LEWIS LYON HONORS HIS DAD....
Our birthdays are feathers in the broad wing of time.
Jean Paul Richter
This is the week of former president, Ralph Lyon’s first birthday since he left office. The current president, Shane Simba, declared it a national holiday and in honor of the occasion renamed the international airport in Nairobi, The Ralph Lyon International Airport. Lewis Lyon is inviting almost everyone to his opulent Mombasa home for a weekend celebration for his dad. Lachlan and I have been invited to spend the time in Lewis and Gina’s home. Excitement is high. The thoughtful Lewis is even having Charlotte Elephanti and Cappie Cape Buffalo airlifted to his digs.
It is a good time for celebration. After rattling swords at the Somalis, there is much less activity in the raiding and banditry of Kenya on their part. Things have calmed down considerably. Our warships are still in international waters in the Indian Ocean and close enough to strike Somalia if needed. The bases being built and manned on our borders are also a deterrent. Shane Simba has become an even more heroic figure having faced the Somalis and having them back down. Nothing is ever safe in this world of increasing difficulties but for the moment we of Kenya have reason to be proud. Our economy is booming, we’re getting a handle on the AIDS battle and we have a president who won’t take any bullshit from troublesome countries who harass and commit violence within our borders.
I went with Shane to address the parliament in Nairobi this week. He was surrounded by fans as is his superstar brother, Roy Lee Simba. People and animals ringed him asking for photographs and autographs. Shane complied as much as possible but couldn’t handle the volume in its entirety. As it was, it took us several hours to extricate ourselves from the crowd and return to the airport. On the plane to the Mara, Shane laughed about the fact that his worshipers had torn the pocket from his suit.
I was standing with him in his office a few days later. I noticed that his face held a very serious expression – even more so than usual.
“Maury, Ethiopia is warring with Somalia too. They want to call all of the pertinent African leaders together as well as some in the west. We need to confab about this situation in that country. The Islamic extremists are a threat there. I may have to go to a conference when one is set up.”
“Shane, I have never interfered in your personal life – at least I don’t think I have.”
He had that bemused expression he often has when I address him on most subjects. It is one of a slight amusement and some puzzlement blended with respect. I think he likes me and I certainly grow fonder of him with each passing day although unlike Ralph Lyon, he is not easy to read.
“No, you haven’t, Maurice….continue…”
“Since Betty is getting more advanced in her pregnancy, could you
call a conference to be held here instead of traveling again? I
stay behind and I know her stress levels.”
“Maurice, that is a brilliant idea. We’ll get in touch with the various countries that are concerned with Somalia and make a date to meet here for several days.”
“Yes, we have attractions too,” I added.
“Yes, the humans can ogle our sophisticated and spectacular wildlife,” he laughed. “But mind you, they can’t use guns or cameras to catch us.”
I drove to Mombasa early for Ralph’s birthday celebration. Lewis had invited Lachlan and me to stay at his elegant home overlooking the Indian Ocean. Lachlan wouldn’t be able to arrive until the last minute, so tied up was he with his patients at the mental health center.
Lewis Lyon's home on Nyali beach in Mombasa
I pulled up to the gates of the Moorish structure on Nyali beach in Mombasa. The guards smiled, waved and sent me through to the vast parking area. Ralph and Lewis were on the veranda and came to greet me. To describe this house of Kenya’s first singular animal multibillionaire would be almost impossible. I can only say it is tasteful, deluxe and restful in turn. I have always liked this son of Ralph’s who no one thought would be the mover and shaker in his dad’s pride. Fortune has not changed Lewis; always friendly and affable before, he remains that way. Drinks were brought to one of the many porches with a striking view of the brilliant blue ocean. Father, son and I relaxed. I was told that Mildred, Doris Lyon and Gina were shopping in the old city and would join us for an early dinner.
The main veranda of Lewis' home......
“How are you finding Shane these days, Maury?” asked Ralph, giving his glass to the houseboy for a refill of the Glenlivet Scotch.
“Different from you but very efficient,” I told him. “And with strokes of genius.”
“I knew he would be. That’s why I backed him.”
“He doesn’t have the hail fellow well met aspects that you have Ralph. He can create some ruffled feathers here and there.”
“Some of the ones I dealt with too kindly need their feathers ruffled.”
I wasn’t about to mention that one set of feathers ruffled were those of his drug tooting wife, Dodi. I didn’t know whether Ralph had knowledge of Dodi’s habits. I knew his lionesses and kith and kin did.
The day of the party when all had gathered, even Lachlan, we watched the water athletes perform. The scene of our voyeurism was the main veranda which held good drink and wonderful food. Shane’s Masai guards went to the beach to oversee his windsurfing. We could see them become absolutely ballistic as he turned upside down on his surfer. Betty was not a happy camper at this either. However, he laughed at them as he righted himself and glided to the beach. Ashley and Leah Lyon gave their own brand of performance. It was a weekend of grandeur, the celebration of a remarkable life and very much fun to boot.
Ashley and Leah Lyon windsurf.....
Shane Simba windsurfing (above) and surfing the weekend of the party.....
Betty and Shane on the beach during the party weekend.....
The night of the party waxed bright and beautiful—the moon and stars in profusion. The huge ballroom that is a part of Lewis and Gina’s home was decorated with the most fragrant flowers that abound in East Africa. Guests were dressed to the nines. Ralph spent a great deal of time encased in the circle of Charlotte Elephanti’s trunk, having a session of semi-drunken rapport with his dear friend of many years. Bertram had been invited and was with Chad Cheetah. Betty danced with Shane and you would have thought them to be new lovers so involved were they. Dodi Dik Dik Lyon was dressed to the teeth. I saw her attempt to cut in on Shane and Betty’s dance. She must have been rebuffed because they continued to dance with one another. Only Dodi Dik Dik Lyon would have the chutzpah to break in on the first couple of Kenya.
