Lutivini Majanja
Boots on the ground When Morgan Mugula’s father returned from his peacekeeping in Croatia, he brought him combat boots. Avunjas. All cool people own avunjas, which they lace up to their shins and stomp in everywhere. Morgan strode into school with his brand new avunjas, shy and dull as always, but bouncing because everyone was staring at Morgan and his shiny black avunjas for once. Morgan is neither a chop nor a blot; he is somewhere in the safe middle. Morgan doesn’t get in trouble. Morgan who plays football or chobo mob or whatever other games boys in his class are playing at breaktime. Morgan whose school uniform is always ironed, not like Karim, the class ruffian. Karim’s shorts are tight and too short. His parents keep promising to buy him a new pair, and people tease him for coming to school in hot pants. Teachers don’t say anything because they know Karim’s parents won’t buy new shorts just yet. Anonymous well-wishers pay Karim’s and quiet-Juliet’s school fees. After that first day with brand new avunjas, Morgan rarely wears them. But everyone knows Morgan owns avunjas and they can never get avunjas like his because their fathers didn’t go to Croatia like Morgan’s father. Morgan’s desk mate is Fidelis, whose father is the pastor of a church which the President likes to visit on Sundays when everyone sees the President in the news singing Praise the Lord, praise the Lord let the people rejoice, and then Fidelis’ father preaches. When Fidelis’ father comes to school on Parents’ Day they all stare at him because it is as if he has come out of the TV but without his flowing robe which they think he wears every day, and he is somebody who greets the President. They ask Fidelis if she has ever met the President, and she says yes. They respect her because she is so humble as a pastor’s daughter. Morgan and Fidelis get along sharing rulers, pencils, and textbooks. Morgan brings Fidelis a pretty writing pad with pink flowers all around the edges of each leaf. It’s the type his big sister buys when going to boarding school every beginning of term. Morgan never writes to Fidelis—not his thing—but Fidelis admires Morgan’s neat 25
