

“Somehow, I get a strange feeling in the pit of my stomach,” said Julius. “But who can argue with you? Anything would be better than what we have now,” continued Julius.

“Then this is settled,” said Jose.

“My final word to you all is that everything that is said here has to be a guarded secret.  Try to abstain from alcohol for it tends to loosen ones inhibitions and makes you very vulnerable to divulging your secrets to others.  This may cost you your life if divulged to the wrong person or group of persons.  Now go your separate ways and remember that you are the chosen ones who will make or break the movement,” warned Jose.

CHAPTER 11

Diego Mateo was on the horns of a dilemma.  While at his desk, he wondered whether he should seriously investigate who were part of the conspiracy so that their names could be handed over to Sebastian Santiago, the Chief of Police.  His job demanded that he should follow the instructions given to him by the Police Chief.  Deep down in his heart, however, he was convinced that the Chief of Police represented all that was wrong and morally reprehensible to the human spirit.  His conscience told him that rounding up those who did not agree with government policies was undemocratic at best.  How could anybody exterminate people who did not agree with what the government was doing to its people?  It was not only heartless but downright murder.  He was convinced that he had to find a way of exposing the corrupt practices that he witnessed, and hopefully the pressure would be off those who were trying to change the status quo.

As he was deep in thought, the phone rang.

“Hello Diego, this is your friend Gustav.

“Hello Guz,” replied Diego. “I am so happy that you called.  I have been in a depressive mood for the past week.   Your voice is a breath of fresh air,” continued Diego.

“You have a fine job my friend…..making a whole lot of money.  What would someone like you be depressed about?” asked Gustav.

“I cannot talk to you on the phone my friend.  Can we meet at “La Taberna” at eleven-thirty today?”

“If you have the cash, I will be happy to join you.  If you don’t, I know a good outlet that sells good ‘Guaro de contrabando’ which is something I can afford, and gives you a better buzz than the best liquors in the world,” invited Gustav.

“No Guz, it is going to be my treat, so do we meet at eleven-thirty or not?”

“Your invitation is music to my ears my friend.  I will be there an hour early with great anticipation,” said Gustav.

There were only a few customers at “La Taberna” and Diego felt that he could talk to Gustav freely.  Gustav was happy to meet Diego.  Their friendship started in High School.  Gustav was a very enterprising student and Diego often envied him for his intelligence and for his good looks that seemed to attract girls without him wooing them.   Unfortunately, Gustav came from a poor family and so he did not have the where-with-all to advance his education in college.  There were also far too few job opportunities so Gustav had to accept any job that was offered to him.  Most of these jobs were temporary in nature and paid very poor salaries.  Minimum wages were not as yet established by law. According to Gustav, he was more often than not unemployed.  He hoped for better days but somehow things were getting worse. 

“What will you have to drink,” asked Diego.

“Will it be too extravagant of me to ask for a Scotch?” asked Gustav.

Diego called the waiter and ordered two double Scotches on the rocks.

“Now, my friend, what is this I hear you say about being in a state of depression?”

“It is a long story Guz, but I have to tell somebody about it to lighten the burden that seems to be weighing so heavily on my heart.”

Diego told Gustav the entire story and he wondered whether Guz had any advice for him.

“It is a well-known saying, and I’m sure that you know it well.  If you work for the government, you have to be culpably dishonest.  What you have just described to me is not at all surprising.  You are asking me for advice so I will give it to you.  If you want to be happy, you have to quit your job and lose all the monitory benefits that you are receiving in order ease your conscience.  You should look out for a job in the private sector and this is not going to be easy.  I can confirm to you that there is a movement afoot to overthrow the government.  Perhaps you and I should hook up with this movement so that we could give our country the kind of renewal that it has never seen before.  The movement is also in need of intellectuals who will inject some form of sanity into a movement that will require a sense of political direction,” advised Gustav.

“At present I am of two minds.  If I stay where I am, I can provide the movement with inside information that they may not be privy to.  If I quit now, I am sure that I will be watched closely by the police.  Inspector Santiago is no fool.  He will definitely associate my sudden departure with his request for names of what he considers to be dissidents.  He is sure to suspect that I am with them, and that will restrict the contribution that I could make if I stayed on,” said Diego.

“Then how are you going to get around giving him the list that he has demanded of you,” asked Gustav.

