Chapter 1.
November 1997.
The three of them David, Andy and Simon were walking along the mighty Kafue River, in the shade of a collection of Sycamores, Wild Dates and Vegetable Ivory Plant trees. They were absolutely no protection against the sun that was right above them.
It was twelve o'clock, and already the temperature was in the 40°'s and could go into the 45°'s and humidity into the 90”s. Looking at the other two, David noticed there wasn't a place on their clothing that wasn't wet from the sweat. Looks like they're suffering as much as I am. He thought to himself.
As the sun shone on their bare arms and legs the shining perspiration attracted little midges who after biting and sucking the blood out the flesh, left their trade marks of a bump and spot of blood that had them scratching like crazy.
David wiped the sweat from his forehead with the back of his hand. "Hey guys, tell me... has it always been as hot as this...or am I just imagining it?"
"Yes David...as hot as this...and hotter. I think you've forgotten...how hot it can get."
"It gets a lot hotter sometimes." Simon replied."But I think Andy is right. You've been away too long. Even when we were building, you didn't spend too much time here. You used to fly in and fly out."
David stopped walking. "What are you saying Simon! are you saying, that I didn't pull my weight?" He said a bit annoyed at the remark.
"No David, I'm not saying that at all. You're taking it the wrong way; what I meant is you haven't spent enough time here to acclimatize yourself to this heat."
"Yes, I know I haven't spent as much time here as you... my responsibility was the finance of the project and promotion...both have been carried out. Not once were you not paid your salaries and the lodge is fully booked."
Simon didn't answer.
"Look guys, lets move on. I'm dying of the thirst and I know that the two of you are too. It's only supposed to be a ten minute walk and we've already been out here fifteen minutes." Andy said as he swiped his hand to kill some of the little pests sitting on his neck. Listening to David and Simon, for a minute he thought they might have an argument and didn't want that to happen. Not today.
They were going to look at the hide that Andy had built. It had taken him a month to complete and it was built especially so they had a place where they could sit in privacy, have a drink and chat without interference from staff and guests while watching the game.
"Okay let's not dawdle, not with these fucking midgets biting the hell out us. How far have we still got to go?" David asked as he lifted his knee and slapped his leg to kill another six of the little blood suckers.
"A few hundred yards."He answered.
It was well camouflaged and out of view of animals and humans and If they hadn't heard the sound of the generator they would never have known that it was twenty meters in front of them.
"Shit Andy this looks great."David said seeing it above him."Don't you think so Simon?"
"Andy that's not a hide, it's a tree house. I thought it would be a little platform in a tree where we hung our feet over and had a beer."Simon said wiping the sweat from his face. "Fucking midgets," He said, as he flattened one on his face.
"Hey my mate."David said addressing Simon."You know when Andy does something he does it properly. No half measures with my brother."He put his arm around Andy's shoulder. As brothers, there weren't two more closer than them.
Under the tree sat Liftman (Philemon was his real name.) He operated the winch. "heyi!" said Simon, "kanjani wena." (Hello! how are you.)
"mnandi um Numzaana." Liftman replied.( Fine Sir. )
"Show us how the lift works. You go up first." David said looking to Andy.
The lift looked like a birdcage and only one person could go up at a time.Andy stepped inside and Liftman started turning the handle of the winch. Andy had used the cogs and chain from a bicycle to make the winch and it was as easy to operate as it was to pedal a bicycle...with hands. It was fantastic and David thought Andy is brilliant
He did a good job of the hide too and tried to make it comfortable so they could enjoy the time spent there. It was big enough for three chairs in which they could relax, a small table and bar fridge. They were going to have their meetings there because it was far enough from the lodge so they couldn’t be disturbed and close enough if they were needed in case of an emergency.
“Thank goodness you put in air conditioning when you built this place," Simon said when he got inside the hide.
Andy handed him a beer.“Yes, it was well worth the money. I couldn’t sit here this time of the year if we hadn’t installed it,” he replied.“Okay the generator makes a bit of noise, but it doesn’t seem to frighten the animals. I think they get used to the sounds around them.
Then David came up."Andy, well done, brother. That lift is fantastic and look at this!..I could sit in here all day." Standing at the entrance he was admiring what Andy had done. He got himself a beer and then took another for Simon."It's thirsty work, this. Hey bro sorry about me bursting out like that."
"Hey that's no problem."Simon replied.
They were celebrating on their own what they had achieved to date. Celebrating a dream that had become a reality but wasn't completed yet. David had set out to build the estate but till now they had only built the lodge and workers accommodation. There was still a lot to be done.
"It's one hell of a change from two years ago. Isn't it guys?" David said as he stood by the window looking over the trees and across the river.
“Yes brother, it’s a life change for me. It’s different from the rat race in Johannesburg for sure. Do you still remember when we first came here dad had just bought his Land Rover and then he had the trailer built that he could load with everything that he needed. His tent, gas lamps, beds, chairs, fishing gear, mosquito nets, the food and his beer that he loved so much. It was a 6 hour drive on this damn gravel road from Lusaka." Andy said then walked over to where David was standing.
"What do you mean. Was. It still is." Simon said. "I'v done that drive so many times, up and down, I can name every tree in between."
