Making room: Nim Njuguna’s alternative history of the innkeeper

‘I offered my apologies for keeping them waiting, took the reins of their donkey, and led them in.’

‘I am no longer talking to journalists,’ said Moshe the innkeeper dismissively waving away the inquiring stranger. ‘Not after that sly reporter ended up maligning my name. He probably trashed my reputation and that of My Brother’s Keeper’s inn for life.’

‘I am from the Temple News’, responded Jaleel, ‘the reputable Jerusalem mouthpiece respected for duty and righteousness. I am here to listen and to restore your good reputation. I assure you, I will listen to your story without interruptions.’

‘Well, I will tell you so that you can finally debunk the fallacious allegations that I shooed away a young pregnant woman and her husband, saying, “There’s no room at the inn”. He failed to mention the alternative I offered them.

‘As you can imagine, the town was swamped, bulging with people from all over the province. When I saw her, I knew immediately that the woman – well, she was about fourteen – was in need of immediate help, but where could I put them? It was my wife who insisted that we could not tell them to look elsewhere – the poor child was ready to give birth any time and we should treat them as guests. After introductions, I offered my apologies for keeping them waiting, gently grabbed the reins of their donkey and led them in. They washed their feet by the log fire and ate bread, cheese and soup while my servant attended to their donkey. Afterwards Leila took them to our guest quarters – a quiet, safe and comfortable place.  Knowing it was Mary’s first birth experience, Leila was reassuring, saying, “If you need anything call me”.

‘We were awakened a couple of hours later by loud banging on our door and found an anxious Joseph standing there looking confused and breathless. “The baby is coming and I don’t know what to do.” Leila snatched the midwife bundle she had prepared for this moment. 

‘Joseph, flustered and panicky, could not cope with Mary’s groaning and grunting, so Leila asked him to leave. He came out to the veranda where I was quietly praying. He was pacing to and fro with determined countenance; I tried to attract his attention by asking, “Are you hoping for a boy?”. Before he could answer, a high-pitched yowl intervened and Joseph yelled, “The baby’s here!” and dashed into the room in tears of joy and relief.

‘Later, my friend Athronges appeared from the hills with fellow shepherds, claiming angels told them to come see the baby. When I inquired further, they all ended up babbling about a great light in the sky and a chorus of angels praising god. This seemed farfetched and I suspected they had been drinking.

‘Just then, two men and a woman arrived, dressed in richly colourful garments and riding on camels. They claimed they were priests following a star to where a king was born. Entering the house they looked adoringly at the baby, fell down and with joy worshipped him, offering gifts of gold and frankincense and myrrh.

‘I have told you the truth as a solemn commitment before God and I beg you to write a strong rebuttal on my behalf to restore my good name and my prospects.’

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