Maurice & Friends

Arlon Lyon stepped off the Kenya Airways flight from London, England. It was early evening and his mother and dad were there to greet him. Ashley had flown to Nairobi with his ex-wife to in order to bring their son to the Mara. A strong, fully maned and very handsome Arlon was ready to begin his adult life, having gotten a degree from a major university in England. He had decided not to become a lawyer; therefore a major seat in the Lyon Law Firm was not to be his bread and butter. He was a business major with incredible connections.

Arlon returns to the Mara....

First things first, he greeted both parents with an all enveloping hug. On the short flight to the Mara which his father piloted, the chat was merry and loving. Arlon, first offspring of both Betty and Ashley, was ready to take his place in bona fide Kenyan society. He was home and planned to stay between his parents’s abodes until he got established. It would wait till later for Ashley to confess to his son that his fourth marriage was on the rocks. Betty was enjoying the thought of her first born being with her when she had to bid a temporary goodbye to her oldest son by Shane Simba. Solomon Figan Simba was heading for early an advanced school in England in a week or so.

It was with great relief that I was told that Bertram Baboon, my former lover turned dear friend, was being awarded a major trophy in Paris, France for his work in films. Roy Lee Simba, lion superstar and Bertram’s partner in the Baboon-Simba Studios, also received the same. Bertram has been salivating for another Palm d’Or for quite a while. He only has two of the Cannes Film Festival’s most prestigious awards - Can’t please everyone, I always say.

Bertram Baboon accepts his award in Paris..... Roy Lee and Janice (Jagaur) Simba in Paris....

“Jack, do you remember me at all?” asked Leah Simba Tarzan, stroking her husband’s muscular arm as he sat in his wheelchair in the rehab ward of the clinic.

The lion patted her knee and responded, “If I don’t remember you, I certainly want to make up for that fact. You are absolutely wonderful and I’ve fallen in love with you.”

Leah, throwing back her head, gave that silvery laugh of hers.

“Jack, sweetheart, I’m really glad to hear this because we have two wonderful cubs at home waiting for their daddy.”

“I can’t wait.”’

Wilda Wildebeest and long time pal, Betty Chimpo..

There was a dust up which occurred between two dear friends of long standing. Wilda Wildebeest had moved to a small cottage in the bush near her herd. She no longer spent most of her time in the home of her best buddy, Betty Chimpo (which by the way has been willed to her).

“Betts, I love you as the dearest friend I have ever known but I can’t sit around and see you allow Shane Simba to dally with you and break your heart all over again,” Wilda had stated firmly, cigarette dangling from her lips. “I’ve rented a small cottage so you and the big bopper will have privacy and I don’t have to watch the resulting carnage.”

“Oh, Willie, that’s absurd. Shane and I are just the closest of friends these days. You don’t need to leave the house,” answered Betty, hands on firm hips.

“You can never be ‘just close friends’ with that bloody

lion, Betty. Your obsession has not ended at all,” honked Wilda.

“Willie, I think Dickey Simba is the one I really love.”

“Oh great! More reason to vacate so I won’t see you fucked over by two male lions. One was bad enough.”

“Willie, you are being peevish now. I wish you wouldn’t leave. I need you.”

“I’ll keep some things in the closet here.”

However, there was no deterring the stubborn wildebeest female as she clip clopped to the front door and left the premise.

Ralph Lyon enjoys a morning of golf with Shane Simba......

One of the male lions in question, President Shane Simba, was at the moment this occurred, playing a game of golf on a bright Saturday morning. His group included former President Ralph Lyon and the former first lioness, Mildred Lyon. Shane’s daughter Staci was playing too, having taken up every sport enjoyed by her dad. After the game the two presidents and members of their party repaired to the club house where they ordered drinks. Shane placed a call to Betty.

“Fifi, why don’t you join me at the Sporting Club for drinks? Mildred, Ralph and Staci are here.”

“I am in the middle of a brouhaha, darling. Can’t do it this morning…sorry,” she said, hoping Wilda, who was packing her things, couldn’t hear the conversation.

“Well, at least you can say no to the bastard these days. That’s an improvement,” allowed Wilda who had entered the room.

Betty replaced the phone on its cradle and lit a cigarette.

“Why do you hate Shane so, Wilda?”

“Because he’s a skunk in lion’s clothing,” was the answer.

The other lion in question was following a moving van to his new abode on Leoparde Drive. Wilda barely missed seeing the caravan. Dickey Simba’s new home had great charm and a very nice back yard. It also came with a greenhouse. Not that this had been Dickey’s design but since Lachlan and I are now close neighbors and Lach, as his counselor, had suggest gardening, the glassed in area was a bit of a blessing.

Dickey in the back yard of his new home on Leoparde Drive...

Shane Simba did the unexpected. He gave a party to honor the newly arrived son of his philandering son-in-law. Arlon Lyon had already, at this point, been apprised of his father’s separation from Staci Simba Lyon and was dreading seeing his former step dad at this function.

“Arlon, Shane doesn’t hold you responsible for your dad’s actions,” soothed Betty. “After all you were his stepson once and he loves you.”

