Things are working out in most of the key households in the Mara regarding the holidays and planned occasions.  Of course the younger generation who are spending their first All Thanks Day and Christmas in their own digs are in a slight state of flux engaging in their usual frenetic activities.  Wally and Juanita Warthog went ca chink each time they cashed out their registers in the Watering Hole Pub and counted the day’s earnings.  It is a lucrative affair and Wally had purchased the property on Lyon Avenue next to Maude and Harold Hyena.  Lion Lion, the recently hired architect with Lewis Lyon Construction, was designing a new home of immense proportions for the very rich warthog family.  The new and wealthy younger generation, not to mention members of older age groups, were flocking to Wally’s establishment which sprawls next to the watering hole and includes Starbucks, Ben & Jerry’s as well as multiple dining areas and bars. 

            Lachlan and I have been invited to Betty (Chimpo) and Jack Tarzan’s home for All Thanks Day.  Gloria (Chimpo) and Bertram Baboon will also be there in addition to Jane and Luke Leoparde and a large number of offspring.  After Betty and Jack’s groaning board we have been invited to Gerald Giraffe’s annual All Thanks Day bash which begins early and lasts into the wee hours of the morning.  Gerald’s event is anything but sedate.  It involves the gay crowd and things can easily get out of hand, making it convenient that Gerald’s barn is deep in the bush country near Charlotte Elephanti and Cappie Cape Buffalo’s barn.  Gerald usually gets as drunk as a road lizard and becomes weepy. 

            I fear I will come off as very materialistic but it is necessary to focus on the abundance of commerce that we have available to us this year.  Lewis Lyon’s mall has increased ten fold since last season.  It is jam packed.  Lachlan and I went together one evening to attempt a bit of early shopping and almost got trampled.  Lachlan nearly bit the dust when a hurried shopper slammed into him while gawking at Victoria Secret’s window display.  If a lion almost gets conked imagine what it’s like for a monkey. 

            Micah Mbube, the lion actor and sometime director, sat sprawled in his chair in the Catherine Cheetah Simba Memorial Theater at the arts center.  New best friends, Bop Boon and Chloe Cougar were emoting away as the lesbian school teachers in the current play being rehearsed – The Children’s Hour.  Micah was at least glad for the fact that Bop and Chloe weren’t dissing each other every moment but another component had resulted from their bonding.  Now they were defensive on one another’s behalf.  When the scene was completed, the group broke for lunch.  Before Chloe left with Bop, Micah had a request. 

“Chloe, could you do away with the blowsy hair before opening night?” inquired Micah, his tone acid.

“What’s wrong with my hair?” snarled Chloe, quickly attempting to smooth the bleached disorder that resembled a badly constructed bird’s nest. 

“I don’t think a teacher would have that flop house effect, Chloe,” stated Micah. 

“Of course a teacher would have hair like Chloe’s,” chimed Bop, in mindless defense of her bud. 

“No, she WOULD NOT,” growled Micah.  “Go to Beau Visage before the play opens and tone down that mayonnaise effect.  You look like a hooker.”

Micah was feeling rather punk these days.  Bogged down in a marriage with Christine Cheetah Mbube, the director of the arts center, he was restless.  He loved his twins that Christine had borne him but was generally bored with the domestic grind. Christine was usually working late with the holiday details at the center.  There was to be The Sugar Plum Fairy, our annual ballet, three artist’s exhibits in the various galleries and a Christmas themed banquet to raise funds.  She was a super busy feline.  Micah made a mental note to go to the pub this evening and check out the new sports bar. 

            At a Simba pride party hosted by Alexandra and Shane in their bush home, Roy Lee got his younger brother aside. 

“Shane, I got a call from Chloe and she tells me that Bop Boon wants to buy your penthouse in Lyon Towers.”

“Is she ready to pay what it is worth, Roy Lee? I want over a million Euro dollars for it.”

