[Svaneska]

Hello Bassim

Peering through the door in the direction of Mohammed still sweeping the floor, his face clouded with apathy, his movements slow and heavy. Jesus asked himself if he had chosen the right country to return to. However, he could not wait any longer. He could not watch passively while human beings suffered and killed each other in meaningless wars that only brought misery. His heart was broken hundreds of times/so many times, he cried almost every day seeing his brothers and sisters coming closer to destruction. They trudged the path from which there was no return.

The worst of it was that there was no one to warn them, no one to tell them the difference between right and wrong. Probably, they would not have listened anyway. He felt such pain watching them, devouring fat burgers and pizzas and gulping down cloying fizzy drinks. Just a glance at their pot-bellies and their swollen faces brought tears to his eyes. He knew they would all die prematurely.

He could not tolerate it, to see the leading politicians lying, manipulating and forcing their own people into wars and sacrifices. Every wound and injury he saw on the soldiers hurt him as if they were his own. Their cries and howls were also his own. Their spilt blood was his own blood. He saw children without their limbs, their mothers raped and killed, their fathers tortured to death and his soul wept in desperation.

Children killed each other, pupils killed their own teachers, dogs mauled babies to death - there was no end to their wicked deeds. Why should he wait any longer? What was the meaning of returning late when everyone would be burning in the fire of hell?

However, the Father warned him, even Abraham, Moses and Mohammed did. Humans are not as they were before. Many of them loved "Big Brother" more than their own soul. They did not know the meaning of life any longer; lost in the hunt for material things and success. Even some of the priests preferred spending their time at IKEA, buying cheap furniture and sausages[??] than praying.

But Jesus was unyielding. If they had crucified him once, they could not do that a second time. There are laws and regulations. He was not afraid neither of atheists nor multinational corporations. His spirit would fall over the earth like a rain and make it blossom like the most beautiful flower.

He asked himself where was the best place to start, He flipped through the different reports, books and articles to find a country which perfectly combined industry and humanity. After an extensive pondering his choice was narrowed to only a few. All of them had their drawbacks and advantages. For example Switzerland is rich with beautiful scenery and lakes but soiled with money laundering. The UK is the land of culture and arts but binge drinking and yobs do not leave people in peace. The USA is basking in the sun but it is too wasteful, one must have a car if one wants to survive. Finally, his choice fell on a far away country in the North of Europe called Sweden.

According to all official statistics this was the country where people are happiest in the world. Everything was almost perfect, from health care to and education, to public services and child care. The country had not had a war in the last three hundred years and the Swedes did no harm to other nations. True, there were some dark periods in the Second World War when they adored{?this is perhaps too strong a word to use}admired Hitler and his policies, but nobody is perfect. The books said that Swedish scenery is beautiful with lakes and rivers everywhere and the air is clean as it was in the Viking times.

Jesus remembered watching television programmes from the Earth when he was bored. The signals were distorted at times, but in 1974 when ABBA won the Eurovision Song Contest with "Waterloo", the reception was perfect. He still remembered two tall Swedish girls, one blonde and the other brown haired/brunette, moving their lovely hips in rhythm with the music. He even saw busty Anita Edberg bathing in one of the Rome's fountains in Fellini’s film "Dolce Vita."

"People say that God loves beauty. Sweden is filled with beautiful women and that means God loves Sweden very much," thought Jesus overjoyed with his choice. He wanted to learn Swedish as soon as possible and went to Paradise to find someone who could teach him the language. There was an old Swede, called Goran who had just died and Jesus hurried to meet him and feel the smell of the Earth which still lingered on his body.

Goran told him that Sweden was a beautiful place, with long winters and short summers, inhabited by shy Swedes and some immigrants who Swedes used to call blackheads when they were angry, especially when they saw them take their women. He told him about the tasteless Swedish food and the meatballs one can buy at the supermarket. He also described for him the form and the taste of a favourite Swedish cake called "nigger balls." He described for him the weekends and cities overcrowded with drunken men and women who behave like animals and advised him to avoid crowded places if he did not want to get his clothes spoiled with someone's vomit. All this left Jesus in a state of awe and expectation. It was clear that Sweden was a country which was thirsting for a spiritual revival and he was the only person who could quench its thirst.

Every day Goran taught him Swedish according to the special method called Swedish for immigrants. After two years Jesus spoke Swedish very well, although with an accent. He still had a problem pronouncing some words which gave him cramp in his mouth and made his tongue swollen. However, his love for Sweden and humankind was stronger than any barriers.

When the time had come for the trip they all gathered around him, hugging and kissing him, wishing him good luck. There were cries and moans and then he disappeared into the unknown.

To be continued…