112 The Beauty of Chaos (1/2)
When Carlton Brock returned to his suite following a delicious second breakfast - mushroom omelettes ruled! - he found Odongo waiting for him inside.
”Nelson!” he exclaimed. ”What - how did you - oh, I see. I didn't lock the door.”
”I'm sorry,” said Nelson Odongo, and he looked like he meant it. He really looked full of sorrow, and Brock had the disagreeable premonition it was one of those Carlton, help me situations. He said:
”What's up, Nelson? Why did you want to see me? Let me guess. You need my support this afternoon.”
”Of course I need it,” Odongo said sadly. ”Who doesn't? But this isn't what I wanted to talk to you about.”
”What is it, then?”
”I want to resign,” said Nelson Odongo.
”What?”
”I am forced to resign as world parliament member for the Uganda territory.”
”You want to resign from the parliament? Are you crazy?”
”I don't think so,” said Odongo.
”Listen,” said Brock. ”I know what this is all about. It's about the money. You're getting a shit salary and no cut from New World profits.”
”Money does play a part,” said Odongo. ”But you're forgetting I am also, by default, governor of Uganda's territory. So I am getting a cut of the New World profits. However, I cannot continue representing Uganda here in New York and simultaneously govern its territories in both worlds. It's just too much.”
”Other guys are in the same situation, and they're doing fine.”
”I have serious doubts whether they're really doing fine,” said Odongo. ”Time will tell. Anyway, the parliament members that think they're doing fine don't have the complicated political situation I have, back home.”
”What do you mean?”
”Carlton, please. I'm not a president or a prime minister. I've never been a member of Uganda's government. They asked me more than once to be a minister of something or other, and I refused. They don't like me for that over there.”
”Why did you turn them down? Money not too good?”
”Oh, the money would have been excellent if I stole and robbed whatever I could along with everyone else in the government,” said Odongo. ”Becoming a government minister in Africa is a shortcut to becoming a millionaire. Or a multimillionaire, if one is already a millionaire.”
”Perhaps even a billionaire?”
”It's been known to happen.”
”You don't like to rob and steal?”
”I don't,” said Odongo. ”And I don't like giving bribes, either. It's a major handicap for an African politician, possibly any politician. It was a major bonus when I was working with the aid agencies, though. That's how I advanced in my career: through international politics instead of local, national politics.”
”I see,” said Brock. ”You have no support base over there.”
”No.”
”Can't you delegate duties to someone who has?”
”What?”
”I'd prefer to stay here. I don't want to go back to Uganda.”
”Then you have no choice. You'll have to appoint a deputy who will take care of things over there.”
”I would prefer to resign my governorship. But as you've pointed out, the money one gets for being a member of the world parliament isn't too good. And a national territory governor gets 1% per cent of the New World profits. That's excellent money. Carlton, this afternoon I want to propose a change. Governors would get half a percentage point, and members of the world parliament half a percentage point also. If someone continues in both functions, they get a full point, just like now.”
”Whoa, whoa, whoa,” said Brock. ”Hold your horses for a minute. Let me think. How about a drink?”
”A glass of water would be very nice,” said Odongo.
”Water,” murmured Brock, slightly horrified. He walked up to his mini bar and fixed himself a bourbon. He couldn't find a single bottle of mineral water! He said:
”Nelson, I seem to have run out of bottled water. You don't want to drink that shit from the tap, do you?”
”Can I have a Coke? Or Sprite or whatever?”
”Whatever tickles your fancy,” Brock said heavily. He got a can of Coke and after a short hesitation, put some of his precious ice in Odongo's glass.
All the while he was thinking, thinking, thinking. So that was what it was all about - another Carlton, help me story! Odongo wanted half a point for being a member of the world parliament - that's what it all boiled down to. He said:
”I'm afraid I can't help you, Nelson. More: I'm going to fight your proposal tooth and claw. Splitting member of parliament and governor duties is a very bad move. Don't you see that?”
”I want to stay in New York.”
”Look, I can understand that. I really do. New York is a hell of a better place than, than Nairobi.”
”Kampala,” said Odongo. ”The Ugandan capital is Kampala.”
”Exactly. Don't want to hurt your feelings, but that sounds even worse than Nairobi. My heart fucking bleeds for you, I kid you not. But there's no way I'll support splitting parliament and governor duties. Do you understand? It's suicide. It makes the whole world parliament irrelevant.”
”A return to the roots,” said Odongo. ”As powerless as the former occupants of this building.”
”Nelson, you aren't making any sense.”
”I'm sorry. So you're saying I have no choice?”
”Of course you have a choice. You have many choices. You can quit everything and start a chicken farm or something. You can go hang yourself in the bathroom right after this conversation - nice tie, by the way. You can -”
”I get the picture,” said Odongo.