Chapter 18.
1997.486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZD3YMux5hG
He looked around to see where she was. All the deck chairs were occupied and he couldn’t see her in the pool. Then he saw her stretched out on a towel. She was lying on her stomach and resting her head in the cup of her hands. Her legs were bent and she was moving her feet. He thought she might be reading a book. He walked over to her.
“Hello.” He said.
She looked up at him and said. “Hello. How are you?”
David thought this is his chance. She has recognised him. “I have a spare chair over there.” Pointing to where he was sitting. “Would you like to join me?”
“No thank you.” She said and continued reading her book
He turned, walked back to his deck chair. He lay there for about an hour watching her then picked up his towel and walked back to the bungalow.
After he had a shower and got dressed he walked up to the hide and the first thing he did when he got inside was to go to the fridge drop a couple of ice blocks in a glass and poured myself a double Johnny Walker Black.
Then he dropped himself into one of the comforters and put his feet on the table in front of him. He looked at the glass then took his first swig. He swirled the whisky so it could spread across every surface of his mouth. It touched my teeth, gums, cheeks, tongue and every small space so he could taste the richness of its flavour before he let it trickle down his throat. What a life. There’s no whiskey that could compete with it.
David was feeling peckish and wanted something to nibble on. He looked in the little cupboard and then the fridge. They were both empty, but for a few bottles of lion beers, a couple of Schweppes soda waters, three cokes and a bottle of Johnny Walker Black whiskey.
There was nothing, not a crumb to eat. He was annoyed, how many times has it happened that the fridge was bare. He made a mental note to talk to Simon about this. Then went back to the comfort of his seat and continued sipping his whisky.
He sat there thinking of the way, that woman had treated him.” He didn’t need that in his life. Plenty of single women come to the lodge and he’d never had a problem getting into bed with one of them when he wanted to.”
He had been in the hide for about an hour waiting for Simon and Andy to join him when one of the guests came to find him. He shouted. “Hello. Hello.”
David went to the landing and saw a giant standing down below. “Good after noon, can I help you.” David called. “Could I have a word with you please?” The man below asked from the shade of the tree. “God It’s hot in this place.” He shouted.
“Sure. Get Liftman to crank you to the top.” David said. He looked to see if liftman could fit and crank a guy of that size to the top.
He was huge, big build, long copper coloured hair and beard and flat nose made Dave think that he would rather have him on his side if there was trouble. He was dressed in a pair of khaki shorts with the same colour tee-shirt that had the sleeves cut off, a bush hat that looked like it had seen its days and a pair of Bata veltskoens with no socks. Around his waist he had an old army webbing belt and in a sheath, a hunting knife hanging on the side of his huge leg. You could see right away that this guy had spent a lot of time in the bush.
Most of our visitors flew into Ngomo, where there was an air strip for smaller planes. The other choice was, they could fly to Lusaka, where we could pick them up, but then they had a four hour trip by car added to their journey.
He introduced himself.” Hi I’m Copper.” Then he said. “What a difference it is in here. Man I’ve never seen a hide so posh.”
“Hi Copper.” Looking up to him He said. “My name is Dave. Dave Paterson. Can I help you?”
“I’ve got my buddy with me. Do you have any accommodation for him?” He asked while he wiped the sweat from his forehead.
“Look Copper. Take a seat over here and let me get you a drink. What will you have?” David asked.
“Coke please?” He fell into the chair and for a moment David thought it would collapse with him in it. He poured and handed him the Coke then turned to pour himself another whisky. When he looked back Coppers glass was empty.
“Can I get you another one?” David asked showing his surprise.
“Please. This heat has taken all the liquid out my body.” He said.
“You call him your buddy?” David asked.
“Yes. He is my tracker. We’ve been together for years. I don’t want him sleeping in my van.” Copper answered sounding a bit concerned.
“Is he a Zambian?” David asked “No Rhodesian. I mean Zimbabwean. I wouldn’t normally stay in a lodge, but I’ve done a lot of mileage today and I don’t have the energy to pitch tents.” He said.
“We do have special accommodation for situations like this because we often have salesmen who stay overnight and need a room for their driver. I’m sure we can accommodate him.” David said,” Can I offer you another drink while we’re waiting for Simon?” David asked.
