Shane Simba made three of the top notch global best dressed lists this month. The reaction to this feat in the Mara is so great that one would think our young lion president had copped a Nobel capped with the Victorian Cross. We all seem terribly titillated by this bit of frippery. Cards, letters and emails have inundated his office lauding him for his sartorial splendor. It’s not as if Ralph Lyon, during his presidency, didn’t dress well. Of course with Ralph it was an uphill struggle all the way with me compelling him to dress and groom as befit a world leader. Ralph’s nature was one fit for more relaxing fashion statements such as gauche Hawaiian print shirts over pants that were frayed. there were times that I had to grow positively cross with my dear friend and employer in order to make him tow the mark in dress and primping matters.

in evening attire....

                    in beach attire.

    With Shane Simba, sartorial splendor is innate - almost a second skin. With his tall, buff body and splendid Roman profile, he seems to be possessed of an inborn elegance. Even with the occasional baggy pants and tee shirt, he looks cool as a cucumber. Shane was caught by the paparazzi recently at the beach sporting a Speedo and straw hat and still had that panache about him. With his new wife, who can also don some very chic duds (as well as some messy ones), he makes a strong statement for style.

    Betty didn’t answer any calls from Jack Tarzan when she returned to the Mara. The Mara now has caller ID which is a two edged sword at best.

She knew there was a certain amount of childishness in her sentiments but still persisted. She realized that she was jealous of his weekend with Leah Simba in Mombasa.

Wilda Wildebeest answered Betty’s door to find the tall figure of Jack Tarzan standing there.

"Come right in, Jack. Betty is in her study," said Wilda.

She led the way.

"You haven’t been to the office the last several days," said Jack as Betty turned to see who was there. "And you haven’t answered your cell phone. I think we need to talk, don’t you, Betty?"

She stood up and took his hand. "Drinks first, my lad, it’s that time of day."

They were seated on the back porch where Wilda so tactfully didn’t join them.

"I’m working on an article that Bob (Bushbuck) wants me to place in the Nairobi paper he owns so this is why I’ve been working at home," she attempted to explain.

"Betty, you know you were upset at my joining Leah in Mombasa last weekend. Let’s be honest and get around this problem."

"I suppose the green eyed monster did rear its ugly head at that. I should be punished. Got any ideas?" she laughed, not wanting to tackle the deep seated feelings that persisted to hound her in regard to Jack.

"Seriously, I might just have. Do you want to move in with me?"

She was rather stunned. She didn’t expect this at all. She was also slightly taken aback that he had failed to offer marriage as a solution. But then she realized how far he had come to even offer the living together scenario. This was a lion who had wanted nothing to do with absolutely anyone just a short while ago. She was about to say that it would be easier if he moved in with her but quickly nipped that thought in the bud. He was far to proud to broach the idea of living in someone else’s home.

"Do you think we would be good together, Jack? And I have my kids too. They would have to join us."

"I think we ARE good together, Betty. And I wouldn’t want it any other way except to include your cubs."

"Okay, you’ve got yourself a deal and a house mate - let me rephrase that, several housemates," she laughed.

"My sister wants her own place so I’ve helped her rent a house. She’s moving next week so it will just be me, you, Patsy and your boys. Does that sound about right?"

"Oh, yes, Jack, it all sounds marvelous."

Betty and Jack make plans to live together.....

    In discussions with Wilda and her children later, Wilda promised to keep the home fires burning at Betty’s house. Jason decided that he would stay between the house on Leoparde Drive and his father, Sam Simba. He was older and about to go to prep school in South Africa before joining his two brothers in England. He was also dating and wanted to be near his lioness girlfriend who lived on Lyon Avenue one block away. He promised to visit his mother and Jack whom he really liked. Solly, Tarek and Jalil were thrilled to have closer proximity to Jack, who they adored.

    The weekend after the move, Betty took Solly, Tarek and Jalil to the State House to go with their father to his bush home. On the way to the bush house, Solly decided to chat up Shane. He had forgotten the reaction earlier to this particular subject. They were all in the backseat of Shane’s official limousine being driven to the bush home where Alexandra was waiting for them.

"Daddy, we all live with Jack now," allowed Solly. "He’s a super dad..uh, I mean sort of dad."

Shane remained quiet for a bit before saying, "Solly, I hope you and your brothers and mom are happy there. Jack is a decent chap for sure."

    Shane was having trouble heading the bureau he had set up in Tanzania to help the Tanzanian animal population learn some business tactics from Kenyan animals who had learned the ropes a good while ago. He needed a good head for money and a steady worker. He knew who to call. His brother, Chris, was an economics major from the university in London. He had proven a very able, ingenious director for Sylvia Leoparde Cougar’s long time foundation she had set up in memory of her father, Nathan Leoparde. Now to persuade to leave the Mara and his very healthy salary at the Nathan Leoparde Memorial Foundation and go with the government. He called to a meeting his vice president, Daniel Lyon and Sloane Simba the justice and interior minister. He tossed his idea on the table and waited for their reactions.

