Maurice & Friends

A matter of capitalism has raised its greedy head once again in our fair Mara. Lewis Lyon (who else?) has added a Starbucks to his mall and it is up for grabs as to who will manage it and share profits. The Warthogs and the Hyenas are locked in a competitive battle to see who wins the coveted franchise. Wally already has a Starbucks incorporated in his booming Watering Hole Pub. Maude and Harold Hyena own three McDonalds that are destroying waistlines everywhere.

Simone Serval is fresh from several months on the French stage and spending time with her two sons from Luke Leoparde, who are studying in Paris. She walked to the entrance of one of Lyon Construction’s more elegant and luxurious apartment groups. She pushed the button under his name and Dickey Simba’s voice came through the intercom. When he was sure it was the dainty feline starlet he buzzed her in. As she got off the elevator, he opened his door, drawing her inside and holding her tightly against his nude body.

“Glad you’re back, Simone, how was the divine Paris?” he asked, beginning to remove her clothes, garment by garment.

“Wonderful, I bought so many beautiful clothes,” she purred as she stepped out of a dainty lacy thong.

“I prefer you naked. Want some hash?”

“Yeeeesss,” she purred. “Before we get to other things.”

“Gawd, if I witness another model toss her cookies, I will toss my own,” groused Duke.

The lion couturier was referring to Sandi Sandcat who, upon being fitted for a pattern, had run to the small toilet off the marking room of JAGGERS.

“Maybe she’s just nervous, Dukes,” giggled Leah Simba, who had experienced a divine Christmas break with her lover, Jack Tarzan.

“My arse, she’s probably with child,” he countered. “Aren’t they all these days?”

In the meantime, Leah’s mean, lean, lanky oldest child had received an offer to model for Dolce & Gabbana in the Milan, Italy runway shows in the spring. Imani Lyon was over the moon with delight mixed with an air of utter conceit. She had made a recent cover of ANIMAL magazine in her new Betty Chimpo hairstyle. She looked adorable and sexy and the fashion world took note.

Imani Janice Lyon.....

Imani’s aunt, Lisa Lyon Leo had some advice for her niece. Lisa had been a sensation in the fashion world before finally marrying Larry Leo and settling down to a life of selfless work with the Masai people and a family of her own. Lisa had advised Imani about letting her success go to her head and making a mess of her life as it almost had with Lisa. Imani listened as politely as Imani is capable of doing before nodding her head in assent and brushing it off as so much nonsense by an elder.

The Masai Mara All Stars played South Africa for their final game of the season. Sean Simba, a goal keeper, scored many times, bringing the crowd to its feet. His handsome face appeared on multiple front pages that week adding to his hubris.

Sean Simba wins in a blaze of glory....

That’s when Sandi Sandcat, on the very unwise advice of her aunt, asked to make an appointment with the President of Kenya, Sean’s papa. The entire staff of the State House was on break with the exception of a few key maintenance workers, including the switchboard operator who duly recorded it in her calls received records.

Betty Chimpo made a decision borne of unaccustomed loneliness. Wilda Wildebeest was spending New Year’s Eve and the day following with her herd in the Serengeti. Betty’s sister, Gloria had made plans to go to Paris with her hubby, Bertram Baboon. Betty’s brother, Chico, had taken their mother, Mavis, to Las Vegas with him. Betty made last minute flight plans. She would spend a few days in Manhattan. Kenya University would open again for business on the 7^th of January. Time enough for some shopping and dining alone in a place where it didn’t really matter too much. She was sure she could manage a dinner date or two with her editor. New York was a place, Betty felt, where one was seldom lonely so busy and populated were the streets at even the latest hours.

The dinner in the home of Terry Simba, son of Bubba and the new university chancellor, was contentious. Although his mother, Sukey was kin to his father’s other lionesses except for Lulu, she was still surly and loud. Only Lulu filled with breast enhancing silicone and wearing a very low cut dress, didn’t give a shit about Sukey or the others. She knew she had Bubba’s attentions entirely. The other old bats could stuff it for all Lulu cared.

The day before Betty boarded her plane for New York, Lewis Lyon gave her a call.

“”Betty, this is Lewis Lyon. I know I am being rather intrusive but Shane tells me your house on Leoparde Drive is a wonderful structure. I’m building some very high end homes on land I’ve bought in the Mara and would love to bring my architect to see yours. I hope I’m not being too pushy in asking this, Betty. I promise we won’t stay too long,” said the affable and ebullient Lewis.

She had always found Lewis a delightful character. She didn’t mind at all.

Lion Lion head architect at Lewis Lyon Construction....

An hour later, Betty answered her door to find Lewis standing there with a case of something. Next to him was a very handsome blond maned male lion who was introduced as Lion Lion. The case of something turned out to be twelve bottles of Louis Roederer champagne for her hospitality in letting Lewis’ architect peruse her home and its structural wonders. Lewis and Betty chatted pleasantly while the architect, given carte blanche by Betty, investigated her dwelling, which actually is a marvel. Lion arrived back in the main room.