“Thanks I’ll have another coke?” He asked “Can you arrange to get a meal to him and something to drink while we wait?”
“Sure I’ll get somebody to attend to it right away.” David took the phoned from the wall and dialled reception. He asked the young lady at reception to organise a meal for his tracker. “Tell Patrick to give him an extra helping and a 2 litre Coke.”
“Have you booked into the lodge?”
“No. I wanted to see if you guys can help me before I do that.”
“What brings you here? Our normal guests are so formal.”
“Yeah,” he stopped. Then he said. “I’m on a fishing trip. I saw the board pointing to the lodge just outside Itezhi Tezhi and thought I need some luxury for a change.”
David thought that he knew him from somewhere so he asked him what his surname was.
“Oh. Pretorius.” He said while looking around the room.
“I know you. We were in the same intake in November 65. C. Company.”
“I was in that intake. But I don’t remember you. It was a long time ago.” Copper replied.
“That was 33 years ago. You might not remember me but I certainly remember you. We had many beers together in those ditches. You being such a big guy, nobody can forget you.” David said looking at him and thinking back how he was as a youngster. He wasn’t as big then as he is now but he was all muscle where-as now he had put on weight around his stomach. Dave remembered when it took two of them to pick up a pole he did it by himself.
“So you’re a Bulawayo boy as well. Where did you go to school?” Copper asked looking around the room.
“I went to school in Lusaka.” David said.
“So when did you move to Bulawayo was it when Northern Rhodesia got their independence?”
“Yes my dad thought that after independence they would have a lot of trouble here. After the problems in the Congo he didn’t want to stay here and go through the same problems the whites had experienced there.
Zambia is on the border with 7 countries. They could very easily have had trouble with one of its neighbours.” david said. “But that never happened; the biggest problems have been extreme poverty and hunger, aids and corruption, and of course stealing and prostitution which have been part of life ever since time immemorial; the only fighting going on now is between the political parties UNIP (United National Independence Party) and the PF (Patriotic Front) which could have caused a bit of instability.”
“Moni, muli bwanji?” I said to Simon as he came into the hide. (How are you?)
“Ndili bwino.” Simon replied. (Fine thank you)
I introduced them. “Simon this is Copper.”
“Moni, mulibwanji?” Simon asked. (How are you?)
“Ndili bwino.” (Fine thank you) “Ati a chiabwata?”(Are you a body builder?)Copper asked.
He spoke the language quite well, for some body coming from Johannesburg. Then David remembered he was really from Bulawayo.
“Copper can I offer you another coke or something else to drink?” David asked while pouring himself another whisky.
“Nthawi iLi bwanji?” (What time is it?) Copper asked.
Looking at his watch Simon said. “It’s Four o’clock.”
Copper got up and said “No thanks Simon, I must go. Tionana.” (See you later.)
“I’ll organise a room for your tracker while you go and book in. Okay” Simon said.
“Thanks.”
David called liftman to let him down. It was time for another whisky. He picked up the bottle and poured himself a double and went to the fridge for some ice. He looked out the window and saw Copper walking up to the lodge. David couldn’t help but watch as he walked with authority, like a leader. His shoulders and back were straight and his chest stuck out just like you would do when marching. David thought he would have to take two steps to his one to keep up with his pace.
Andy came up with the lift and into the hide. “Moni, muli bwanji?” (“Hello, how are you?”) “Ndili bwino.” We both said. (Fine thanks.) He had no shirt on because of the heat. His skin was gleaming from the shine of sweat and his muscles were bulging as if he had just finished pressing one hundred kilogram weights. He was dressed in a pair of khaki shorts, khaki bush hat and ankle boots with socks. It looked as though he and Simon were competing in a body building competition.
“Did you see that guy walking up to the lodge?” David asked Andy.
“Who could miss seeing someone that huge?” Andy said and we all laughed.
“I was in the same barracks as him in 1965. Can you believe that after 33 years I could meet someone I was in the army with, in a place like this?” David said wanting to tell them a bit about him but just then, out the corner of his eye he saw a movement. Coming out of the forest, walking towards the water was a leopard.
