Polly Asks the Way

Polly had a theory that maps were for tourists, and the theory lasted exactly twenty minutes. The streets of the neighborhood curved like they were drawn freehand, every corner had the same bakery smell, and the library refused to appear. On a corner stood an owl with a folded newspaper, reading standing up the way only owls can. "Excuse me, one question. I think I am lost."

Polly alikuwa na nadharia kwamba ramani ni za watalii, na nadharia hiyo ilidumu dakika ishirini kamili. Mitaa ya eneo hilo ilipinda kana kwamba ilichorwa kwa mkono, kila kona ilinukia harufu ile ile ya mkate, na maktaba ilikataa kutokea. Kwenye kona alisimama bundi mwenye gazeti lililokunjwa, akisoma amesimama kama wanavyoweza bundi tu. “Samahani, swali moja. Nadhani nimepotea.”

The owl lowered the newspaper with enormous patience. "Where is the library? I have been going in circles." It was not far, the owl explained; the problem was the fountain. Everyone turned the wrong way at the fountain. "To the right or to the left at the fountain?" Left, always left, and then nothing but street until the square. "Straight ahead until the square, okay! That sounds easy."

Bundi aliteremsha gazeti kwa subira kubwa. “Maktaba iko wapi? Nimekuwa nikizunguka kwa muda.” Haikuwa mbali, bundi alieleza; tatizo lilikuwa chemchemi. Kila mtu hugeuka upande usio sahihi kwenye chemchemi. “Kulia au kushoto nikifika kwenye chemchemi?” Kushoto, daima kushoto, kisha mtaa mtupu hadi uwanjani. “Moja kwa moja hadi uwanjani, sawa! Hilo linaonekana rahisi.”

It was easy, once someone said it out loud. The library appeared behind the square with its wide steps and its doors open, exactly where it had been all along. "Thank you very much! You have saved my afternoon." The owl waved the newspaper without looking up from the next page. Polly climbed the steps with a new theory: the shortest distance between two points is a good question.

Na kweli ilikuwa rahisi, mara tu mtu alipolisema kwa sauti. Maktaba ilitokea nyuma ya uwanja na ngazi zake pana na milango yake wazi, mahali pale pale ilipokuwa siku zote. “Asante sana! Umeuokoa mchana wangu.” Bundi alitikisa gazeti bila kuinua macho kutoka ukurasa uliofuata. Polly alipanda ngazi akiwa na nadharia mpya: njia fupi kabisa kati ya sehemu mbili ni swali zuri.