“I will have to come up with a cock-and-bull story to massage his ego,” replied Diego with a pensive expression on his face.

“There is another way Diego.  Why don’t we get in touch with the underground and have Santiago neutralized?  I know of quite a few desperate people who would only need to be given the word.  It will also be another way of getting rid of a despotic murderer who has done away with so many bread winners from the village in the past,” invited Gustav.

Diego asked the waiter to bring another two doubles.

After a long silence as though he was waiting for his drink but was actually deep in thought he declared, “I think that I am with you my friend.  How do I get into this movement?’

“Give me a phone number where you could be reached.  As soon as I leave you I will approach the leader of the group who is organising an armed insurrection against the government.  His name is Basilio Camilo.   I will arrange for you to meet him so that the Chief of Police will soon be history,” declared Gustav.

They drowned their drinks, hugged each other and parted.

CHAPTER 12

John remained awake until the early hours of the morning.  His concern was that Jose had not assigned to him any responsibilities making him feel that he was really not a part of the movement.  He wondered whether since he was from a foreign land and belonged to a very visible minority within the community, whether perhaps that was the reason for his seeming distrust of him.  Furthermore, he was also going through the pains of separation from his wife who made no effort to contact him, and that added to his loneliness and his frustration.   There were times when he thought seriously about selling all he had and returning to Canada.  Yet deep in his heart, he knew that he could play a role in seeking the freedom of the people, who he had come to love and respect.

He thought that he would have a tete a tete with Jose and determine just exactly what role he would play if any.

“My dear friend John, everybody in the group is going to be assigned a responsibility.  I was thinking that perhaps you should be handling the funds of the organization.  It is not going to be easy to raise funds in a society that is so cash strapped as ours is.  I am also very convinced that you are the right man for the job since you are independently well off, and there will be no temptation for you to abscond with the money.  You will also have to come up with ways to raise money and that in itself is going to be quite a challenge,” advised Jose.

“Thank you Jose.  For a moment there I thought that I was being phased out, but you have set my mind at ease. Sure, I will accept the responsibility of handling the cash.  As far as organizing fund raising activities, I am going to need at least two others from the group to put our heads together to have some kind of activities that will generate funds,” said John very much at ease.

“You can go right ahead and choose whoever you think will be creative enough to raise funds,” advised Jose. ”Furthermore, I am expecting some money from the Russians to help us pay for incidentals and that money will be kept by you,” said Jose.

“To cement my allegiance to the party, I am going to sell some of the land that I bought when I got here, and that money will be transferred into the account as a part of my contribution,” said John.

“You are a generous man.  I am sure that the country could have been a much better place if everybody was like you,” complimented Jose.

“Well, I guess that I had better be going.  There is a whole lot of work to be attended to,” said John.

They shook hands warmly and went their separate ways.

When John got home, he felt a sense of relief that he had now become very much a part of the group.  He admonished himself for thinking that the group had abandoned him.  He was also deep in thought about including a couple of members from the group to assist him in raising funds particularly since he was aware that he would be confronted with donner fatigue largely due to the many pleas for donations from mainly Church groups who used the money to ease the suffering of the very poor in the community.

Amaranto Bajardo and Carlito Dimas were well known to him.  However, he did not know whether they would join the underground.  Both these men were creative and popular within the community.  They would be persuasive when it came to generating funds, but he first had to bring them aboard before recruiting their help.  Both these gentlemen had little makeshift stalls in the market.  Amaranto sold freshly slaughtered goat meat and Carlito sold fruit and vegetables.  In addition he sold lottery tickets which were the biggest sellers in this impoverished community.  Both Amaranto and Carlito were single.  They would very much have liked to be married and raise children but their income from their businesses just about kept their heads above water.

John made his way to the market when he knew that they would not be busy.   Siesta was taken quite seriously by the locals and John thought that it would be the best time to engage them individually.

“Hello my friend Amaranto.  How are you?” asked John.

“It is always a pleasure to see you.  What have you been doing with your life?  How is your wife?  Is she back from the old country?” asked Amaranto.

“I am well my dear friend.  I have been quite busy recently.  I would like to see more of you. This may be short notice, but is it possible for you to visit me tomorrow at 7 p.m. at my house?  We can have a few drinks followed by dinner?” invited John.

“What’s the occasion?  Is it your birthday?”

