
‘I come from a country where we don’t drink alcohol except eat bullets’ – Crimson Tazvinzwa
In light of the terrorist attacks at Mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand that left 50 innocent people dead and scores injured – and obviously both local and global attention zeroed on the despicable heinous attack; it is understandable people are talking about it everyday these days – new discourse on the definition of terrorism whether it ‘is immigrant’, homegrown or both.
But listen to this.
This last Sunday at Haymarket Leicester bus station I was confronted by a stranger …all he wanted was a lighter for a fag. Of course the guy was ‘way way worse for wear’ and could barely hold steady his can of cider- above the limit but could still just about talk – how miserable and depressed every people look in winter.
He also asked me: “Where are you from?”. I’m getting used to this type of interrogations from strangers – especially from my fellow immigrants. Anyways I let him know I am from Southern Africa, Zimbabwe; and that I have not been able to travel back there since I left 2000 to which he commented:
“Oh! Aah! Zimbabwe? Is it one of those ‘sh++ hole’ countries? To which we both laughed.
I then inquired his country of origin and he told me to which I was understandably shocked. It is a very religious country where alcohol is banned and women cannot just wonder off on streets without a ‘male escort’, could be a small boy or adult.
Any way in our brief encounter I protested why he was drinking; an act against his religion.
He answered in the most direct and eloquent manner:
‘I come from a country where we don’t drink alcohol but eat bullets’
Soar River, Leicester//Crimson Tazvinzwa/https://aiwa.press/ Leicester; City of sport and culture//Crimson Tazvinzwa/https://aiwa.press/ Sculpture hanging in the now shut down Fenwick dept. store//Crimson Tazvinzwa, https://aiwa.press/ The Great Wall of China –//Confucius Centre, De Montfort University//Crimson Tazvinzwa Leicester Valentine’s Day 2016 Leicester street art attack – BRING SOME MORE paint Leicester hallowen// Copyright Crimson Tazvinzwa// https://aiwa.press/ ‘London Eye’ of Leicester/copyright-Crimson Tazvinzwa 2019 Leicester, City of sport and culture-Crimson Tazvinzwa/https://aiwa.press///copyright Lilu Restaurant Leicester//Copyright//Crimson Tazvinzwa 2017 Pigeon basking in bad weather//Copyright – Crimson Tazvinzwa Wall picture in a bike shop, Naborough Road Leicester//Copyright Crimson Tazvinzwa, https://aiwa.press/ Art Attack Leicester, BRING MORE paint//Copyright – Crimson Tazvinzwa/https://aiwa.press/ Leicester seamstress//Copyright – Crimson Tazvinzwa//https://aiwa.press/ Leicester hallowen//Crimson Tazvinzwa//https://aiwa.press/
Daily MailSaying goodbye: The department store Fenwick closed major outlet in LeicesterBoer war memorial –Leicester Town Hall//Copyright – Crimson Tazvinzwa//https://aiwa.press/ rial//Crimson Tazvinzwa, https://aiwa.press/
Clock Tower – Copyright//Crimson Tazvinzwa/
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