The Terrorist

It's too easy to jump to conclusions these days.

 

I lived in a block of service flats

Right next to a power grid,

The endless hum made my mind go numb

And infected all I did.

I couldn't sleep as the hum grew loud

At night, in the wind and rain,

Even the walls vibrated, and

They rattled the window-panes.

 

I pulled the pillow up over my head,

I tried sleeping upside down,

I rammed thick towels under the doors

Lay wide awake, and frowned.

I tried complaints to the Power Co.

Who laughed, and said, 'We'll see...

If anyone else complains, we might

Build a whole new facility!'

 

He grinned, and I took a poke at him

Right over the counter top,

They called the guard and he tossed me out,

And threatened to call a cop.

My life was falling apart by then

I staggered back to my pad,

I hadn't slept for a month or so,

I thought I was going mad!

 

I'd just got back to the balcony

When I stopped myself, mid-stride,

For out from the next door flat, a man

Peered out, then went inside,

He slammed the door in a hurry then

As soon as he saw me there,

I heard him whisper as I walked by

In Arabic - I declare!

 

A swarthy man with a big black beard,

Dressed in a chequered shirt,

There'd never been anyone living there,

I knew that for a cert,

I wondered if he was squatting there,

Remembered to lock my door,

I didn't want midnight visitors calling

Waiting for me to snore.

 

Late that night I heard his footsteps

Out on the balcony,

I peered on out through the blinds, and saw

He stood with his back to me,

But in his hands was a strange device,

With wires and a dial, I swear,

A bomb, I thought, and began to tremble

'What if he puts it there?'

 

The grid was next to the balcony

Supplied this side of town,

The power to the local Army Base

Would go, if the grid went down,

As in a flash, I realised

The man was a terrorist,

'You never can trust a man with a beard'

I'd read in the yellow press.

 

For days I saw him come and go,

My eyes hung out of my head,

I wasn't thinking too straight, or I

Would have phoned the police, instead.

But I thought I could catch him unawares,

And maybe, get a reward,

I'd be in the papers - 'There's the Man -

Put a Terrorist to the Sword!'

 

I crept about, disguised myself,

Peered in through his window there,

Three men were sat at the table,

They were all dark skinned, not fair,

They each had a big black bushy beard

And the table was covered in tools,

Some copper wire and a big black box -

'They think that we're bloody fools!'

 

'They think that we're bloody fools,' I said,

As I turned to walk away,

I hid at the end of the balcony

'Til the sun went down that day,

They came on out, just after dark,

Leant over and touched the grid,

Fitted some wire and a big black box

Then went somewhere, and hid.

 

I waited 'til all was quiet there,

Then ripped off their copper wires,

Picked up their big black box and smashed it,

Down on the concrete tiles,

It was then that I heard an alarm go off

And lights were flashing blue,

An army of cops said - 'Down on your knees!

That's right; we're talking to you!'

 

They drove me down to the station then,

And took my fingerprints,

They wouldn't tell me the charges, just

Stood round me, dropping hints,

'You're going down for a long, long time,

We've had you on our list,

You're a trouble-maker, born and bred,

A typical terrorist!'

 

I caught a glimpse of myself just then

In a mirror on the wall,

I hadn't shaved for a month or so,

So bearded, gaunt and tall,

I wore my dirty chequered shirt,

I think that did me down,

They thought that I was the culprit

Not the saviour of the town!

 

The three guys were technicians, so

They said, when they'd simmered down,

Indian Techs who worked for them,

The Power Co. in town,

They'd had a complaint about the grid

And had come to check the hum,

They'd brought some special meter box -

I felt myself go numb!

 

I copped six hundred hours in court,

And a fifteen thousand fine,

That box was worth a million quid

They told me at the time,

I wear a beard and sunnies now

So nobody sees my face,

I live in a new apartment and

I've given up complaints!

 

David Lewis Paget

Reviews

[Valentine]

Another wild one David..I loved this..It shows just how easily things that go bump in the night can be completely innocent even though they drive us crazy..If I hear a knocking or humming sound..you can bet it had better be my hubby !!! It also tells of how the world is aware of the terrorist problem and know it can pop up any where..loved it..God bless..Valentine

[Silent Kim aka mizmetap..]

Very good one with a moral. As always a nice flow and the story put a smile on my face. I enjoyed.

[Norma J. Jessee]

Things that go bump in the night.......................Loveeeeeeeeeed it.
You had me rolling in the floor with laughter. Especially with your famous
twist at the end. Isn't is odd how sometimes things that we are so sure
of can turn out to be right the opposite. I have known many real life
situations like this ( one of which had a fatal ending.) I think that most
of us have suspicious minds now a days what with all the terrorist problems
and crime gooing on in the world.
An excelllent write David, that not only brought much needed laughter to
our lives but also taught a lesson .

[C.T. Bailey]

Oh yes...I can recognize the character in this piece readily. I work with a big lot of them...getting excercise by always jumping to conclusions. Great story....I kept waiting to see how you were going to come back to the main theme. Good underlying theme on stereotyping as well. A good message supplied in your usual terrific style. Loved it David...
Todd

[Debra Stevens Edwards (..]

Once again an excellent and humorous read. The stories enticing and a flawless flow. You are a wonderful story teller in case you did not know.
Always
Debby