“Not at all.  Why can’t two friends meet each other on a social level without having to celebrate something or other?”

“I will be there at seven p.m. and thanks for your invitation,” said Amaranto.

John then moved further down the road where Carlito had set up his stall.

“My friend Carlito, how are you?” asked John.

“It is always a pleasure to see you John.  What brings you to the market?  Interested in some great, fresh vegetables and fruit?”

“Sure, why not!” said John. 

After John had picked up the choicest fruit and some vegetables he looked Carlito in the eyes and said,

“I have not spoken to you for such a long time.  Why don’t you come over to my house at seven p.m. the day after tomorrow? We can have a few drinks and have a chat,” asked John.

“You are always very generous my friend.  I would love to have a few drinks with you,” exclaimed Carlito.

“Now don’t forget, the day after tomorrow, Wednesday to be exact at seven p.m.”

“I will be there!”

CHAPTER 13

A couple of weeks later, Jose Martinez was met at the market by someone he did not know.  The man, who did not give his name, bumped into him and whispered to him that his boss Ivan Petrov would like to meet him at the “Tipsy Cow Bar” at eight that evening.  This arrangement was being made for his own safety. Before Jose could ask him a question, the man walked away and disappeared in the crowd.

If anything, Jose began to become conscious that secrecy was important since government spies were posted all over the country. He was abundantly aware of the brutality that could befall anybody if the government felt that there was anything anti-government that was going on.

That evening, Jose entered the “Tipsy Cow Bar” hoping that Ivan Petrov was already there.  Jose had arrived at the bar twenty minutes early, so he took a seat at a table at the far end of the large sitting area.   At eight p.m. sharp, Petrov entered the bar.  He walked straight to where Jose was sitting, as though somebody had already tipped him off as to where he was.

“Thank you for coming.  I have some good news for you,” announced Petrov sounding very official.

“Good news is always appreciated,” replied Jose.

Petrov pulled out a large brown envelope from his bag and handed it over to Jose.

“You will find ten thousand dollars in this envelope.  The Russian government is aware that your group is going to need money for a variety of incidentals and this money should help ease the way.  I need hardly emphasize that the money should be kept by someone who is very trustworthy.  This money should only be used for activities hinging on the movement,” warned Petrov.

“Please thank the Russian government for its assistance.  Also be assured that this money will be held by a gentleman from Canada who is independently rich, and is sworn to help the cause with much of his own money,” said Jose. 

“The Russian government knows of Mr. John Harding and we have him in our files,” said Petrov.

“The second topic that I need to discuss with you is your training.  We are going to fly leaders of different cells right across Nicaragua to Russia for a week of intensive training.  You will be flown from Nicaragua to Cuba in a private plane.  From Cuba you will be flown directly to Moscow.  I suggest that you had better get ready for the flight since you will be given only a few hours’ notice before one of our drivers will pick you up and drive you to a destination which, for security reasons, will not be divulged to you right now.  You must find some plausible reason for leaving, so that the family does not get anxious about a week’s absence from home.  A good excuse is to say that you are going to visit some relative on the other side of Nicaragua. There is no need for you to bring a change of clothes or any toiletry.  All this will be provided.  You must travel as light as possible,” said Petrov standing up and extending his hand to Jose.  They shook hands and parted company.

Jose never had so much money in his hand.  He felt very insecure carrying it.  He slipped the envelope in his shirt and hoped that nobody had noticed him.  He made directly for John’s house and without telling him the source of the money, asked him to place the money in a bank account under his name.  John did not ask any questions but just like a good accountant, he opened the envelope and counted the money with Jose looking on.  It counted correctly and John assured Jose that the money would be banked first thing in the morning.

When Jose left, John decided to hide the money where it would not be found easily.  He walked out to the back yard and in the cover of darkness, he inched his way towards a discarded drain and stuffed the envelope containing the money into it as far as his hands could travel.  He then took a bunch of rocks and stuffed them in.  Satisfied that the money was safe where it was, he had a drink to calm his nerves and then decided that it was time to go to bed.

In the early hours of the morning, he could not help feeling that there was a presence in his room.  He was wide awake.  It took him some time to get used to the darkness.  He dared not switch on the lights.  His ears were eager to catch any sound so that he could focus on the area from which it came.  Before he knew it, however, the lights suddenly came on.  John sat up in bed.  Right in front of him was a man dressed in black.  He kept his face covered. 

