Immortal Brothers Of Carthage

I won't get into the details but these kind folks saved my life, and I emerged upon the twenty-first century, after a long exile. I am ageless, virtually immortal, having remained unchanged since that fateful night, thousands of years ago, when my brother Zaracas slaughtered me over his wounded honor, all for Sophoniba, the woman we'd both loved. This new century fascinates me, and I am learning more about this new world day by day.

I made my way to the United States of America, and used the services of a computer expert to craft a new identity for myself. I go by the same name under which I was born, only anglicized. I am Abimilki "Abe" Maharbal, now and forevermore. I am a man of letters, and having missed out on thousands of years of culture, science and literature, art and music, I wanted to make up for lost time.

I enrolled at Suffolk University, having learned languages such as English, French, Spanish and Arabic at a geometric rate thanks to my genetic gifts, I wanted to learn about the law, the gateway to every aspect of every society since time immemorial. The law puts you into everything, doesn't matter if it's British Common Law or the much-discussed Sharia Law of the Muslim countries. A people's laws are at the core of who they are.

I like my law classes at Suffolk University, and I've made quite a few friends at my new university campus. It's surprisingly diverse, which is always a good thing. In the Republic of Carthage, over two thousand years ago, men of all colors gathered to exchange knowledge with each other. It's good to see America is carrying on with this tradition.

There's someone new in my life, Emilia Coelho, a tall, lovely young woman of African-American and Portuguese descent. We met while I was walking around the Boston Public Library on Copley Square, drawn as I was by the massive library as only a man of letters can be. I am a nerd, as they say in the modern lexicon. My love of books is only exceeded by my fascination with computers...and exotic women. The tall, brown-skinned beauty with the Afro and almond-shaped dark eyes took my breath away.

"Excuse me please, ma'am, could you please point me to the law section?" I asked, as I approached the young woman, and she smiled and looked me up and down. Clad in a blue silk shirt, black tie and black silk pants, I looked pretty dapper, as they say. I like wearing suits, I'm told they're the modern equivalent of the togas worn by men of means in ancient Rome. By the way, Romans stole the idea of togas from us Carthaginians, but I digress.

"I'm headed there myself, brother," the smiling young woman replied, and then she introduced herself. I looked at Emilia Coelho, and for some reason, my ancient heart thundered in my chest. Clad in a black leather jacket over a green T-shirt featuring Sponge Bob, black jeans and boots, Emilia was beyond lovely. I might be over 2700 years old but I'm still a guy, a young-looking and young-feeling guy at that, and a lovely woman with curves and an easy smile has a certain effect on me.

"Good to meet you Emilia, I'm Abimilki," I said, gently shaking her hand, and just like that, we took the stairs and headed for the law books upstairs, on the mezzanine, as they call it. Thus I met the woman I would end up falling in love with. Emilia is studying criminal justice at Emerson College and hopes to get accepted at Suffolk University's law school. The gal needed help with her LSAT, and like the immortal genius that I am, I was happy to help.

Ladies and gentlemen, I am loving my new life in the United States of America. Boston is definitely one of the world's best cities, and I say this as a man with some experience in such matters. At my new campus, I have met men and women from places like the Republic of South Africa, Palestine, Nigeria, Colombia, the island of Haiti, Italy, and countries whose names I'm still learning. I love meeting folks from various cultures, and their languages and customs fascinate me.

My darling Emilia Coelho is my guide in this new world, and I've met her folks, and they're really nice people, and totally accepted me. Her father Angelo Coelho is from Portugal and her mother Jeannette Rosier is from the island of Haiti. They met as students at the University of Massachusetts in the 1980s, got married and had my lovely Emilia. I can see myself marrying this woman someday, seriously. I'm the world's oldest bachelor!

As much as I love my new life, I can't help but feel haunted by the old one. Sometimes I sit at the computer for hours, looking up information about ancient Carthage and modern-day Tunisia, and I think of my parents, and my brother Zaracas. Where is he, I wonder? I typed up his name on Google, and found absolutely nada.

Zaracas is of the same blood as me, and presumably as immortal as I am. He's out there somewhere, of this I am sure. Perhaps under a new name and a new identity. What has he been up to for the past 2700 years? Does he have a wife and offspring? Is he still a man of war or does he lead a different life? Someday I mean to seek Zaracas out, and pay him back for what he's done to me. Not today, though. Now is not the time for revenge. I am learning, I am loving, I am living. For now, that's good enough for me.