He was walking slowly his head going from one side to the other. He stood about two and half foot high and five foot long, had a pale yellow skin with spots on the shoulder, back, arms and haunches and on the head and chest the spots were smaller. It had been a long time since I had seen a leopard, especially as handsome as he. It wasn’t often that we would see one so close to the lodge. He got onto the intercom and told the receptionist to let the visitors know that there is a leopard down by the side of the water.
The beers, Cokes and snacks arrived that Simon had ordered. “Thank goodness my stomach was rumbling.” He said and grabbed a couple of sandwiches and looked inside. “Hey this is looks great. What’s on it?” His taste buds came alive as the sandwich filled with chicken mayonnaise, gherkins and tomato hit his tongue. He took another bite, and then finished two sandwiches.
I was looking out the window when I saw her fly past. “Man she is a beauty.” I said looking at the fish eagle glide past, with her wings outstretched the full 8 feet that they were. She circled a couple of times and then dived and came up with what looked like a lovely pan sized bream. Then she flew to her nest.
“Yah, Davie. I haven’t seen a better looking bird than that. My wife excluded.” Simon said.
“What do you have planned for the guest tonight?” David asked.
“I’m going to tell them about her. I’m sure they’ll enjoy that.” Simon replied.
“Yes that should go down well.” He said then took another swig of my drink.
“Nthawi yili bwanji?” I asked. (“What is the time?”)
“Six o’clock.” Andy answered.
“Tionana.”Hey I’ll (“See you later.”)
“Cheers.” They both said as I got up.
That evening before David went out he made sure he was looking his best. He wanted to impress my Belgium guest. After looking at myself in the mirror there was only one more thing to do. I brushed my hair, walked outside and locked my door.
Copper was sitting on the veranda having a beer. He looked different to when I saw him a few hours ago, he was dressed in a pair of long trousers and a polo tee shirt and he had trimmed his beard. He was a good looking man.
David went up to him. “May I join you?” He asked.
“Sure.” Copper replied.
“Would you like something to drink Copper?”
“I’ll have a Castle, thanks; if you’re offering.” I called a waiter over and asked him to bring me a castle beer and double scotch. He knew what I drank.
The waiter put the drinks in front of us. “Thanks my friend.” He said.
“You don’t remember me. But I remember most things about you in the army.”
“You’ve got a good memory, Dave.” Copper said.
“What did you do after 65 Copper?”
“I was in permanent force till 1980 and then I went farming; I farmed with my dad just outside Bulawayo till 1985 then he sold. It was either we sell and lose everything or take what we can get from that bastard. In those days the Zimbabwean dollar was on par with the American dollar and my dad got a reasonable price for his farm, so we were lucky. The poor buggers who held on got nothing. After my dad got his money out we left the country and went to live in Durban. I was about 40 then, married and had two boys, one of 15 and another of 12. I managed to get a job on a sugar farm just outside Umhloti on the South Coast.” He said.
“And you, what did you do?” Copper asked.
“I stayed till 68 then I left. I got sick of territorials and I couldn’t see a future there.” David said.
“What did you do then?”
“I went overseas and when I came back to Africa I settled in Johannesburg. I had half a dozen jobs before I joined an insurance company and studied for my B.Com. After 5 or 6 years at head office I joined the sales force and now I’m here.”
“Hey man, my glass is empty, another one?” David asked.
“Yes. What the hell I’m not driving.” He replied.
He called the waiter over. “Bring us the same please. 25 years in the army, that was a long time, were you always based in Cramborne?”
“No. I was there for a couple of years and then transferred to different bases over the years.”
“Did you have any contacts, while you were in?”
“Yes being in regiments like the RLI and Selous Scouts I had a few contacts”. He waited a few seconds, and then he carried on. “The BSAP (The British South African Police) the RAR (Royal African Rifles) the RLI (Rhodesian light infantry) the SAS (Special Air Services) and the Selous Scouts were all involved. It was only the best soldiers, black and white, from those regiments that Ron Reid Daly selected for Selous Scouts. There were plenty operations not only in Rhodesia but in Mozambique and in Zambia too. You guys know nothing of what happened here. All records were destroyed before Mugabe took over.” He said.
