The story of the man who ruled a village (TJ)

This is the idea I'm hoping to bring into Towards Java. I want it foreshadowed early and make it one of the reason's Sean is heading where is he. It's based on a true story.

This man is a Brit, a Scot. He worked as an engineer for 30 years in South East Asia. When he retired he realised he had no reason to go home. No real home to go to. Certainly not back in Britain.

So he spent 4 months on the coast of Bali just soaking up sun and gin but realised that there was no way he could do this until he died. He's not great with people but he is good at work and he'd rather do that. So he needs a project.

He became determined to find the most impoverished village in Indonesia. He searched practically all the islands only to find the poorest place was on Bali itself, way up in the mountains in the middle of the island. He went to the village elders and made an offer: I can improve the life of all the village, take everyone out of poverty but you'll have to do what I say. The elders went away for three days and then came back. They said yes.

And he's true to his word, he puts his engineering skills to good use creating proper water flows and setting up a school. The village is clean, ordered and the kids all get to go to school in the morning. The children are now numerate and literate to a reasonable degree and so help their parents at market.

The old people seem really happy with what has happened and so are easily deferrent to their dear leader. However a number of young people are feeling very rebellious, although some are extremely sycophantic.

I wonder if this is a sensible sidetrack. What I might do instead, is have a longish pause in the story to tell this story through someone they come into contact with. Two brothers who run away together after the younger one is offered to the benign despot as a thank-you. Makes it a bit harsher and Slumdoggy (and is also I should probably stress not something I'm aware of happening in the real case). It's one of a number I want to add. See next post for another example.