“Where is the money,” asked the voice with a level of threat to it.

“Money?  What money?” asked John?

In a flash, a ten inch knife blade appeared in the intruder’s hand.

“I have money Sir, but it is all in the bank.  I will be very happy to give you some if you need it that badly,” said John.

“Don’t give me that you lump of shit.  Where do you keep your money?  Tell me, or I will cut you into small pieces,” said the voice in a menacing tone.

John got up from the bed holding on to the blanket just in case the intruder attacked him. 

Much to his surprise and good luck, a car was heard driving into his driveway and flashing its high beams.  The intruder could hear footsteps approaching the entrance to the house.  He suddenly made for the window through which he had entered the house and before John knew it there was a knock on his door. John breathed a sigh of relief.   It was Jose.  John opened the door but rather than welcoming him in, he shouted that there was a thief who was about to kill him.  Jose ordered his driver to scout around the house but there was no sign of anybody. 

“Are you sure you have not been drinking and have been imagining things?” asked Jose.

Jose assured him that there was a thief.

In any event, Jose explained to John that he was on his way to Russia for training and that he was the only one to know about this.  He would be back in a week, but during this time he suggested that he invites one or even two of the group to stay with him so that he would be safe.  Before Jose left, John hurried to the backyard and was heartened that the money that he had stuffed up the drain was still there.  He took it in with him knowing full well that the thief would not have the guts to venture into his house again.

Jose got into the car and drove away without saying goodbye.

It was only after Jose left that John came to a full realization of how close he came to death or, if he was lucky, he would be left seriously hurt.  He noticed that he had broken into a cold sweat and found himself shaking as though he had a bout of malaria.

CHAPTER 14

Diego waited anxiously for a call from Gustav.  Before long he knew that the Chief of Police Sebastian Santiago would be in touch with him seeking the list of dissidents that Diego was ordered to bring to him.  If he told Santiago that he did not have the list ready, he knew that he would be in for a serious reprimand or even out of a job.   To his good luck, Gustav called him while he was still deep in thought.  The first ring of the phone caused him to be in a state of shock.  He finally plucked up the courage to answer the phone and was richly relieved that it was Gustav and not Santiago. 

“Please meet me at the “Zanzi -bar” at 8 p.m.  It has all been arranged,” declared Gustav.

“Thanks Guz.  I will be there at exactly 8. Bye,” said Diego. 

This was a pivotal moment in Diego’s life.  He was off to meet the gang that Gustav spoke to Diego about.

In order to maintain the integrity of the gang, the meeting was to be held deep in the woods.  It was a dark night but Gustav appeared to know the way.  Finally they reached the spot where he met at least fifteen gang members.  The leader of the gang approached Diego and placed his palm on his shoulder.

“I believe that you want us to solve one of your problems,” he stated.  “You have come to the right place,” he continued.

“Santiago is no friend of ours.  In fact he is no friend of Nicaragua. Gustav has told me that you would like to join our cell.  We are freedom fighters and it is our hope to unseat this government at the earliest possible time.   If you are certain about joining, you have to swear your loyalty to the group,” said the Leader who did not give out his name.

“Yes Sir.  I swear my loyalty to the group and to Nicaragua,” said Diego.

“My name is Basilio Camilo.  Welcome to the group.  One of the things that we insist on is secrecy.  Whatever you learn when you attend our meetings is to be held in utter secrecy.  We are like brothers and will protect each other even if it is going to cost us our lives.”

“I understand Basilio,” said Diego shaking Basilio’s hands.

“Gustav,” shouted Basilio, “take Diego and introduce him to the rest of the gang.

After introductions were made, Basilio addressed the group.

“Brothers, we have now come to the purpose of this meeting.  We have known the Chief of Police for some time now.  We know him to be a twisted and corrupt murderer who has brutalized and killed several of our brothers.  We now have added proof from brother Diego that he is still at it.  He is an impediment to our movement.  He needs to be neutralized.  By show of hands, let us decide that he has to go,” said Basilio.  All hands went up.

“Benjamin and Julio you will have to come up with a plan to get rid of this animal,” said Basilio. “Remember that the plan should be so perfect that it would not give any of the police force any reason to accuse you or any of us,” declared Basilio. “This plan should be ready by tomorrow since Diego’s life is perilously in danger,” Continued Basilio.

