Leadership

by Michael Akerib






‘So how do you become a leader ?’

She was expecting an answer but he was too tired to extract an answer from his mind – his database he called it.

‘No answer?’

No answer. To that question or to any other question. He had the strange sensation that my closing eyes were also closing my lips.

‘Come on, make an effort. You owe me that.’

He sank deeper into the armchair and rubbed his forehead as if this gesture would help him in this confrontation.

‘Come on!’

Why did he owe her anything, he wondered. Was he not free now that he had paid for the operation? He stretched his legs.

‘I don’t know or I don’t remember, you choose,’ he said.

She moved closer to him.

‘Don’t force me to undo my work,’ she said threateningly. ‘So go ahead and answer.’

He pulled back his legs under him.

‘Was the answer part of what you entered into my databank? Is it that important that I should answer now?’

‘It is as it will define whom of you or I is going to take all the vital decisions. If you cannot even answer a simple question like that, how are you going to lead?’

‘Lead? Lead for what purpose?’

‘Lead. Just lead.’

The spaceship had started to tilt. It was a large spaceship. Instruments everywhere. How could he have forgotten where he was, he wondered. He rose and took a few steps. Directionless. His databank would not tell him where he should go. He looked outside. Planets, stars, all around them.

Lead. Lead. But to where and for what purpose?