sharing whisky with Idi

When I arrived he was sitting on the far end of his living room, a massive 150 sq meter room.

His wife had gone to a charity organization meeting. Everybody “just” loves her over there. Totally. So, there we were, on a Sunday morning, sitting and drinking good whisky while the wonderful sea view was in front of us , watching sweaty people walking on the promenade while the weather over here was “Summer in London”, sponsored by the lovely Central air conditioning. Hence the reason we were having whisky. No, I won’t say that it was playing one of Ella Fitzgerald’s songbooks. But it actually was.

Told Idi: “sometimes I have this feeling I am ‘rowing against the tide’. The more ideas I have to try and save what I’ve got, seems like none gets me anywhere. Everywhere, in every industry, I see businessmen totally broke. I just can’t understand what our parents saw in this unforsaken country. They tell us so many wonders on how business was easy to be done, how ethics and moral among small businessmen was high…The generosity towards immigrants who came and were quickly blended in the commerce world. I just don’t get it”.

Idi closed his eyes and sighed. You wish he'd done it. Like a rabbi. Sorry to disappoint you-he didn’t. He was sharp and hard: “there isn’t any money left over here. Either you realize it or not”. Now, there was my axiom. Aw, powerful oracle! What now? What does he mean by it? Will I get another chance to ask him to put it in details? Maybe a few examples from people around him-you know, that kind of talk that spices things up a bit: some details of people we are so sure to be successful, but actually are in deep shit. Oh, wonderful Idi, give me some comfort by saying that the wonder guy next door is actually broke. He would have known. He deals with everybody’s money. He just cannot tell. That’s his secret. He kept it to him. Also, he is the first to know which industry is going well, and he puts his hand in it.

But I was left with no comfort at all. So, one final question I had to put through to him: “what if I move to another country?” Silence from his face. An eyebrow was lifted. A sign. This is it. That’s what he meant all the time. Need to rush back home and tell my partner about this conversation. Tell you later.