Kampala — Many times people ask me: "Did all those things you write about happen in your life?" In my life? No. Yeah, that is just how I live my life. I surround myself with the most interesting people. However, since you seem too interested in what did not happen in my circles, here you go. First, I'm hurt.

Just when I thought I was becoming a household name, people start insinuating they want to hear about other people. Anyway, because you pay for your paper, I will indulge you. Grudgingly!

This one came from one who was a student of Literature sometime before my time. His Literature teacher asked the class to go read one of the books to be examined that term. It was term system then. See? When you ask for other people's stories, you get archived material. Back to the story. The class was to read Othello: The Moor of Venice by William Shakespeare. Shakespeare, oh Shakespeare! When that guy wants to say something like "Love is unconditional," he will say, "Love is not love which alters when it alteration finds."

Now, if you have ever tried to be literally sophisticated, you know that it does not come cheap. Not only do you have to make sense of volumes of works written by ancient aliens like Shakespeare, you also have appear to have thoroughly enjoyed them by memorising the codified lines.

Now Abdul was not seeking to climb any literary ladders. For all he cared, Shakespeare was some scientist who liked to pass himself off as an artist extraordinaire. Except that the coded language he used in his works always gave him away. I mean, artists write mellow and heart-wrenching love poems, not scientific code that can only be deciphered by professors who have dedicated half of their long lives to study it.

John Mary did not even consider reading the book. He knew that when push came to shove, he would go to one of the class nerds and ask him to discuss the book for him. Whatever discussing for someone ever meant. All I know is that it was quite acceptable and understandable to ask someone: "Discuss for me Othello."

Of course he was not alone. Anyone who ever sat in a Literature lecture room will tell you that there are some books that are better left to the nerds.

For examination purposes, you make friends with them as the term /semester progresses and they will take you through it in a brief manner, not to mention basic English.

For Abdul, it turned out that the end of term would be too late. One day, the lecturer announced that he had given the class enough time and so they would begin discussions the book that very day. Had everyone read the book? The class chorused a sounding "Yes." The discussion began.

The lecturer asked: "So how what are your feelings towards Othello after reading the book?"

None of the students volunteered their opinion so the lecturer randomly picked on one of them. "Abdul, what are your feelings towards Othello?"

"I feel like killing Othello!" Abdul thundered while jumping onto his feet. "Othello, I feel like strangling that guy. Punching him. Othello, Othello, Othello was a terrible man!" he went on only stopping because he had run out of breath.

Now, even if Othello been the villain in the book, Abdul's murderous feelings and the venomous way he spat them out would still have been hilarious. What is completely off the hook is that poor Othello did not even deserve the venomous outburst. Poor Othello was a tragic hero!