friend: who are they?

son: they are the presidents, the old and the new [the handshake - i would say one of anni's best shots ].

friend: why is that picture there?

son: my mum put it. that’s her login. [explaining that he has nothing to do with the desktop picture as it was not his login account - must be thinkig i am a freak ]

friend: who do you like?

son: i don’t know. i don’t mind either. as i said, doesn’t make much of a difference to me. but i  guess the old one was good. [they must have talked about the election before – i presume]

friend: so you don’t like change?

son: no it’s not that, but the old guy has been there for very long. 30 years. so he must be good ey!

friend: you don’t have regular elections?

son: yeah we do. every 5 years.

friend: isn’t the election every 4 years?

son: no, there it is every 5 and he has been chosen the last 6 times. i don’t know about the other guy. but the old one has been selected 6 times, so he must be god ey?……

———

this was a conversation between my son and his australian friend just yesterday. both to-be-teens soon. wonder what kids must have been making of all these political discussion that we have been having. any get together we have – we talk about the president and the opposition. no family meal goes without at least a mention of the situation back home. and this conversation is from someone who hasn’t been exposed to maldivian radio or tv for the last 18 or so months.

can’t help, but wonder what kids back home must have made of all that has happened during the past few months!!!