This dream was bit strange.
I was on holiday (not New Year) and was in strange place which to me was a nature reserve.
I do not know (this is a true dream not made up) whether I was in Yala, Wasgamuwa or Wilpattu.
I had never been there and when I was proceeding, by strange coincidence I met one of my colleagues (he was true to life and I do not want to discover his identity and let me say he was our head of the department, I work.
He was dazed, looked as if he was pretty drunk and could not help me finding my way toward the nature reserve but he was demanding help from me, instead.
Knowing the chappy very well who enjoys a hard drink I had no option but to help him.
He asked me to find a urine bottle that he had collected and test it for alcohol.
He wanted to prove that he was not drunk and innocent.
I said, do not be stupid do not give urine for testing one can put something to it like what they do it when testing sports people, especially Sri-Lankan.
Besides, it is not the done thing for alcohol
He said, it is for drugs not alcohol.
I said wait a while till the effect of drug or alcohol to wear off and offer a sample of blood.
This is not a city, the periphery of the nature reserve and one can wait till one reaches a civilized station to test.
I could not convince him and he demanded I should find the urine bottle.
I asked where?
Then he pointed out to a place where I found a bottle which looked ancient artifact and was about to hand over the specimen and I was woken up.
Actually, I woke up because of the fire crackers and it was auspicious time for lighting the hearth.
I said to myself, it is very auspicious time for my dreams and my wife would do the necessary preparation and dropped to sleep instantaneously.
My dog was hovering with fear of fire crackers and I directed him under my bed.
Before, I could bat an eyelid I was in another dream mode.
This part had no relationship to the first part.
That’s what I thought.
It was very brief.
I saw a she elephant shot dead.
Then before she died she delivered her baby in good condition and took her last breath.
By some strange coincidence there was another nursing elephant mother nearby who took care of the placenta and the baby.
Having done obstetrics in my life delivery of a baby was no surprise but seeing an elephant baby coming out to this world was an exciting episode even in my dream.
There was no screaming, grunts or panic panting, as when women were delivering but she was in excruciating pain of the bullet wound that had pierced the chest not the belly fortunately.
I was woken up angry.
I immediately posted it to Maha Brahma since I also has a request for a partner for the delinquent swift in our little garden.
He responded immediately.
Why were you so angry?
Did the bank officer gave you a call on the New Year Day asking you to pay the debts?
How is your new telephone extension?
How did you know, I asked?
I keep an eye on you these days and you were bit liberal on your cash?
Were n’t you?
How do you know?
Every time you do a good thing, I get a little tinkle here.
That is news to me.
It was nice of you to give a digital radio with a rechargeable battery to your blind friend.
I got a thump here and he was profusely thanking me, instead of you.
Did he?
YES.
Why did he, did not thank me?
Did he think that I was a god.
Sort of.
I was angry that a she elephant pregnant was shot at.
Can this happen in this blessed land?
YES all the time, he said.
I got more worked up.
Do not be so angry.
This is new year time, know.
I said I get worked up more on new year time.
Why?
Don’t you read my blog post about peanuts and cashew nuts.
But cashew nut are cheap in heaven, know.
But they are very expensive, here.
I bought a sample for a cake my daughter made and she did not put them on, since, she told me it was not enough to fill the cake.
I asked her what happened to cashew?
I ate them all, she said.
Did you give some to Mallie.
YES.
Not only cashew everything is expensive and this the time every household is hot with anger and they attribute it to things like chillies (as a scapegoat).
Even chillies are expansive.
I know all this but I was pulling your leg.
How did your new year go by.
It took the whole day for me to clean up my fish tanks.
This time only a few fish died due to warm weather.
I took all the precautions.
Only problem is when it rains it pours and fills up the tanks and with the overflow, fish slip out to the cement floor and I have to catch them and put them back.
Is that so?
YES.
When it is dry, the water level goes down rapidly and I have to fill them up with water
Besides, algal bloom take over in a few days.
Then the fish die of lack of oxygen.
It is no fun looking after fish now.
Soon I am going to give up caring for fish.
Do you eat fish now.
NO.
Are n’t you interested in the interpretation?
I am but I am bit confused.
Did you have some liquor?
Not even wine this time.
Why?
I cannot afford.
Why did you ask that question?
Just for my own sanity.
Why?