They laughed when he said that because it wasn't a comfortable drive. It had stretches of corrugations that made your last meal almost come up and sometimes if you were driving, to avoid hitting an animal crossing the road you would slam on the brake so hard the Land Rover would slide across the road and who-ever was in the front seat with you would almost fly through the window.
"We fished around here because we had a good view of the animals coming to drink on that side of the river. Their dad built the camp away from where the hippos crossed."Andy said.
"What do you guys remember about those days. Think back to when we first came here?"
"I remember waking up in the tent one night. A lion had been roaring. Those roars were so loud I thought it was outside the kraal, but dad said that the roar came from across the river.” Andy said.
Looking at Andy, David said.“Do you remember the time the hyena came sniffing around?”
“Yes! shit I will never forget that." Andy replied. “I remember that I was as scared as hell. When we got to it the next day, it was lying on its side, a bullet hole on his temple and blood all over his face.”
“Dad was so good with that .303 he never missed a target.” David said.
“You were lucky that your dad killed him because that blood on his face could have been yours. They normally hunt in packs and they love the taste of human flesh.” Simon said, looking at David.“You know.” He said. “I once saw them kill and eat a lion. They attacked it and ripped it apart. One of them was running around with its head in his mouth.”
“You’re kidding us, right?” Andy asked smiling at Simon.
“That’s the truth. He was running with the head in his mouth and some of the others were trying to take it away from him. Why, I don't know because they had the rest of the body they could rip apart. They’ve also killed a lot of people. Normally they hunt in packs. You were lucky that he was alone.” Simon said.
“I don’t know why he was alone.” Andy said. “I remember the following day dad took the carcass away to a taxidermist that lived in the area. Andy and I watched while he and some of the people from your village helped to lift it into the Land Rover.”
“Man,I remember how I used to enjoy waking up here in the mornings. When we came out the tent with our blanket wrapped around us we were hit by the mist floating over the elephant grass and the the smell of the burning wood on the fires around us. There would still be enough spark on our fire that if we put a couple of twigs on, we could get it to flare up again to boil some water. Once we had that first cup of black coffee and our hands were warmed up we would build up the fire by adding a log at a time. Then we would and wait for dad to make the breakfast. Lovely crispy bacon and eggs with toast that we had made on the fire. Those first couple of hours around the fire I loved."David said looking at the other two.
David happened to see a herd of elephant coming out the bush. He put his arm around Andy's shoulder.“Look at that sight man. Hey Simon, come and look at this."It was only about 100 meters from the river as they watched the elephants walked slowly towards the water, almost as if they were on Sunday morning stroll in the park. As they walked, dust was being kicked into the air. Their huge ears were flapping, and their heads bobbing and the trunks were swinging. The calves were running in between the adults as if they were playing a game of catch me. When they got closer, some of the bulls raised their trunks and started trumpeting and rumbling as if to say, please leave now, the big boys are coming.
When they reached the water the calves went in first not thinking of the dangers lurking under. They were followed by their mothers who paid full attention to them. Then the bulls went in. They dipped their trunks into the water, stirred it around as you would before drinking a cup of tea, then sucked some up and blew it into their mouths. After quenching their thirst they inhaled the water and sprayed it on their bodies.
When they had been there an hour or so. They came out of the water in the same order they entered, and slowly walked back into the bush, the tell-tale signs were there. The water had left its mark on their legs and trunk to show exactly how deep they’d gone. They then inhaled the dirt and sprayed it onto their wet back and ribs for protection from the sun, almost like putting on a sun screen. Then they moved along stripping the trees of its branches, leaves and bark and pulling out turfs of grass and soil, put it into their mouths to make up for the vitamins they needed. They would disappeared out of sight as quickly as they came.
The three of them had a few more beers."Andy where did you get this fridge?"Simon Asked.
"Why?"
"Because we can't seem to finish these beers." Simon said then laughed.
"David, what's happening between you and Kim. Are the two of you going to get back together or what? You're the oldest of the three of us and still single." Andy asked.
"Hey man..." David paused..."Okay, is Liftman still here? I want to get back to the lodge and I think you two must as well. Before I go, pass me another beer please brother."
"Oh look at that." Andy said, pointing out the window. In the back ground he saw an African Eagle swoop down from a perch in a tree and snatch its prey from the water then fly back.
Then a small herd of about twenty zebra came walking down to the water. They didn’t all drink at the same time. They did it in turns, a lot more cautious than the elephants because it was common for a zebra to be taken by a crocodile as it was drinking.
Then the hippos came out of the water to graze on the short grass.
All this happened in sequence, the elephant came then the buck and then the hippos and if the cats came down who ever was there moved. I don't think they fancied being around except the elephants and hippos.
David stood at the entrance to the hide and called down. Hey Liftman, Thata mina phansi jabulisa. (Hey Liftman, take me down please.)
He walked back to the lodge as the sun was setting. The sky which was a pastel blue an hour ago was now a collection of reds, yellows, oranges and mauves. Why isn't she here to share these moments with me he thought. Two years ago she had dropped him off at the airport and he watched as she disappeared in the traffic.
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