"No one seems able to cut the mustard, Shane. You know what Chris is made of it," said Daniel.

"It’s a good idea, Shane," agreed Sloane.

"I will have to do some tall persuasion. He has worked for Sylvia Cougar since he graduated and returned to the Mara. He was even engaged to her daughter for a while," reported Shane.

"Up the ante. Offer him a salary he can’t refuse. It will be worth it to have that thing on the ground in Tanzania so we can take advantage of the boom and calm the Tanzanians at the same time," stated Daniel Lyon.

    The move to Jack Tarzan’s extensive plantation in the low hill bush country had been smooth and exciting. They had moved on a Thursday, Jack taking time off from the paper to help Betty and her cubs with the things they had brought. They all had a jolly celebration dinner around the huge oak table in the dining room. There were many bottles of wine consumed by the adults. Jack’s sister, although already relocated to her own home, had joined the dinner as had Betty’s older son, Jason. Later when the cubs were in bed from exhaustion, Jack having chased them around the veranda to their delight, he and Betty sat on the veranda and had a nightcap - Betty, a martini and Jack, his beer. Once again, Betty had the feeling that there was no where she wanted to be in this world than with Jack and in this place. They made love and slept in each others arms rising for coffee the next morning in the cheerful country kitchen with the smells of freshly baked rolls and scones that Patsy had created at her usual 5:00 am. The cubs went off to school with their Masai guard and the driver, a must for all offspring of the current President of Kenya. Betty and Jack went in separate cars to the same workplace - The Masai Mara Daily. Jane Leoparde asked them to lunch with her at the Watering Hole Pub. There they had Bloody Marys and barbecue to celebrate the new live-in union of Jack and Betty.

Shane Simba called his brother Chris to his office. There, he greeted him warmly and poured two Scotches for them.

"Haven’t seen you in a while, Shane. How goes it?" asked Chris, still wondering what this was about.

He had never been particularly close to Shane. He was a litter mate of Sefu Simba’s and Shane was two years younger and a hard one to figure at any rate, Chris thought.

"I need you in a job that can be very lucrative for you, Chris," began Shane, dismissing the suspicious look in his brother’s golden eyes.

"It’s not some of that business you’ve got going down with Lewis Lyon, is it, Shane?" Chris’ eyes narrowed.

"No, Chris, it’s a government post. I need an economist of your caliber to head the AID Bureau I’ve created as a part of our embassy in Tanzania. It will pay you well and you will be given great housing in the Serengeti."

"And you want me to leave my job where I get a huge salary, benefits and retirement and go to that damn uncivilized game reserve. I think not. They’re still allowing trophy hunting in Tanzania.  I don't fancy getting my ass shot off for my mane."

Chris, do you ever pick up a newspaper? There is a new lion president that just took over," reminded Shane, incredulous.

"I’ve seen that bozo on television. He looks as wild as any lion can be. I know your angle, Shane. You just want to feel free to set up businesses over there, all the while trying to soothe the Tanzanian’s ruffled feathers. Do you know what you’ve become?"

Shane’s jaw was at half mast at this horrific turn around in the conversation. He was speechless.

"You have become - and I admit this is an odious pun - another fat cat African leader, scraping your share heavily off the top of these countries until only skimmed milk is left. No cream after you and Lewis Lyon have gone through the place."

"Shit, Chris.....is that what you think I’m doing?"

Chris Simba rose and in one of his finer moments said, "That is what I KNOW you do, Shane. I want no part of any of it, thanks but no thanks."

He tipped an imaginary hat and left. Shane sat there in his desk chair and felt totally deflated.

Chris Simba, older brother of President Shane Simba, turns him down cold...

"I have lost total touch with my pride. No one in it likes me - not even my mother," he thought to himself.

Alexandra found him still sitting there as the sun sank and the light waned behind the Nau Narre Hills, darkening the room .

"What’s wrong, Luv? You look dreadful....as if you’ve seen a ghost," she said, leaning over to kiss his mane.

"What I’ve seen  and heard is my own brother’s opinion of me and it’s not a pretty one. I think I need to tend relations with my pride, darling, they are awful and I’m beginning to think I’m as bad as they think I am."

"Let’s go home and have a drink. We’ll take this reparation business slowly. The big party didn’t work. It needs to be done on an individual basis. But it CAN be done, my love. Come home now. You need some nurturing," she said, taking his hand, putting it to her lips and kissing it, then leading him out the door of his office.

They walked the lawn to the mansion arm in arm.

Shane with supportive wife, Alexandra.....

    Leah Lyon was in the main salon of JAGGERS going over some details with an underling when Juma Mnyama entered. Leah had forgotten how handsome Trevor Tau’s medical colleague was. She had read of his divorce from her cousin Staci Simba. She went to see what he wanted.

"I need some new jackets. Maybe you can help me, Leah," he said.

"Follow me, I’ll have the staff bring us some of this Fall’s chic looks," she said, taking his hand in hers and noticing he had succumbed himself to the new mania for hands instead of paws. "Would you like a cognac while you choose?"

"I’d love one, Leah."