My Buddy, Mr Bush

A translation of Thangjam Ibopishak's Eigi Marup Mister Bush originally published in the collection Shrimati Tomcha Babu (Writers' Forum Imphal, 2007).

Bring Them On (Thangjam Ibopishak, before he became Shrimati Tomcha Babu, had met George W Bush at a hotel in Lilong)

Last evening
In a hotel in Lilong Bazar
I had red tea together
With the president of America, George W Bush.
We gabbed
On terrorrism in Iraq
On the changing landscape
in the relation between India and Pakistan.
He said: "To fight the global terrorism
The Meitei martial art is the only way,
No nuclear warfare, nothing will do."
That's true;
We have the Meitei theng-gourol
In a flash of the sword
that a flyspeck seed of sesame cannot slip in
that five English heads had literally rolled!
Bush is bright
But brighter am I.
I asked: "Have you heard about the Manipuri art
called chainarol mentioned in the ancient puya?
The Maoist revolution in Nepal is going out of control;
How would you solve it?"
He replied: "Listen to the Bhagavad Gita
Spread the Hindu wisdom."
Towards the end of the meeting, I said:
"Mr President, I have no money
I have to go back to Imphal by bus
Give me Rs 10."
He answered:
"I have only American dollars
Not even a single rupee;
But my friend, Tariq Ali,
He has moved in to a house near the Ahanbi,
Tell him that I have sent you."
Then he hopped onto his Hero cycle,
Promising we should meet again at the White House,
He bade goodbye.
Oh! Bush had left his bidi packet!