He sat down at the other side of the table. With expectant eyes and a big smile. Just before I had spoken with his friend and business cards were exchanged. Now I could talk to the other companion of Greenocratic in Lebanon.

We sat at a large wooden table. Our benches were wobbling back and forth, searching for a balance of ten people who had planted on their buttom. In front of us Estonian delicacy was spread out on the table. Bread, pastry, fruit, and soon we were on the cake. The man and I were happy.

“So,” I laughed. “You’ve build a boat.” An even bigger smile was my reward. “Yes! Indeed. A brilliant boat, the world will be surprised. ” I paused. This was not the time to make the call with a colorful tone with linguistic jokes on my part. The man went through. Words that many businessman would envy passed our food, and got lost in the smell of warm food. I listened half. Perhaps even less. As I took a bite of the cooked tubers I counted silently all ‘corporate business terms’  which left his mouth.

Moments later he was ready. “So,” I said again. “You’ve build a boat.” Now the man took a bite. He was very busy to impress, so concentrated he looked at me.  Still hopeful, but no smile. “So that’s why they invented business-lunches”, I noted silently, ‘You can keep your mouth shot at least legitimate’.

“Well …” I began. Now it became fun. “When did you think for the first time: We must built a boat!?” Silence. I waited obediently. With smiling eyes I looked again at the man. Still silence. And a little confusion. But it was well established.

For a moment I thought it was time for cake, but then he started to tell… “When I was diving … It’s so beautiful down there, you wouldn’t believe your eyes! Water, sea, fishes, everything! But you can go shopping at the bottom of the sea in Lebanon. The bright eyes and smile of the man came slowly back. More and more he took me to Lebanon, the country he wanted to Clean Up. Together with his boat. ‘Lebanon was in a war from 1975-1990. It was a big mess. With much pain and misery. I had my own business, and have been a few years in Dubai. That’s all superficial, but it seems wonderful at first. You think you’ve made it. Now I am back in Lebanon, and I want to do something for the country where I was born. ”

A stream of words from his heart walked straight to his mouth and ended up on our wooden table where the plates were empty now. Several people listened. We were silent. And the man talk.

About the war. The country. The bombings. And corruption. About the possibilities that existed, and the wealth in nature that the country knew. If he just accidentally fell into his sales pitch again, I could ask a question, and we went back straight to his heart. It proved a wise man with great images on his retina. With extensive knowledge of the earth, and the ability to convert energy into matter. And now he wanted to give this back to Earth.

He told us about the conflict with Israel. “It’s all about water,” said the man. Water? “Yes, Lebanon is rich with water and has dozens of sources. While Africa dries out, we have enough. In the mountains are ingenious methods of extraction used and Israel wants to claim it to be happy. ” I’m no expert in this on-going conflict, but it sounded logical.

The cake came. The coffee came. And ‘glühwein’ was put down. Slowly our imagination returned from Lebanon to the table in Estonia. “What if I find ten people who can think along with these things, may I help you then in Lebanon?” I asked cautiously. We exchanged a glance. And before I knew it he took the long-forgotten business card from his pocket. It was handed across the table and landed in my bag.

This morning I got up, and found the business-card again: ‘President’ of the organisation is on the card. I looked at it. Stood still. And than I turned the card and wrote on the back-side: ‘The man with a boat, with glistering eyes – who loves diving and Lebanon.’ And I hope. I truly hope he likes that title too.

– with love to my dear friends in Lebanon –