I had to put the two parts together and took a bit of pondering.
It was a bit of a brain teaser?
I thought you were drunk and was pulling a fast one to test my ability.
None of it.
I won’t do that even to a friend of mine.
I do not believe you.
Was it my Head?
What head, your nut?
The head of our department?
I see.
NO.
Were they connected?
YES.
How come?
Wait will you.
Can ask you a favor?
Fire on.
Can you find a partner for the little swift who has become a problem lately.
Would you mind waiting for the next season?
No problem.
Are you ready.
YES.
Interpretation.
This actually happened in the pretext of Eco-tourism.
They take children from hifi families to the wilderness for shooting wild animals.
Wild boar?
NO.
Big game animals and they stay there for weeks on end and have barbecue in the jungle.
My goodness.
Is it true?
Yes.
Do they shoot elephants?
Yes if they are tuskers.
But a she elephant?
That was an accident.
When they were shooting the game this she elephant came across.
The young guy had a direct hit at her.
Who is this young Guy?
I cannot tell you due to security concern.
Highly connected guy?
How do you know?
That is what is happening usually.
Let us skip that part.
Who is that guy drugged or drunk?
He was the chief of the conservation and not your head.
Thank God for that.
I cannot work under person like him, you know who is drunk.
If my head drinks or drugged like that, I probably will leave the university.
University guys are good at drinking, know?
Yes, but one must not go beyond one’s limit. then one loses, everything including status.
This guy actually videoed the whole incident.
He was caught by the son of the big shot and drugged to cover up the episode leaking to the media.
Then he was imprisoned and charged for use and abuse of drugs.
The jungle is the production factory for drugs from 1970s know?
It is not a big deal, know?
Yes, yes but one must not catch the culprits.
Both Games, Hunting and Drug cultivation should continue under the patronage of politicians.
That cannot be done now with the Bodu Balawegayain in full spring, know.
What nonsense?
It is only the front organization, the real organization is under full cover and protection.
What can one do?
Practically nothing unless one changes the whole administrative thing.
Those heads are only figure heads and without any power.
Real heads are politicians' sons and daughters.
They actually select headless and heedless people to run conservation and many more institutions including banks now.
Oh, I see.
What happened to the video.
It was sent to a film award in USA and got a Gold.
How come?
It was edited and dubbed to look as if they were really protecting the forest.
The son got a big post in the world wold life conservation.
Just like Prince Philip?
YES.
But Prince Philip does not do things like that, know?
That is the work of the foreign affairs.
Prince foolishly believed the protocol.
Oh, I see.
He is bit stupid know.
WHO?
Prince Philip.
Do you think intelligent guys are born to Royal Families.
I suppose not.
The guy (Head of Conservation) became insane and he was warded and he always ask for the bottle with urine sample when a nurse comes near him.
I was not a nurse, know.
You stupid, don’t you realize this is a dream?
I suppose, I have to take your stance.
That’s all.
In fifty or less years from now, there is no fuel for airbuses and vehicles.
Most of this country go to wilderness again.
That is good know.
The guy who was involved in Fun and Games was prosecuted for all the offenses he was involved in, while his father was in office and he slipped to the jungle when the father died and was living in a jungle hut.
One day, the baby elephant now big, came in and did what he did to his mother to the guy.
What Karma is that?
That is the Karma that has effect in this life.
One does not have to wait for another life.
See, YOU SOON and he disappeared
Today is Earth Day.
You can do five simple things to help we save the planet.
1. Plant a tree on your birth day and look after it for the rest of your life.
Spend a few (5) minutes each day caring for it.
If you do not have a big garden go and buy a big pot to suit your needs and at least plant a jasmine and make sure once it is mature, that you make few more sapling from it's long branches into smaller pot and give it to a friend to care for it.
It flowers almost throughout the year.
There are three varieties.
Sri-Lankan variety which is difficult to care and is a slender plant, the Indian variety and the commoner garden one (needs a big pot) which is rugged and can withstand dry warm weather better. It flowers almost every day.
2. Eat veggies
3. Walk.
Do not drive your car but use the public transport.
4. Use reusable carrier bag and refuse to use polythene
5. Switch off all unnecessary bulbs in your house and change to energy saving bulbs.
Having done that make life digital and use electronic mail instead of paper mail.
Go digital and make your life paper free.