“Geez, Mom, this is going to be an uncomfortable deal for everyone,” groused Arlon, who was choosing a tie for the occasion.

The evening was lovely as mother and son headed for Shane Simba’s bush estate. Arlon loosened his tie in a fit of nerves. At the door to welcome him was his mother’s former husband, President Shane Simba. Just behind him was Staci, the estranged wife of his father, Ashley Lyon, who had at one time been his stepsister. Life among animals in a small community can get so complicated especially when no rules regarding species mixing are held dear. It makes for one merry marital go-round. Staci forgot her own set of nerves when she laid eyes on Arlon who was just as handsome as his dad. She squeezed his hand and allowed him to be enveloped in a huge bear hug by his uncle Lewis Lyon who hadn’t seen Arlon since his arrival back in the Masai Mara.

First off, Arlon noticed that his mother and Shane Simba were as tight as two bugs in a rush rug. Their body language the entire evening was close, intimate and absolutely red hot. Secondly, he was held captive by Staci on the patio and made to hear the story of his dad’s peccadilloes with Shane’s human press secretary. However, the good news was that his uncle Lewis was starting a new company and wanted him to head it. He’d get the details later. One bright spot was his revered grandfather, Ralph Lyon saying:

“Let’s get the hell out of here, Arlon, I hate these damn parties and I think you share my views.”

Mildred Lyon at the party for returning grandson, Arlon Lyon....

They sped off in his grandfather’s much used SUV which was badly in need of shocks, leaving his grandmother, Mildred, still in attendance. She did manage to get a ride with Lewis back to the compound. What Arlon got the next morning was a lecture from his mother, Betty, on how not to insult a host who has given a party in your honor. Upon calling Shane, he was told with a great guffaw, “I don’t blame you, Arlon. It was a boring affair.”

On a slightly rainy morning, Staci Simba Lyon had her first counseling session with Dr. Rory Lion, my Lachlan’s psychiatrist brother. Upon hearing a multitude of sobs and wails, much wringing of tissues amid a list of real emotional distress sustained by her husband’s flagrant infidelity, Rory came to a conclusion.

“Move out of your father’s home. Get your own place. You need to be among other animals, not with your dad or even in your husband’s house in the boonies. Rent or buy something for you and your kids. I’m sure you can afford it – after all you are Shane Simba’s kid.”

Staci, accustomed to being always treated with kid gloves, being the president’s first born, stiffened in her chair.

“Well, Daddy and I are …….”

“I don’t care about your ties to your father. You are an adult female now complete with kids. Move away. Get a place of your own. ‘Daddy’ will always be there for you.”

‘”Oh my,” said Staci, dabbing at her tear streaked face with a Kleenex. “I suppose you’re right.”

“Damn right I’m right.”

After seeing Staci out, Rory noticed the hour. His work day was at an end. He bid his secretary goodbye and left the office. What to do with his evening. That mental debate ended as he passed the Watering Hole Pub on the way to his condo.

The pub was frenetic and crowded, one of the reasons Warthog family members are now multimillionaires. Rory headed for the main bar, frequented by the more adult animals and somewhat devoid of the noisy younger set. He bellied up and ordered a double whiskey and soda. Eyeballing him to the right was the loquacious and voluptuous actress, Chloe Cougar. What the hell, he thought as he said hello and offered her another drink.

JAGGERS fashion emporium was packed to the gills with a major cocktail party and runway show. A very elated Leah Simba Tarzan greeted guests alongside her partner, Duke. The attractive lion-jaguar mix had been on a roll ever since her husband, Jack Tarzan, had been found alive on the shores of Lake Tanganyika after a major boating accident. Jack was making strides in rehab and his wife was a happy camper. Duke, who had designed a line of clothing for older and more sophisticated females, was as nervous as a lion on a hot tin roof. I think the entire population of the Masai Mara had been invited. Lachlan and I went with his brother, Rory. Lachlan eschews high fashion but he is good enough to go along for the ride, knowing that I enjoy snazzy clothes and his recently opened restaurant can always use the business of the A-List animals and people gathered here this evening. As for Rory’s reason, it soon became apparent when the gorgeous daughter of Cassandra (Cheetah) and Sefu Simba, strutted the catwalk. Tara Simba has the gorgeous face and long limbs of her cheetah mother allied with the tawny musculature of her lion dad. She is striking and has become a major modeling asset to JAGGERS. I saw Rory’s eyes light up at the sight of Tara. After the fashion show, during the cocktail party I saw Rory chatting Tara up. The shocker of the week was Ashley Lyon showing up with Cutty Sark. Well, come to think of it, why not? The two have been snapped everywhere by the paparazzi who follow them like a pack of zealots. A no show was Shane Simba, who usually attended his niece’s fashion shows when he was still with his wife, Alexandra Simba, who is a fashion dream. Shane, like Lewis Lyon, has his clothing especially made and it is seldom seen on runways.

Tara Simba bares boobs while Imani Lyon shows a more modest fashion (below)