The doctor stood nervously at the desk, holding an unsigned document in his hands. I continuously paced back and forth.
"Careful, Camara, if you pace too much, you are going to wear the carpet out and I am not going to pay for its replacement," he told me with a twisted expression. I nodded my agreement, but continued pacing.
"How do we even know that this will work? You know what Mr. Lukasiewicz is like!" I suddenly half-yelled at him; and the doctor took a few steps backward in surprise. "Yes, but considering the circumstances, we have little choice in the matter."
"That's not important right now," I said. "What's important is that we do not allow the Polish government to establish anything here! They're not even at a right location to just sail out and begin colonies, like the other countries did!"
Dr. Leo Sajous began to look frantic. "Camara, please, be logical. If we are to survive as a nation, w-we must go ahead and accept Poland's offer on colonizing us, even if…even if it means that Liberia will become overcrowded with immigrants."
I shook my head and started waving my arms about. "I don't care if we get overcrowded! The main thing is that the Poles cannot be trusted at all! They're clueless; arrogant…they have no bounds for what they are capable of."
"Camara," the doctor said, with a sudden seriousness. I turned and stared at him. "You must listen now. We no longer have time for discussion. If this is to work – and I suspect that it will – we must agree with Poland to send colonists to Liberia. Is that clear?"
The voices of my people resonated deep within my head, within my heart. I knew that this was not what they wanted. But what choice did I have now?
So I gave my consent, and within less than a year, I stood before the Maritime and Colonial League, prepared –at all costs – to seal the agreement. "Camara Garmuyu, representative of the government of Liberia, please present the documents."
We debated back and forth for a very long time, unwittingly making some agreements in the process.
60 hectares of land would be made available for 50 years
Somehow, Poland was recognized as the most favorable nation in all of Europe
They were also allowed to form societies that took advantage of our natural resources
The year of 1934 came, and six Poles had arrived at my land, in the fall. The number of plantations that had been granted to all Polish settlers, however, was rather quite shocking. Who in the world honestly needed 50 different homes?! On top of that, I had the US practically at my door, scolding me for creating such a foolish agreement.
I collapsed into my chair, sighing. "What am I going to do?" I asked myself. "Our raw resources are running dry so fast…surely this will be the end of me." I thought of my little sister, who was currently being kept away in her own homeland.
I knew she adored me so much…it would undoubtedly break her heart if I were to leave forever. So I couldn't just give up, not without a fight.
Four years later, I was still at it. Lack of Polish immigrants and heavy criticism from the United States eventually did it in. The deal was off. The offices were closed. And as I stood there, in front of the former Maritime and Colonial League building, I wondered why I felt so down.
Resources were still thin as a stick, and the US of A had yet to recede from pressuring us. But I am the nation of Liberia. I'm not just some guy you can push around. I will fight back. I've made a mistake – I will admit this now, after it's over. And I know that may seem like I'm only attempting to undo my wrongdoings, but the truth is that I was such a fool in the past, thinking that I could connect with Poland and rise up in the world, as a better nation tomorrow than had been yesterday.
Only now, do I realize how very much wrong I was. And I grieve greatly at myself. But I know now that the future always shines brighter when you fail.
A/N: Well, here's the first of three. I was trying to make it longer, but kinda ran out of inspiration after this. Hope you enjoy anyway!