The two men left promptly in order to devise a plan.  Unfortunately, neither of them nor the group possessed any guns and this posed a disadvantage.  The Chief of Police had to be killed at close quarters.  Benjamin owned a Bollock Dagger and Julio carried a Trench Knife.  Both these weapons were lethal if used strategically.  Benjamin and Julio were convinced that they had to study the habits of the Police Chief.  Their best bet was to engage him when he was in a crowd.   Unfortunately, most crowds gathered when it was celebrating a Catholic feast especially when paying tribute to the Virgin Mary.  They considered that murder was heinous act and participating in it on a Christian feast was unforgivable. They therefore had to do it when the opportunity presented itself perhaps when the Chief of Police was visiting the market.  However, they discovered that they were running ahead of themselves and decided that keeping an eye on the Chief was the first thing that they had to do.

Benjamin agreed to watch his movements during the week and Julio was to observe him on the weekend.  It was not an easy task, but after a week they were able to determine that it was not going to be easy to engage the Chief since he spent long hours at his desk at work, and drove straight home around ten p.m.  His house was guarded by an armed policeman so entry into the house, was very risky at best.  Santiago rarely went out on the weekend, and that added to their concern about how and where to engage him. Chief Santiago did, however, have a girlfriend.  She was a matronly looking woman with hard features and a strong body.  She lived out in the country, and rumour had it that the Chief would sometimes spend a night with her.  It was difficult to determine when he would next visit her.  Basilio and Julio took turns watching the girlfriend’s house.  Through their good luck, the Chief drove up to the house around ten p.m.  They lay low in the bush closest to the entry.  As soon as Santiago got out of the car, they rushed him and dropped him to the ground.  Julio thrust his knife into his throat and slit it.  Gurgling sounds began to be heard while blood spurted out unceasingly.  Benjamin gripped his arm and dragged him into the bush.   Julio made to stab him in the chest, but Benjamin stopped him.  Santiago’s heart had stopped beating. 

Benjamin and Julio made the sign of the cross, and promptly disappeared into the night.

The following morning all the major newspapers carried the dramatic news about Santiago’s murder.  Most of the villagers thought that it was an occasion for celebration.  The Police had issued a warning that the murderer would soon be apprehended and would be hanged for that dastardly deed.  The warning was ignored.

CHAPTER 15

John waited impatiently for Amaranto Bajardo’s arrival at the house.  At seven p.m. sharp there was a knock at the door. John opened the door and warmly welcomed his friend.  Amaranto declared how pleased he was to be invited and hoped that they would have a pleasant evening together.

John brought out the drinks, but said very little to his friend about the underground movement.  He knew that after a few drinks, Amaranto would lose his inhibitions and John could then broach the issue in an effort to canvas him to the cause. They spoke about their families and spouses and out of a matter of interest, Amaranto was curious why John’s wife was away for such a long time.  As an excuse, John explained to his friend that his wife had to return to Canada to attend to a business that she was running over there.  He knew that this was an outright lie, but he hoped that the explanation would stop Amaranto from asking any further questions. It did.

When the two them were reasonably sauced, John thought that it was time to dabble into politics.

“I have often wondered why a man of your intelligence, creativity and ambition would continue to live here.  I have observed, and in talking with a lot of people, there is nothing here for anybody to reach for the top, when there are no jobs here.  All you see is biting poverty,” baited John.

“Isn’t that a shame?  It would seem that the government is doing nothing to help raise the standard of life.  Rumour has it that most of the taxes that we pay, goes into private accounts in Swiss banks instead of being spent on improving the economy so that people could find work,” said Amaranto almost apologetically

“In many developing countries, people have stopped the bleeding of government fund from their countries, by going to the polls and changing the government.  Why is that not happening here?” asked John pretending ignorance.

“It is because our people seem to be used to the punishment that they are receiving.  Nobody is prepared to bell the cat for fear of retributions by the government that has all the power,” said Amaranto in disgust.

“What if I told you that there is a movement under way to get rid of this repressive government?” asked John.

“I would probably have to say that there will be many heads dropping, but there is no doubt in my mind that an armed insurrection would be the only way to rid ourselves of this government.  Please do not tell anybody that I said this. If you do I will deny that I ever said it,” warned Amaranto.

