Pa Ali left for America when little Burama was exactly one year
old. He first travelled to London where he stayed with a nephew for a period of
three months. He found a job working in a restaurant in the east end of london
as a kitchen help. Within three months Pa Ali became disenchanted with the
gloomy, and rainy weather of london, and started to dislike the job that he was
doing. He told his nephew that he had had enough of london and was moving to
America.

        "I think I have to move on," Pa Ali told his nephew. "I don't think I
 belong here. I am movng to America."

         "Well, wherever you go it is what you make of the place," his nephew
replied. "I have no problems living here. I love london."

          "I forget that we never share the same taste. Where I liked the
good life and good living, you were always moderate and economical in your
choices. This place suits you well," Pa Ali said.

          "I guess I have a lot more peace of mind here. If I keep to myself
and invite no trouble, I should be fine," his newphew replied.

        Pa Ali boarded a British Airways flight from Heathrow airport, one
humid london afternoon, to Boston's Logan airport. After passing through
immigration, he exited the airport to the taxi stand outside. Pa Ali gave one of the
taxi drivers the Brighton area address he was going to. He was to stay with a
friend until he could be on his own. Pa Ali's friend had worked with him at
the Palm Grove hotel years back and they had stayed in touch. When Pa Ali
communicated his desire to move to America, his friend agreed to temporarily
accommodate him.

        In a matter of days after he arrived in Boston, Pa Ali found a job in
a restaurant near the Boston college. With the skills he had learnt as a
kitchen help, he worked in the kitchen as a cook. His hourly wage was more than he
expected, and within a month he was able to rent a one bedroom apartment.
Things started to look good for him.

       As the weeks went by, and Pa Ali saw his paycheck getting fatter and
fatter because of the overtime, he started to frequent a local bar nearby. He
started to put more effort in his appearance, buying expensive sneakers and
designer shirts. He visited the local night clubs on a regular basis and was
having a good time. Although Pa Ali called home regularly, and made sure that he
sent money frequently, he was also busy attending to his personal needs. He
became conscious of the attention he generated because of his good looks, and had
no shortages of girl admirers. He started to date Brianna, the young black
American girl who was working at the restaurant.

         What started as a simple date, going to the cinema in the evening
and on weekends to the club, slowly progressed into a fully fledged love affair.
Soon Pa Ali was no longer in a position to control the relationship. Brianna
came to visit him anytime of the day or night that she darned pleased. She
became insanely possessive and would pick Pa Ali up from work everyday. As time
went on, Brianna restricted most of Pa Ali's activities, and he now seldom went
to the bar. Brianna was fiercely in love with Pa Ali, and she showed it to
him every step of the way. She had compassion for him, and would do anything to
help him.

         When he started to date with Brianna, Pa Ali never disclosed to her
that he was married and had a son. Instead he kept it a secret. When Brianna
asked about the letters he was receiving from Musukuta, Pa Ali told her that
Musukuta was his sister. One day, as they sat in the living room watching a
movie, Brianna said:

        "I am going to pack in the rest of my clothes. I am moving in
permanently."

         "What? You mean you want to come and live here?" Pa Ali asked.

         "What difference does it make? I have most of my clothes here,
anyway," Brianna said.

          "It does make a lot of difference. I prefer that we don't live
together," Pa Ali said.

           "If you are concern that we are not married, honestly, I have no
problem with that. You can marry me anytime that you are ready,"  Brianna said.


            Pa Ali was at a lost. Should he tell Brianna the truth about his
wife and son and thus ended the relationship there and then? He thought he
could wriggled himself out of this predicament, and he kept his mouth shut. Pa
Ali didn't have the courage to tell Brianna the truth. Brianna brought in the
rest of her clothes and other stuff, and they shared the apartment together.

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