“Yeah, I guess she is.  You know she is one of my contract stars and is also divorced from Lorenzo Leoparde.  She’s got some major funds going for her.”

“Tell her I’ll give the listing to Jackal Realty.  She can buy it through Jerrilyn.”

“You look like one of those animals that we used to see when the prey was scarce during a drought,” said Ralph Lyon to his granddaughter Imani Lyon who had paid a holiday visit to see if Mildred was handing out gifts of cash yet.

“Ralph, good heavens, Imani looks lovely, dear.  She has become a very successful model and is extremely elegant,” said Mildred in defense of her favorite offspring’s oldest daughter.

“I’m going to be in a Calvin Klein underwear ad coming out this week, Grandpa Lyon,” added Imani. 

“You need to get some meat on your bones before you pose in your knickers.  You’re too skinny – at least for my tastes,” advised her grandfather who was not exactly a fan of his testy granddaughter.  . 

Imani Lyon's Calvin Klein ad..... 

            However, Imani looked nothing but luscious as Micah Mbube made his slow way to the bar in the sports area of the Pub.  He almost backed out, seeing far too many of an age group he no longer belonged to.  She was among a crush of young animals, many kin to her.  There was Sean Simba holding forth to an admiring group of sports enthusiasts.  At his side was Georgy Simba gazing at him with adoring eyes, thinking wedding bells no doubt.  Micah made his way to the crowded bar, gave a nod to Imani and ordered a Scotch. 

Micah meets Imani in the Pub.....

“I recognize you,” stated Imani, lighting a cigarette and blowing the smoke out in a great billow.  “You work for my Grandpa Simba.”

Most would have told Micah, a very successful actor in his own right, that she recognized him from his fame in films and on stage.  But that was not the unpredictable Imani’s style.  She preferred an instant reminder that he was under contract to her superstar grandfather, Roy Lee Simba. 

“And I just saw you in your under britches in an ad in a magazine I picked up last night,” said Micah, trying to scatter the smoke that surrounded him from Imani’s Marlboro.

“That’s my Calvin Klein ad,” she answered smugly.  “Did you get all horny and spank your monkey when you saw it?”

Micah was highly amused at Roy Lee's shocking granddaughter.  He had been in love with her mother once and found Imani amazingly similar in appearance to the stunning Leah Simba.  However, that is where the resemblance ended.  One of the marvelous things about Leah was her lovability.  One could sense immediately that Imani Janice Lyon lacked that sweetness big time.  The lion actor and the budding model chatted, Imani testing her acidity against Micah's mature wit. 

“I have an apartment of my own,” hinted Imani broadly. 

“And I have a wife of my own,” cracked Micah. 

“So why are you in here, Micah?”

Imani had a real point and she continued to probe at what she perceived to be Micah’s Achilles heel – a no longer exciting marriage.

“My wife is working late. She’s the head of the arts center,” explained Micah beckoning the bartender for a refill. 

“Oh, one of those Cheetahs,” scoffed Imani.

“Yes, one of those,” agreed Micah who was beginning to feel his liquor.

“You’re sexy and not kin to me, Micah.  I wish we could go to my place and screw – and don’t worry.  I won’t get knocked up like my cousin sitting on the other side of you,” announced Imani, pointing to Georgy Simba. 

“I wouldn’t mind giving you a roll in the hay but I work for your grandfather as you pointed out.  On top of that, I can see you lack discretion.  Have a good one, Imani.”

“You’re leaving?”

“Sure am,” answered Micah, placing money on the bar to take care of Imani’s last drink.

Micah left the smoke and ruckus of the pub and went to his car.  He noticed when he slid in the seat, that he had a boner.

            Inside, Sean Simba had left Georgy’s side.  She saw him a few feet away speaking with a leopardess he knew from school.  Sean stood with the leopardess, stroking her lower back and placing a hand on her boob that was almost exposed by a very revealing and skimpy top.  Georgy reached in her purse for a cigarette.  When she looked up again there was no Sean and no leopardess.  Georgy wanted to cry. 

