Watchman's Call
A story about Ancient Sumer
by James W. Bell © 2001
About an hour before the call of the midnight watch, Dashan heard rapid footsteps coming up the access stairs. A woman in a shift raced out on the walkway atop the city wall followed by a giant of a man. By the gods, why did this have to happen to him? He grabbed his spear and braced for trouble.
“Help me, sir!” the woman screamed. “Help me!” Her eyes were wide with fright. She flung herself at Dashan, throwing her arms around him, hugging him. “Please, sir!”
Dashan shielded her with his left arm while pointing his spear towards her pursuer. The man stopped short. “She stole my money,” he snarled. “I mean to get it back.” He made a lunge and only a quick spear jab forced him back.
“Careful,” Dashan warned. “I’m the watchman on duty.”
The man squinted at him. “Kaldee, ain’t you?”
Dashan nodded. The man was big, a full head taller than himself. And muscular. He noticed the man’s sandals and the copper dagger stuck in the waist of his leather kilt.
“That woman you got aholt of there is a harlot,” the man claimed. “She’s a thief besides. Done stole my money.”
“So you say.” Dashan looked down at the woman still clinging to him. She remained silent, her face pressed against his bare chest. “Let go, ma’am,” he told her, using his free hand to pry her loose. “You’re safe now. Let go, and tell me what’s going on.”
The woman sniffled as he pushed her away and wiped her eyes with the back of her arm. She was barefooted and dressed in a worker’s shift, one that left her right arm and chest exposed. Dashan couldn’t help but notice the sag of her exposed breast.
“Tell me what happened,” he said again.
“That man’s a sailor, a stranger off one of the ships down at the quay. I was in the tavern when he come in so I acted friendly-like and shared a pot or two of beer with him. He offered me five shekels of copper to do it with him.”
She paused. “You have to understand I was a mite short,” she explained. Dashan said nothing and she went on. “I told him I wouldn’t do it for less than ten. I saw he was drunk and didn’t like it none, but he pulled his money out and weighed it on my scales. When I had a full ten shekels, I packed it up and took him to my place in the wall. That’s where we did it.”
The sailor added, “After we was done, I checked my moneybag and found another ten shekels gone.”
“He was so drunk,” the woman said, “he couldn’t hardly do it. Besides, I never touched his moneybag.”
“Hah! I saw at least twenty shekels of copper fall out of the pocket of her shift when she put it back on.”
“You weren’t my onliest admirer, Mr. Know-It-All!”
“Empty your pocket,” the sailor dared her. “Empty it right here in front of the watchman. Go on, Lili. I dare you.”
“Lili,” Dashan said. “Is that your name?”
“Bet-lili, sir. Lived here in Zabalam all my life.”
“And you took no money from this sailor?”
“No more’n the ten shekels he agreed to, sir. How could I? His moneybag is inside of his kilt.”
“You see! She knows where I keeps my money!” the sailor exclaimed. “And she was the one that had holt of my kilt!”
“That’s the thanks I get for tryin’ to help you,” Bet-lili replied. “You told me you couldn’t find your damned kilt. Said it was too dark. So I went and found it and to give it to you. I should have let you go on out naked and be a laughingstock.”
“Bitch!”
“Hold on, sailor,” Dashan said. “We don’t talk to women like that here in Zabalam.”
“I just wants my money back,” the sailor said.
“Tell me what she took. Describe it.”
“Well ... “ the sailor hesitated.
“You said you saw money fall out of the pocket of her shift. Didn’t you recognize it?”
“Well, I paid her with a couple of snips of wire.”
“So, ten shekels were snippets of copper wire. What were the other ten shekels you claim she took?”
“Well ... “ the sailor seemed reluctant to say more. Even in the moonlight, Dashan could see the frustration building in him, his face sweating and his eyes starting to bulge. He backed away a step.
“You have a nerve questionin’ me, you damned Kaldee pig!” the sailor growled. He touched the handle of the dagger in his kilt. “I want my money back. I’m gonna get it!”
Dashan took a deep breath and said, “Not on my watch.”
“We’ll see.“ The sailor drew his dagger but then side-stepped and pushed Bet-lili into Dashan with his other hand, knocking Dashan’s spear clattering to the walkway.
The sailor roared with laughter. “You Kaldees are a little slow, ain’t you?” He started circling, moving towards the spear laying on the walkway.
Dashan crouched to retrieve it and the sailor sprang at him. Dashan twisted to duck the swing of his dagger and then grabbed the sailor’s forearm, pulling it downward while he raised up, flipping his attacker over his back. The sailor somersaulted over Dashan’s head, hitting the edge of the walkway and sliding off over the edge. His body thudded when it landed in the dark city street below.
Bet-lili came up beside Dashan and stared down at the street dimly lit by moonlight. “He don’t seem to be movin’.”
“He may be dead,” Dashan said. “It’s thirty feet down at this point.” He went back to the rampart where he had hung his watchman’s horn. Putting it to his lips, he blew three short blasts to call for help.
Men gathered quickly around the body in the street below. “That’s the drunk sailor who attacked me,” Dashan called down to them. “He fell off the wall in the fight that followed. See if you can help him. And send up the quarter captain so I can make my report.”
“This man’s already dead, officer,” a voice called back. “Looks like his neck’s broke. The captain’s been sent for. He should be up there in a few minutes.”
Bet-lili touched Dashan’s arm. “You saved me from being robbed or -- maybe -- worse. I’m very grateful to you, sir, and I don’t even know your name. Who are you?”
“Dashan-Shamash,” he answered.
“Dashan-Shamash. Nice name,” she said. “I like its sound. What can I do to show my gratitude? Spend the night with you?”
