the koala

I was walking my dog the other day when we ran into the koala

“Oh lord please, not a koala”, I thought

“Good morning koala”, I said
“Good morning”, the koala said

“I am from Australia”, the koala said, “Where are you from?”
“Mali”, I said, “I’m from Mali.”
“Mali,” the koala said, his face turning into a question mark, “Mali …”
“Yeah, Mali”, I said

The koala took a bite from the little branch of eucalypt he held in his tiny koala hands
“I’m from Australia”, the koala said

“I’m from Mali”, I thought and walk away