Bop's new penthouse purchased from Shane Simba....

  Chloe Cougar and Bop Boon decided to celebrate.  Bop had just signed the contract to buy Shane Simba’s penthouse next to Chloe’s.  “That bastard screwed me on the price but I paid it anyway,” she had reported to Chloe.  They went to Simba’s Bistro which was also jammed for the holiday season. 

            Arlon Lyon was invited many places for All Thanks Day.  There was his pride’s big bash, his mother’s home and now he had other offers.  Lee Simba had invited him to the feast of the Simba pride and the gathering that was held at Sylvia and Bernard Cougar’s home.  He thought he might attend every damned one of them.  The food and drink would be great.  In the meantime, he had spent two nights with his grandparents, Mildred and Ralph Lyon.  Where Ralph didn’t take too well to Arlon’s half sister, Imani, he simply doted on Arlon.  He found Arlon to be sensible but fun – 'a great head on his shoulders' – as he put it to Mildred.  The young lion and his legendary grandfather were great pals. 

Ralph, Arlon and Mildred Lyon enjoy each others company for the holidays....

            Alexandra Simba worked tirelessly on all of the holiday functions that she had to launch as the President’s wife.  Among her many activities was Christening a new ship which lay in Mombasa harbor and was owned by Lyon-Simba Shipping Company.  Then there was the orphanage Christmas party held on the State house grounds where Santa Claus appeared to the young who had no parents and handed out toys.  Bernice Bear worked relentless along side her boss whom she had grown to love.  The First Lady had requested that Bernice be invited to the Simba pride dinner for All Thanks Day.  Alexandra accompanied Shane on several day trips within Kenya to wish the Kenyans a joyous holiday season.  These were goodwill junkets at their best and the eye-catching couple was thronged.  It was a season of hard work but also one of elation at their wonderful marriage and children.  Shane looked as relaxed and happy as one can.  Dr. Frank Tigeres marveled at the complete disappearance of Shane’s potentially dangerous stomach ulcers.

Alexandra and Shane Simba on break during holiday junket in Kenya....

            Simba’s Bistro was humming with the lunch crowd that lined the reception area waiting for a table.  Fortunately, Bertram Baboon was there ahead of me and sitting at a table with my martini already present when I arrived a bit late from a hectic morning at the State House. 

“Isn’t that Shane Simba’s son at that table?” he asked as I got settled and sipped my martini.

There, two tables away was Sean Simba with his aunt, Caroline Cheetah, formerly Mrs. Sloane Simba. 

“Yes, having a pre-Christmas bite with his auntie,” I said, trying to put a proper face on it having heard the rumblings from Shane in regard to his son’s bonking family members. 

“I don’t intend to argue, Maurice, because I am imbued with the holiday spirit, but those two appear to be highly erotic,” argued Bertram, chomping on a cracker loaded with goose liver pâté and sputtering some on my silk tie in his diligence.

“Yes, they do seem to be a bit on the touchy feely side,” I had to agree.

Sean Simba was running his fingers along Caroline’s silken leg, having taken the chair at her side.  I saw Caroline’s tongue as it made a quick swipe at Sean’s lips.  He buried his face in her neck. 

“This is disgraceful, Maurice.  If this was OKAPI’S, Ossie would have them tossed out,” said an outraged Bertram.  “Why don’t they just get a room instead of utilizing this restaurant as a boudoir.”

“No one is going to toss the President’s son out of anywhere, Bertram.  Just relax and we’ll order another martini.  I’ve finished mine – I was simply parched for a drink,” I giggled. 

“I feel as if I’m in a very noisy bordello,” snorted Bertram, taking another toast square, slathering it with pâte, and chewing violently.

This time he finished off my tie. 

Sean Simba and his aunt, Caroline Cheetah.....