129.
We marched up the beach and into the jungle until we came upon a clearing. A table was covered with a lace tablecloth and set with porcelain and silver, crumpets and butter
and clotted cream. A pile of skulls was offered as a gruesome centerpiece.
“All of you, sit down with us.” Our host took a seat next to me and poured, balancing the fragile porcelain pot between its claws. “Our world is abuzz with rumor, fear and hope about you, Oliver. The knowledge you are accumulating threatens those in control. Why have you come to Indonesia?”
“He is here to learn about the genocide.”, answered Conrad.
“Genocide? You never mentioned -” But I was cut off.
“Ah, genocide.”, sighed our host. “Jumbo’s Genocide, I call it. Jumbo didn’t have the restraint of his predecessor, no restraint at all, actually. I remember what he told the Greek Ambassador two years before the CIA engineered a military coup in Greece: ‘Fuck your parliament and your constitution. America is an elephant, and you are a flea.’ Indonesia was quite a notch in his and the CIA’s belt. I so hate the CIA. Some of them are our guests today at table.” It gestured at the pile of skulls. “I’m afraid I am the wrong dragon to tell you such a sad story. My temper gets out of control at the very thought of it. Let us have our tea with a toast. To Sukarno, our George Washington.”
“To Sukarno.”, murmured the other dragons reverently.
We indulged ourselves silently and respectfully.
“All of you, sit down with us.” Our host took a seat next to me and poured, balancing the fragile porcelain pot between its claws. “Our world is abuzz with rumor, fear and hope about you, Oliver. The knowledge you are accumulating threatens those in control. Why have you come to Indonesia?”
“He is here to learn about the genocide.”, answered Conrad.
“Genocide? You never mentioned -” But I was cut off.
“Ah, genocide.”, sighed our host. “Jumbo’s Genocide, I call it. Jumbo didn’t have the restraint of his predecessor, no restraint at all, actually. I remember what he told the Greek Ambassador two years before the CIA engineered a military coup in Greece: ‘Fuck your parliament and your constitution. America is an elephant, and you are a flea.’ Indonesia was quite a notch in his and the CIA’s belt. I so hate the CIA. Some of them are our guests today at table.” It gestured at the pile of skulls. “I’m afraid I am the wrong dragon to tell you such a sad story. My temper gets out of control at the very thought of it. Let us have our tea with a toast. To Sukarno, our George Washington.”
“To Sukarno.”, murmured the other dragons reverently.
We indulged ourselves silently and respectfully.
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