Former President Ralph Lyon surveys his birthday cake, one of several at the party...
At dinner, Mildred
Lyon holds another cake aloft while Lewis and Ralph look on.....
Caroline Cheetah Leoparde was in the sonogram area of the Exotic Animal Clinic. She was lying under a sheet and awaiting the verdict from Dr. Sylly Cougar Lyon who was running the sounder over her pregnant abdomen.
“There is a single cub, Caroline,” observed Sylly.
“That’s kind of different for my families’ litters.”
“Frank and I think that this new age of civilization in Kenya may be contributing to smaller litters. You know that the single birth is the height of evolvement - sort of the apex of evolution,” said Sylly.
“Well, I’ll tell Leland this tonight, “chuckled Caroline.
When Leland came home in his usual upbeat fashion, his arrival striking excitement in her young son, Caroline hugged his neck.
“Leland, we are having one male cub,” she announced.
“Well the more the merrier were my thoughts but any child I have by you is wonderful, Caroline.”
“You are such a neat guy, Leland.”
“I love this new family of mine,” he announced.
The following week Shane Simba agreed to Leland adopting his son by Caroline, stating that this was best for the cub.
Sloane Simba, realizing that Caroline seemed more involved with her new husband each day, felt his need for a permanent female in his life. He looked about him at the Watering Hole Pub and could find none to satisfy his tastes.
Lachlan finally found someone he thought could take the place of Dr. Cary Caracal at the mental health center. Her name is Catarina Ocelot and she comes highly recommended by our favorite Brazilian transplant, Janice Jaguar Simba. Caterina has told Lachlan to call her Cate. He came home singing her praises. Her family occupies the rainforest of Brazil with Janice’s family, competing for food sources yet still respected by the jaguar community. Janice had asked her to come to the Mara and take part in her fashion empire. But her parent’s had told Janice that their daughter was studying psychiatry. Now she was in the Mara and hired by a relieved Lachlan who has long been overworked.
Sylvia Cougar, the founder of the mental health center, gave a party in her home to introduce Cate. One of the attendees was Sloane Simba who spent most of the evening’s festivities at the side of the pretty Cate. He found Cate to be serious yet whimsical and witty, greatly amused at sexual innuendos put forth. She was tiny in comparison to a male lion but Sloane took note of her striking appearance and sophistication. At the evening’s end, he had handed her his business card and given a light peck to her bonnie cheek. He left the party feeling lighter of heart than he had since Caroline Cheetah had married Leland Leoparde.
Caterina "Cate" Ocelot meets Sloane SImba at Bernard and Sylvia's party....
Sloane Simba skipped up the stairs of the State House whistling softly to himself. He entered his office and greeted everyone in an upbeat manner. Marla Meerkat, his secretary, in taking his morning coffee remarked on his seeming happiness of the day.
“Marly, I believe I have finally met someone that I might be able to love,” he told her, taking the steaming mug of black coffee.
“I am so glad, Sloane, you needed that lift.”
When he entered our offices with the same jolly air, Shane took note.
“You look like Christmas came again, Sloane,” he told his brother.
“I have met someone I am excited about,” he announced.
“Do we know her?” I teased.
“Yeah, you met her last night at Syl and Bern’s party. It’s Cate Ocelot.”
“She’s a babe,” declared Shane.
“And much more, I would suppose,” replied Sloane.
“Just don’t fall on her, “laughed Shane. “There’s a disparity in size there.”
“We lions do have that problem. We’re bigger than everyone. Sam has conquered it though. He’s onto one of Frank Tigeres’ daughters.”
The building of the mansion on the Mara River which was to house Lucy Cougar, formerly Simba and her three cubs, began to take shape. Lucy had moved in with her great grandmother, Lucretia Leoparde, who was footing the bill for the elaborate and luxurious structure. Alexander Simba came for his children for their first official visit to him since the divorce. They were to stay the weekend. The first night was fun with pizza and video Disney movies. The second night was a whine session with complaints all around by the spoiled cubs. Alexander, though he loved his offspring, was rather relieved to return them to Lucretia’s majestic digs.
One lion who did not welcome the news of Sloane and Cate Ocelot meeting and taking to one another was my Lachlan. Cate is to be the colleague who will relieve him of much of the pressure of overwork. When I told him of Sloane’s upbeat outlook now that he had met Cate, Lachlan groaned.
“Shit,” he moaned. “It’s those f—king Simba males that took Cary Caracal down the primrose path. She was once an ace psychiatrist.”
“I thought you told me her husband, Sidney Simba, is a good influence on her.”
“Now he is, after having made a druggie and whore of her. That whole crowd that had that house in the bush, gathered females, partying and drugging every night.”
“Sloane’s different, Lachlan. He has a responsible position in the government. I’ve gotten to know him and rather like him.”
“All those Simbas have questionable morals, Maury. The only one that didn’t was Sam and I hear he’s fallen from grace with Frank’s daughter.”
“Well, we are at their mercy in Kenya,” I laughed.
“Well, their brains are top notch. Kenya will be fine but God help their girlfriends and wives.”
Betty had another sonogram which found her cub thriving and almost ready for birth. She came back to the State House and shared the news with all of us.