“Nobody will ever know from me how you feel about the Government.  The point is that I feel exactly as you do about it.  Please keep this a secret too.  I want you to know that I am a member of the underground.  If you feel as strongly about getting rid of the government, why don’t you join us?  Your talents are very important to us and will be used to free the motherland,” said John.

There was silence for a few seconds while Amaranto was thinking over what he had just been told.

“You are a foreigner to this land, my friend John.  I am almost ashamed of myself that as a foreigner, you are prepared to lay down your life for our people, and I sit here trembling at the thought of joining the underground,” said Amaranto.

“I don’t fault you for how you feel my dear Amaranto.  But let me tell you that I need you very badly to help the cause.  As you know everything costs money.  Unfortunately, even to gain one’s freedom money is badly needed.  I belong to a cell here and I have been appointed to raise funds for the cause.  As a foreigner here, though I do not consider myself one anymore, I would like to use your creativity and expertise to raise as much money in the shortest possible time.  The easiest way would have been to rob a bank, but we are trying to keep things as honest as possible,” encouraged John.

“I need to think about this and perhaps discuss it with my wife,” said Amaranto.

“No! No! No!”  put in John.  “Ours is a secret movement and everything that is done has to be kept a guarded secret.  We have dozens of freedom fighters who have pledged their allegiance to the cell. They have vowed their secrecy even with their wives and children.  It is only under these conditions can you become a part of the group,” reprimanded John.

“I will have to leave right now.  It is already quite late.  I’m afraid that the drinks have gone up to my head.  Thank you very much for a very revealing evening.  Please leave this offer on the table.  I am going to have to think seriously about your invitation to join the group.  There are so many things to consider.  As soon as I have made my decision, I will let you know,” offered Amaranto.

“Goodnight my friend.  I respect you for who you are.  I also respect you for giving the proposition serious thought.  All I ask you to pledge to me is that our conversation tonight will never be divulged to anybody for security reasons.  I look forward anxiously for your decision,” said John.

“Thank you John. I also respect you for what you are doing for us.  Our country is going rapidly downhill.  Give me some time to think about my role in all of this.  I will not keep you waiting long. Goodnight my amigo.”

The following day John was to meet with Carlito.  He thoughtfully reviewed his interaction with Amaranto and wondered whether his approach to Carlito needed a change so that he could bring him on side without any hesitation or reservations.  A direct approach would perhaps be unproductive and would perhaps scare Carlito away.  He was aware, however, that much depended on Carlito’s disposition and his attitude towards the hopelessness that he witnessed all around him. 

“I’m so happy to meet with you Carlito.  I am glad that you were able to come over,” said John.

“Thank you my friend.  You are a good man…..so different from the other white folk around here,” said Carlito.

“Thank you again,” said John.  “You know that I love the people here and have been trying very hard to become a part of the community.  I know that I have gained acceptance among some, but there are others who are genuinely hostile toward me,” continued John.

“In any country, you have all kinds.  I guess the ones that do not like you are those who are jealous that you have more than they do.  This is a human frailty and there is not much that one can do about it,” said Carlito.

“I really think that something can be done about it.  Unfortunately, the present government is totally inept and is only fattening its own pockets rather than building an economic structure that will create jobs to improve the lot of the people,” said John.

“I wish that the people would organize themselves to rid itself of this corrupt government,” said Carlito.

“Actually they are,” said John.  “And they are looking to enlarge their organization to gain in strength,” continued John.

“I have been hearing all kinds of rumours that this is happening but nobody has ever approached me to enlist me,” said Carlito.

“If you are dead serious and committed to unseating the government, I could introduce you to the group that is working hard towards that end,” said John.

“Great! “ said Carlito.  “Does that mean that you are also a member of this group,” asked Carlito?

Both of them paused and took a long sip at their drinks.

“I honour you for your empathy towards our suffering brothers my dear Carlito.  The freedom fighters, as we prefer to call ourselves, are seeking to restore the dignity of the people.  As a member, I am asking that you join me in raising funds for the organization. I know you to be a creative and aggressive person and I am going to need your assistance.  I will also arrange for you to be sworn in by our leader who is presently away on training.  As soon as he gets back I will contact you,” encouraged John.

They drank well into the night and since both Carlito and John were inebriated to the point that they could not even stand up, they both fell asleep in their respective comfortable leather covered chairs and woke up late in the morning.

