Initiation

By Adetokunbo Abiola 

I do not wake this December afternoon because the waves of the Atlantic Ocean breaks on the Kuramo beach with a roar. After a few days of living in the abandoned shack, I am used to the sound of the ocean. What wakes me up is Muyi’s shout: “Come later in the day! Come later in the day! I’ll give you money.” I am not used to Muyi, my elder brother, speaking this way. If he said, “I’ll break your head, you motherfucker!” It would have been more in character. However, his conciliatory tone makes me curious, and I roll over on the sand and stare. 

Dancing Jasper shouts at him: “Moni owo mi da? Where is my money?” People say Dancing Jasper works for Alaye Papa, the ‘Area father’ of this part of Kuramo Beach . Sweet Mama, who owns the bar where Muyi and I work, calls him Omo Alaye Papa. One of the ‘Area Boy’ at the beach told Muyi and me the previous evening:

“Settlement is your certificate for Kuramo. Once you settle Dancing Jasper you and your brother can work here.”

How To Treat A Genie

By G. David Schwartz

There are several ways to determine how to treat a genie. Most say it is to do so like a salesman. That is, with rudeness and sub-specialty. 

First, you must learn to recognize who and what is a genie, which is not as simple as it seems. They are not scepters you can recognize by their movement, deduce by their absence. No they are rely there.

You may bump into them and not even notice you did so. They are not quite human. But still they try on shoes. Don't you think genies need shoes?

You are allowed to hit the genie. On the head, or kick the genie in the knees. The trick is, of course, you need to locate the genie. Still, the genie has no human emotions, nor any non-human emotions. Druids do feel pain. They do not need politeness. Nor do they need napkins. They are extremely rude non-people.