“This is a gorgeous place, Betty,” commended Lion. “Lewis, it has some features I could use in the others. Not to copy your house at all, I promise.”

“Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, they say. Clint Cougar designed this house,” she said.

“Betty, I hope we haven’t kept you from anything,” said Lewis. “Thanks a million for the go through.”

“I’m leaving for Manhattan tomorrow and my apartment there. It was a pleasure, Lewis and very nice to meet you, Lion,” said Betty. “The champagne is a lovely gift. Thank you so much, Lew.”

“How long will you be in New York, Betty?” asked Lion.

“I have to be back in the Mara before the 7^th of January. New job and all that,” she said, smiling.

“May I call you when you return?” asked Lion.

Betty took another look while Lewis stood aside in amusement. Lion was impeccably dressed, handsome, tall and smelled good. Why not?

“Yes, you may call me. I will look forward to it, Lion.”

Simone and Dickey get stoned and sexy.......

Simone Serval and Dickey Simba had gotten stoned out of their gourds on good Amsterdam hash. Now they were dancing naked in his living room, the drapes tightly closed, the lights so low the room was thrown in deep shadow.

“Dickey, why don’t you get married?” asked Simone, burying her face in his chest.

“I haven’t found the right one yet, Simone.”

“Dickey,” she moaned. “That’s so mean.”

Betty sat in first class as the Kenya Airways jumbo jet climbed into the thick clouds above Nairobi bumping like a bad bus ride. She sipped her Mimosa and looked out the window dreamily. She thought of the holiday season and all it had entailed. She reflected on Shane and Alexandra and their absorption with one another. She ran through her affair with Sean and the deficiency of that sexually intense flare up. She put thoughts of Jack Tarzan on a back burner. It was too painful to think of all she had put him through and their ensuing divorce. Like Scarlett O’Hara, she would think of that tomorrow – maybe. Her thoughts turned with amusement and curiosity to Lion Lion. It was when she thought of Dickey Simba that she became pensive. Her feelings for him made Betty nervous. She held out her empty glass to a smiling stewardess and requested another Mimosa.

Betty on Kenya Airways leaving for New York City...

Dickey Simba rode to the pride territory to check on his mother again. After all, she had fallen on her drunken rump from the steps of her trailer. He found her sitting at the rickety table with a bottle of bourbon. No need for a glass, Goosey was quite amenable to drinking straight from the jug. She was very sloshed on the unaccustomed strength of the bourbon. She usually swilled one beer after another. Dickey took a seat at the table across from Goosey. The chair creaked with rust and age. Goosey was feeling extra cantankerous.

“You know, Dick, you ain’t no real Simba,” she announced proudly, lighting an unfiltered Camel.

“Meaning exactly what, Mom?” he asked in a bored manner, lighting a cigarette and trying to ignore the stench of the unkempt trailer.

Goosey took a long draw on her cigarette, gulped down some bourbon and took on a look of pending importance.

“’Cause when I was in heat, I took a powder from that old shit, Sean and his fellow pride male. I got my rear end stuck up to another lion that was better than those two put together. That lion’s your papa, Dick.”

Dickey gave a chuff, “Come on, Mom, maybe pride males can play around but their lionesses never do.”

Goosey pounded a paw on her chest and declared, “I did and those two old farts never noticed. They was as drunk as I was.”

“Whose pride should I belong to then, Mom?” asked Dickey with absolutely no real interest. “I doubt I’m a Lyon or a Leo. Maybe a Scar would have taken you on.”

“Oh hell no, you ain’t none of them buggers. Your dad was a roaming male with a mane like the sun….thick, blond and all the way to his chest,” she announced pompously. “He was so tall and big; he almost killed me when he mounted me.”

Dickey rolled his eyes. He couldn’t wait to get out of this stifling place and the presence of his boozy mother.

“That’s all very interesting; but only the black manes, Barbary and Cape males have chest hair. I think this dream lover of yours is only that – a figment of your imagination. Do you need anything before I go?”

“You’ve always been such a smart ass, Dick. No I don’t need anything - go home,” she snarled.

Instead of going home, he went to the Watering Hole Pub for a Starbucks coffee. He sat down just inside the deck area. A light drizzle was falling. He took out his cell phone and dialed. Betty’s voice mail was on.

The Masai Mara Daily’s business section heralded: STARBUCKS’ MALL FRANCHISE GOES TO THE WARTHOG FAMILY. The poop hit the fan. Since Lewis Lyon is a lion and lions have a troubled history (to put it gently) with hyenas, there were protests of lion rule all over again. The skinny on the choice really lay with the Starbuck’s company bigwigs. Wally Warthog, already having a franchise at his pub, was favored by the CEO and awarded his second franchise. It had nothing to do with Lewis Lyon at the end of the day. However, the son of Ralph Lyon whose fortune was greater than the Leoparde family billions, was accustomed to controversy. Lewis is a marvelously stable sort with a supportive wife and pride. He simply shrugged off the controversy until the Mara’s population, with its short attention span like most, grew bored with the subject and turned their attention elsewhere.