“Were you part of those forces?”
“Yes.” He said then grinned at me as if to say. “I’m not telling you anymore.”
The waiter came back and put the drinks in front of us. “Thanks my friend.”
We watched as Simon was giving his talk on the eagles. He had a build like Mister Universe and had the good looks to go with it too and impeccable manners. Quite a few of the ladies from Europe wanted to get him into bed but he was happily married. Just as well otherwise I would be looking for a new partner and manager. He was dressed in the lodge uniform. A khaki shirt and shorts to the knees that had been starched, long socks and shoes that you could see your face in. “you can see who the females are. They’re larger than the males. They have a wing span of 8 feet, where the males” wing span is only 6 feet.” Simon said starting his talk.
He paused to see if anybody had a question but nobody asked so he carried on. “They mate for life you know. Not like us humans that have two or three mates. They often maintain two or more nests as well, which can over years grow to 6 feet across and 4 feet deep. They build their nests out of sticks and feathers from other birds that they’ve fed on. The body of the bird is brown and the head, breast and tail is whiter than snow, the exception, the featherless face is yellow, the yellow of gold, so yellow. The hook shaped beak is also yellow but the tip is black.”
He paused again but again nobody wanted to ask questions. He continued. “When she hunts she will swoop down to grab a barbell or a bird by her talons and then fly to her perch and eat it there. If the catch, a fish or water bird is too heavy to lift then she will drag it over the surface of the water until she reaches the shore where she will eat it. Some times in the back ground you can hear him call his mate with a cry like this wee-ah, iyo-iyo as if saying come home baby.” Simon ended his talk.
“Ladies and gentlemen I would like to thank you for coming to listen to me tonight. If you have any questions please feel free to ask.” Nobody asked, and then he said. “Good night folks.”
They all stood up and clapped and so did Copper and David. A minute later all the single ladies and a few that were married came around him. I wasn’t quite sure if it was only to ask him questions on the birds or an invitation to meet later. If it was for the latter Simon would lead them on and then let them know politely that he was very happily married. David thought some of them would be disappointed. David was impressed and enjoyed his talk and would tell him so the next day.
David had dinner then went through to the lounge. He wanted to meet some of their guests. Copper had arrived before him and was standing in the corner having a drink. He walked towards him. Copper smiled when he saw David coming. “Hey what are you doing here? I thought that you had gone to your room. Why didn’t you join me for dinner?” He asked Copper.
“I’m not hungry and when I have the time to socialise I take advantage. It’s not often that I have the chance.” Chopper said.
Then she walked in. A hush came all over the room.
“Shit my mate. Since when do you get stock like that coming here? Copper whispered. To see that after spending a couple of weeks in the bush is like seeing a porn movie. My mind does all funny things to me. Leave her with me for 10 minutes.”
“Is that all you need?” David asked. “If I had her for one minute I would never let her go.” He said.
“That’s why you are different to me. I can’t have them hanging around me for long. That’s why my wife is in Durban and I’m here.” He said smiling.
She was dressed in a long red dress. A bit different from the black dress she had on the previous night. It was low cut in the front and it showed no lines. Her hair was pulled up and had a clip holding it in place and a bright red lipstick that made her lips look even more kissable. She reminded me of Julia Roberts. As she came in she looked around as if there was someone she was going to meet. Then she walked out again.
“She’s as hard as nails. I can’t get close to her.” David said.
“Hey bud you can’t have everything. Is she married?” Copper asked as he watched her walk in and then out.
“I don’t know. She’s not wearing a ring. A wedding ring I mean.”
“That doesn’t mean anything Dave. The women take off their rings when they go away on their own.”
“Hey Copper I better circulate a bit otherwise my guests will think I’m ignoring them.”
“Remember I’m a guest as well.” Copper said with a smile.
“True; can I get you something to drink?”
“A castle will be great.”
He went over to the waiter and told him to take a Castle to Copper. Then I slowly walked back to my bungalow. He didn’t need her he thought, there are plenty of lovely single women that come to the lodge.
ns 15.158.61.5da2