CHAPTER 16

The death of Chief Sebastian Santiago was taken seriously by the Police Department.  As with most police forces, there existed a brotherhood which dictated that if one of their own was murdered, the other members of the police force would double their efforts to find the culprit and bring him or her to justice.  More often than not, the Police dispensed justice on their own by killing the suspect. 

The first duty of the government was to find a replacement for Chief Santiago.  This was done as expeditiously as possible.  The replacement was Chief Agapito Alfredo.  Chief Alfredo was a brutal individual and reputed to be even more devious than his predecessor Chief Santiago.

In public he presented an image of an understanding and benevolent father, but his Jekyll and Hyde personality was well known and the community was alerted to avoid him as much as possible.  Chief Alfredo called a meeting of all the Inspectors that served under him.  He made it clear that each of them had to be vigilant about a wave of suspected terrorists who intended to unseat the government.  They were to introduce a number of spies into the community in order to identify the culprits.  Arrests were to be made on the slightest suspicion of anybody attempting to break the law. 

In a very short time, the entire east side of Nicaragua was placed in a state of alert with spies dressed as labourers, salesmen, and vendors, who intermingled with the locals in the bars and restaurants and even Church groups.  Several arrests were made by the police who were tipped off by these spies.  The entire community lived in fear, and the market place, which was once bustling with sounds of people and animals, soon became quiet and subdued.

It soon became obvious that spies were at work, and the growing resistance group made it their task to spot these spies and exterminate them.  Within a month, at least ten spies were identified and all ten of them were neutralized.  The Police then poured their forces into the villages and used any excuse (even made-up ones) to brutalize the inhabitants.  Even young children were not spared the wrath of the police force.

The underground had now grown to a regular army.  This was not surprising since with all the repression against the people, the common man was looking out for a way to fight back.  At least thirty of the freedom fighters had been trained in Russia.  These men were given their own cell of manageable numbers.  Regular meetings were held in secret and training in the use of firearms (scanty as the weapons were) in remote areas were undertaken.  The frequency of these meetings increased as the day of reckoning drew closer.    A large number of newly signed up fighters received their army training in Cuba.   Now that the freedom fighters had become an organized group, they were ready to hit back.  Their weapon of choice were knives.  Their training in the use of these lethal weapons was thorough.  Weapons, such as guns and ammunition were smuggled in from Cuba at regular intervals and distributed to the freedom fighters all over the country.

At regular intervals, the police were attacked in different parts of the village and it was not unusual that several policemen were killed, usually at night.  Their guns were then harvested and kept in safe hiding places.

A reign of terror developed and no government politician was safe anymore. 

It reached a stage that the police officers were afraid to monitor what was going on in the villages since they feared for their lives.

CHAPTER 17

There was an exodus of foreign visitors and  settlers from Nicaragua.  The Americans were the first to leave since the Nicaraguans felt deeply that they were not to be trusted.  They were suspected of complicity with the existing government run of Anastasio Somoza so that they could establish a presence closer to Cuba and other unfriendly countries around Nicaragua, who the Americans considered hostile to America.

The Nicaraguan army was put on high alert.  However, little did the government know, that many in the army itself privately ceased to be loyal to the government, and if push came to shove, the army in all likelihood, would switch their allegiance to the freedom fighters.

Of course, those in the army who had divided loyalties remained very quiet about it.  The army dissenters, however, were kept abreast of the preparations that were being put in place for the final assault on the government in power.  After all, they belonged to the communities all over Nicaragua and were therefore made aware of what was in store fr the government.

John discovered that it was an onerous task trying to raise funds from a community that was on the subsistence level.  He reported the matter to Jose Martinez, the cell leader, who was more than willing to concede that John’s time should be put to a more productive and purposeful use.  Jose was also aware that the entire movement was now being financed by the Russians.  Even the military hardware was steadily being smuggled into the country by way of Cuba and distributed to various cells within the country. Private tutorials in the use of these weapons were given to cell members in preparation for the final assault.

 Since John was answerable to nobody and lived alone, Jose cast him in the role of “messenger”.  His task was to convey to other cells, through word of mouth, any important decisions regarding strategy.  What was once the underground movement was now called the “Sandinistas” and was headed by Danial Ortega.   The telephone service was now being seriously monitored by the government and this rendered it totally unsafe as a communicative device.  This placed a serious sense of responsibility on John’s shoulders.  The State Police was not to be caught napping either.  They had already compiled a generous list of villagers who they suspected to be involved in what they considered treasonable acts against the government.  John was somewhere on that list and was warned to be on the alert at all times.

