The Snake

The Snake

I am Nareelya. I'm the wife of Paran. Our marriage was arranged when I was fifteen and he was twenty. We did not marry until he had graduated University and passed his examinations to become a Solicitor.

Paran is very well known in our city as an honest man. He has four other solicitors in his office as well as other staff. We are considered upper middle class. Paran has been elected to our city council.

I also have two sons; Chalda and Malak. Both have graduated university and are employed as engineers in a city fifty kilometers south of us.

Chalda is a Traffic Engineer. He says he is designing the city of tomorrow.

Malak's specialty is water, its purity and safety. In our country that is very important.

I do not see them often but they do telephone regularly.

Chalda has mentioned a young lady he is interested in, but has not asked that we make the proper enquiry of her parents yet.

Our city is in the mountains where it is neither too hot in the summer or cold in the winter. We do experience the monsoon, but all the trees on our mountain deflects the worst of the wind and rain.

We own the building we live in; we have a seven room flat with balconies looking west and south. My kitchen window looks out upon the street. Below us is a green grocer and beside him a shoe maker and a seamstress.

My windows are almost always open as I enjoy the sights, sounds, and smells of the city.

Across the street is the telephone office. It used to be where all the local phones were routed and the women inside would connect us to the party we wished to speak to. Now they just sell mobile phones and manage the maintenance of cell towers. I do not know what happened to the women who worked there.

Many live along the street, some have businesses in the front of their homes - the butcher is one. Several are laundress. A bank is at the far end.

A few of the women earn a living pleasuring men. I do not condone that, but neither do I condemn it as one must make a living.

One of those is the widow Shayla. Her husband had been a carpenter. He was much in demand because of the quality of his craft. When he died, she had to find a way to survive.

~~~

I was in my kitchen when the snake came in.

I asked why it was there, but it didn't answer.

I thought my mother-in-law had sent it if she were upset at me, but it wouldn't say.

So I gave it some chicken and it went away.

~~~

A week later I was in my kitchen when the snake came in again.

I asked why it was there but it didn't answer.

So I gave it some chicken and it went away.

~~~

Another week went by and then the snake came into my kitchen.

When I asked why it was there it went to my window.

My husband was on the street talking with the widow, Shayla.

Her husband had been bitten by a snake.

They were at a respectful distance.

I gave the snake some chicken and it left.

Later I asked my husband why he was speaking with the widow Shayla.

He is the Local Commissioner and he said she was concerned about the quality of the road

~~~

Another week and the snake came to my kitchen.

I asked why it was there and it went to my window.

My husband was speaking with the widow Shayla.

She had a hand on his arm.

I gave the snake some chicken and it left.

My husband said the widow Shayla worried about crime.

~~~

Another week and the snake came to my kitchen.

I asked why it was there and it went to my window.

My husband was standing quite close to the widow Shayla with a hand on her hip.

I gave the snake some chicken and it left.

My husband said the widow Shayla was concerned about her electricity.

~~~

The next week the snake did not come by.

My husband did not come home.

Four days later the widow Shayla was found in her bed with the bloated body of a man atop her. I recognized his shoe.

Now I am known as the widow Nareelya.

~~~

The next week the snake came by.

I gave it a chicken.