By- Blien Solomon
It all happened so fast. One second it was quiet and everyone was indulged in their conversations and the next we heard glasses shatter and muffled shouting in the corner of the bar. Swears and sweat filled the room and two men were on each other’s throats, raging like wild animals. The speed of the bottles coming and the rage in their eyes made us stay away from the fight that looked like it would consume anyone that dares near them.
As everyone waited for the time of pure hatred and bloodiness to come to a halt, no one couldn’t help but wonder the reason that triggered this decent-looking man to behave like ravages of war. Curiosity alongside fear filled the spectators and it seems like the question to inquire was at the tip of their tongues. After a few hours passed, I decided to come through and ask the ladies that seem to be shaking beyond control but are kind enough to stay and help each of their men to calm down.
I approached the dark-skinned, afro-haired beauty who seems to get hold of herself faster than the others. I noticed she was talking in Tigrigna with her other ladies. This gave me leverage over the other seekers and asked her what happened in our mother language.
Shaking her head, she said ‘It’s stupid, I don’t even know how it escalated to this.’
Not backing off yet, I indulged more, ‘was this about a woman?’
Disappointed she looked grim and started to unfold the whole evening.
Two men and three women decided to just chill and hang out for the night. One guy named Yafet and the other 2 girls were Ethiopian and Merhawi, the other guy, and his girlfriend were Eritreans. They don’t know each other very well, but after a successful business endeavor between the two men, they decided to go out and celebrate.
It all started friendly and hype and everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves. But the demise of both men came to the surface halfway through the night when they all got drunk and no longer could keep their opinion to themselves.
She continued, ‘I don’t even know who started to insult who, but after a few minutes, I was sober enough to understand that things had escalated and they were saying things that they have been burying for long and one that they won’t be able to retrace back.’
With disdain in his eyes, Yafet was explaining how life has become hard for them to live.
‘It’s like every day the price hikes to something unbelievable and we have to work twice as hard just to make dead ends meet’.
Getting more emotional, ‘my house rent has tripled in the past two years and I don’t even know what I am supposed to do anymore. Maybe I should take my family and go to the countryside’, he said half-jokingly.
In a small whisper, he added, ‘well that is also because of the bloody Eritreans, coming with their dollars and not giving a rat’s ass about the amount of price they pay for the house or even think about the hell that is bringing upon us.’
While nodding in consensus, Merhawi stopped to look at Yafet, trying to confirm that what the guy is saying is indeed what he is hearing.
Bolting amid his complaining, ‘what do you mean it’s because of the Eritreans? It’s your damn government you whine to not us’ Merhawi snapped.
‘Well, as a matter of fact, it is your problem’ Yafet stood his ground.
‘You don’t know how to bargain and how to say no! The price of rent has hit the roof and we are at the receiving end of your weakness being exploited by the dealers.’
Merhawi was furious, ‘you are all the same’ he grunted.
‘You all are immoral and greedy when you come face to face with money and you just happen to have a taste of your own medicine’.
Proudly gazing into the bar, Merhawi said in a low voice, ‘you are lucky we are here, feeding your economy with our siblings’ dollars from abroad but all you do is gather in groups, complain, and disrupt the peace.’
Dumbfounded Yafet seemed to be speechless at what Merhawi dared to say.
‘Aren’t you high and mighty,’ Yafet grinned.
‘Look at you living in our country but still master to raise our name in vain. You Eritreans are something, just something’.
‘The arrogance is sickening’ he let out.
‘Don’t be cocky just yet man’ trying to downplay Yafet’s remarks, Merhawi added. ‘your city isn’t that great anyways.’
The girl then just burst into tears when she remembered the next scene.
Sobbing she said, ‘I didn’t know Yafet loved this city that much or he was just as drunk as what he was about to say but I have never seen him that angry nor hear those awful words that came out of his mouth’.
‘He started to speak at once, loud, shoving it to Merhawi’s face that they know nothing except fighting and violence’.
‘Keep your filthy hands and tongue out of my city, he screamed out loud’, Yafet raged.
Oh, I remember that I added, conveying the message that I was following the conversation all along.
Shattering as she remembered, ‘that’s when all hell broke loose.’
Outraged Merhawi then said, ‘let me show you how we fight like real men then’ picking up the chair and hurling it at us.
After that, it was all a blur.