What complicated John’s life, however, was the sudden, unannounced arrival of his wife.  Alison had enough time to think about her role as a wife when she returned to Canada.  She had pangs of conscience that since she had taken the marriage oath of “for better and for worse”, her loyalty and place was to be beside her husband.  She also hoped that she would be able to convince John to return to Canada since things were getting very tense in Nicaragua.  She hoped to be persuasive enough and compromise with him that after things returned to some semblance of normality, they could then return to the country.

John was of two minds when he came home after one of his assigned trips.  He was happy to see her, however, he was so involved in the political movement that her presence would seem an impediment to his contribution to the effort.  Furthermore, since the revolution was inevitable, he thought that that Alison’s life was in jeopardy because of his involvement in the revolution.  He thought that it was only fair for him to put his cards on the table.

“I am happy that you came back my dear.  I really thought that I had lost you forever,” commenced John.

“Honey, I am sorry I left you.  I did it because it was my hope that you would have time to think about our lives together.  I recognize that you are a good man.  I know how giving you are, but this is not our country and I was in perpetual worry about what our fate would be if you got involved in the politics of this country,” said Alison.

“After you left Alison, I had little to live for.  I rarely heard from you so I thought that it was curtains in our relationship.  I am now deeper into the politics of this land because I had nothing else to live for,” replied John.

“I’m sorry about abandoning you John, but I had become really worried about your involvement in this dangerous game of politics.  Furthermore, your safety was my main concern and so was mine.  Perhaps I was being selfish but then there was no way that I could convince you that as a foreigner, you would eventually get caught and then find yourself languishing in prison,” said Alison.

“Things are getting dangerously serious right now.  My suggestion is that you take the first plane out of here and await word from me that you return,” said John.

“No John.  I am going to stay with you for better or for worse.  My place is besides you,” insisted Alison.

“A word of warning.  I am rarely going to be at home.  You are going to have to fend for yourself.  I am bound to secrecy about my whereabouts and in any case, it is best that you did not know where I will be, just in case you are questioned by the police,” said John.

Alison made no response. 

CHAPTER 18

The Revolution started.  All over the country, the police stations were the first to be targeted.  Once taken, the arms storage was forced open so that the guns and ammunition were promptly absconded by the invading forces.

Members of the government were rounded up at gun-point and taken into custody by the Sandinistas.

There was chaos in the streets.  Villages, loyal to the Sandinistas, ran through the streets with machetes and anything that might serve as a weapon for their personal protection.  Many villagers broke into stores and left them bare after they left.  Poverty can sometimes raise the appetite of people for revenge and it was not uncommon to use this period of anarchy to get even with people against whom they carried a grudge.  There was a lot of blood spilt on the roads of Nicaragua.

And where was the army at this time?  More than half the army deserted and joined the Sandinistas.   Those soldiers loyal to the government declared war against those who deserted.  It was the army fighting the army.

In a short time, victory was declared by the Sandinistas, and Daniel Ortega was installed as the President of Nicaragua.

When John returned to his house, there was nothing left of it.  It was burned to the ground.  Alison was nowhere to be seen.  He feared that the worst must have happened to her.  He felt pangs of conscience that he might have been responsible for her death.  While he stood staring at the building, telling himself that he should return to Canada now that the people were in the hands of a caring leader, he heard a voice behind him.

“Senior, I am sorry to see your beautiful house in such shambles.  This was not done by the government or the army.  It was the people from the village who torched the house.  When I saw them coming, I quickly knocked on the door to determine whether there was anybody home. There was no answer, so I thought that perhaps everybody had gone into hiding.  As I was about to leave, however, I heard the voice of a woman asking who I was.  I promptly told her that she had better come with me since the villagers were going around burning all the houses that belonged to foreigners.  She promptly got her things, and I took her over to my house where she could be safe.  My wife was very happy to help her too.”

“So she is alive???!!”

“Yes, senior.  You come with me.”

Alison was overjoyed to see John approach the house.  She ran into his arms and told him how worried she was about his safety.

“My job is done here, my dearest.”

“Let’s go home.”