CHAPTER 20
Prometheus had been foolish to bestow fire on men,
instead of selling it to them: he would have made money,
placated Jove, and avoided all that trouble with the vulture.
PRIMO LEVI, The Periodic Table
1. Eat Beans
After leaving the Nile village, Roy returned to the Lake Tana Resort
in the hopes of finding Crash, but the employees said he had run
away in a rush. Luckily, Roy’s passport had been found in his
abandoned pants on Deq and sent back to the American Embassy in
Addis, though his wallet and money was missing of course. He liked
to think it helped pay for the golden treasure Winfield unearthed.
The bellboy fed him and helped him onto another horrible bus to
Addis Ababa, but this time Roy actually enjoyed the trip. He was so
filled with optimism he barely needed to breathe.
Upon arriving in Addis, the first thing he did was call Webele,
who took care of him and gave him a thorough physical. “Nothing
wrong with you,” Webele concluded, “But I must admit, you seem
different.”
Of course he did. Everything was different now. Roy explained
his discovery to the aged Ethiopian doctor and outlined what part he
might play in helping to ship the beans. Webele, who had seen big
ideas come and go figured that one more couldn’t hurt. He threw in
his lot.
“I won’t live too much longer. What do I have to lose?” he said,
looking uneasy as he did so.
At their airport farewell, Roy would not accept Webele’s money.
“They have food on the plane,” Roy said. “My friends will pick me up.
I’m all set.”
The doctor shrugged, “You know, you never visited Axum. You
never went to see the Ark of the Covenant.”
“Another time,” Roy said. “We’ll have a reunion and go together.
To toast our success.”
“Very well,” the doctor said, “Eat beans.”
ABYSSINIA
312
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