“Thanks, but I’m the appointed night watchman tonight. I’m handling a double shift tonight, till the call of the morning watch. Right now, I have a report to file.”
“I gathered that. Will I be named in the report?”
Dashan nodded. “As a witness.”
“Do you realize, sir ... I’m a woman of the wall?”
“Why?” he asked. “You’re attractive. Why not get married?”
“Hah,” she laughed. “You men don’t understand. I was married once. For two years, but no children, so he divorced me because I was barren. I’m infertile. Who would take me to wive?”
“I’m sorry,” Dashan said. “I didn’t know.”
“It ain't your fault. I guess you’re thinkin’ I solicited the sailor at the tavern.”
“It crossed my mind.”
“So you’ll report and I’ll be charged.” Bet-lili sighed. “I guess it don’t make much difference. Even if I didn’t end up in the claypits, they’d be calling me a hag in a few years anyways.”
“You’re feeling sorry for yourself,” Dashan said.
“No offense, sir, but you talk big for bein' such a little man. You seem able to back it up. Who are you, anyway?”
“The sailor was right about me,” Dashan answered. “I am Kaldee. I came from a large date palm plantation near Kutalla. Down in central Chaldea. I was a hired hand there, one who cut spates and gathered dates. No future there. So I came to the city to better myself. I’m hoping to become a shepherd.”
She looked surprised. “You? A shepherd?” She laughed.
“I’m serious. A shepherd takes a flock into the field for months at a time. But, firtst, he has to prove himself trustworthy. That’s why I took this job as watchman. To prove myself. I hope some rich man realizes how reliable I am and hires me to tend his flock.”
Bet-lili narrowed her eyes at him. “I can’t imagine you as a shepherd. You seem too vital for something like that.”
Dashan felt himself blush. “Oh, that’s only a beginning. I need a stake to move ahead and I’m willing to work hard. Being a shepherd’s the best way to get a stake.”
“But, sir, when you get your stake, what will you do then? Work for the city or the temple? They own practically all the land. You’d never afford land of your own unless you moved out to the frontier and there’s nothin' much except desert out there.”
Dashan smiled at the woman. “You seem well informed. Actually, I hope to join the Karum and become a trader.”
“Oh!” she gasped. “A trader. No wonder you could handle that big sailor so easily. I’ll bet you put a hex on him. Magic. I’ll bet you’ve studied it, haven’t you, sir?”
“Hardly,” he said. “But I do study, but things like reading, writing and reckoning. I’m trying to improve myself.”
“I like that,” she said. Then she sobered. “Hell, here I am getting happy for you when I’m going to the claypits.”
“Not as I see it,” Dashan said.
Bet-lili looked at him. “How’s that, sir?”
“Didn’t I see the sailor running after you? Chasing you?”
“You sure as hell did.”
“And wasn’t he aiming to take your money?”
“Yes, sir, that’s what he said.”
“I call that attempted robbery.”
“Well, sir,” she said hesitantly, “if you overlook the tavern -”
“I didn’t see that, did I?”
“No, sir.”
“I report only what I saw. I saw the sailor chase you up here on the city wall with the intent to rob you. You came running to me for help. In the fight that followed, unfortunately, the sailor fell to his death.”
A smile of relief lit Bet-lili’s face.
“That’s how I’ll report it,” Dashan said.
“That’s nice of you, sir. You know, I think you’re going to make a great trader. I’d buy from you.”
“Thank you.”
“Is there any place for a woman like me in the -- how do you call it -- Karum?”
Dashan nodded. “Oh, yes. There’s a wool warehouse downwater at Larsa, a town close to the confluence of the canal with the Euphrates. It’s a huge complex, a center for spinning, weaving and dyeing. Traders ship from there. The Amurru are crazy about the colored robes they produce.”
“Do you think they might have an opening for someone like me?”
“If you promised to work hard.”
“Oh -” Bet-lili was about to add something when the sound of approaching footsteps came up the stairway and the quarter captain arrived, wearing his official robe and carrying an oil lamp. “Lili!” he cried out as soon as he saw her. “It’s after curfew! What in hell are you doing up here on the city wall in the middle of the night?”
“I almost got robbed, Shesh. A drunk sailor chased me up here. This brave watchman saved me.”
The quarter captain turned to Dashan. “Is that so, officer?”
“Yes, sir. That’s what happened. The sailor fell off the wall in the fight that followed, sir. I believe he’s dead.”
“Indeed, he is,” the quarter captain said. “I’m going to have to take your report on the incident.” As he felt in the sleeve of his robe for a damp clay tablet, he turned back to Bet-lili. “I’m out of the house for the night, Lili. Are you doing anything?”
“Only if you want.”
The quarter captain smiled. “Oh, I do, I do.” He pulled out a tablet and took it over to the rampart where he set down his oil lamp and pulled out a stylus. “Come over here, officer, and I’ll take your report.”
“Yes, sir,” Dashan said. He turned to Lili. “They really could use you down at Larsa. You’d have a new life down there, Bet-lili, a future you could look forward to.”
She smiled at him. “Thanks, but I don’t know. I’m still good for a few more years. My friends are here, you know.”
“But - “
“Perhaps ... someday.” Then she added, “You’re sweet,” and kissed Dashan on the cheek. “I have to go now.” She winked at him. “If you ever decide you want me, you know where to find me.” She turned and left. As he watched her disappear down the stairs, Dashan felt an emptiness open up within him.
“Officer!” the captain called out, “I’m waiting. The incident’s not officially concluded until the report is filed.”
Dashan gritted his teeth. “Yes, sir, I know. I’m coming.”
The End
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