On "Bar Beach Show" by E. C. Osondu (3375 words) ***

I haven't read too much literature from Africa, but among that which I have read, there is often a kind of simplicity and sadness. The stories are of people struggling to make a living amid poverty and lack of work, of pride and joy in small things. In this tale, a young man defies his father in his desire to become a musician--and ultimately a crook. In a nation where there is little justice, the crook, depending on a person's point of view, may be considered a government critic or simply a barbarian beating up on who he can. Father takes on stand, son another. The results are expectedly tragic. Read the story here at Fifty-Two Stories.