SOLLY RETURNS TO BETTY
We have done almost everything in pairs since Noah, except govern. And the world has suffered for it.
Bella Abzug
Shane Simba sat with his long and powerful legs crossed on Betty’s coffee table. They were having drinks on her veranda at the Leoparde Drive house.
“Betty, what are you trying to prove with these flying lessons? You are to be another Beryl Markham?”
“It’s something I should have done years ago. It is a wonderful thing flying across all of Kenya’s extraordinary landscapes. I just got a check from my publisher for completing Patsy’s story. I’ve got Ash looking for a plane for me to buy.”
“Just don’t leave me behind with all of this,” he said.
There was an unexpected melancholy in his voice. It caught Betty’s attention.
“Shane, you are very unhappy these days, aren’t you?”
He stood and faced the pool.
“My life is spinning out of control, Fifi. I hate being the president. I won’t run again.”
She stood and came to his side, putting her arm around his waist.
“Shane, you are a wonderful president. Kenya needs you. You are just tired these days.”
“I wish I could build a house further in the bush and stay there for years……” he laughed and it was filled with bitterness. “Imagine me the city lion who loved the dense fog and streets of London. Now all I want is remote locales, peace and with it some sense of where I want to go.”
“Shane, I have only two more weeks before getting my pilot’s license. I will be returning to Mt. Kenya. You can join me there for as much time as you need.”
“I would love to, Fifi, but the country needs running. I can’t do it from there.”
“You can take the weekends.”
“There is Johanna who is pregnant and doesn’t know what she might give birth to. I have to see her through this, Betty. She wouldn’t get an abortion.”
“May I take Solly with me? There is a wonderful village school in Naro Moru.”
“Yes, do that, Solly misses you terribly. His nanny can go too.”
“No, I’ll tend him myself. He is so loving and adorable, Shane.”
“I know.”
Jack Tarzan got settled into his new home in the far bush country of the Mara. He didn’t mind the commute to the offices of the Masai Mara Daily. He bought a used Land Rover. Jane Leoparde assigned him his own office. Things were getting off to a good start but yet Tarzan reserved his opinions. He was not used to living at this level of civilization and could easily begin to hate the situation. Bob Bushbuck, impressed with his writing, had offered him a good starting salary. Time would tell the tale.
Tarzan's new home in the Masai Mara bush country....
Chloe Cougar had gotten a taste of her former brother-in-law, Shane Simba, and she wanted more. Tough stuff if he happened to be the President of Kenya. Whatever Chloe wants, Chloe gets – at least that was her way of thinking. With her current desires in mind in addition to her usually over inflated ego, she proceeded to bombard his office staff with requests for him to get back to her. In the interim, Glenda Gorilla had offered up heady hints at a budding romance between the president and fiery screen star. These only fueled Chloe’s flames although they were total fantasy.
Thinking she would gain assistance from his brother and her former husband, Chloe sought Roy Lee Simba’s help in the matter. She told him of her assignation with Shane in the cloak room of the Predator Club the night of the Chicago premiere.
“Then you just got fucked, Chloe - literarily,” was his disinterested and laconic response.
“I want to see more of him,” she argued, also hoping for the added benefit of a spurt of jealousy from Roy Lee.
There was none forthcoming. Roy Lee’s affections and interest in Chloe were dead in the water, never to resurface.
“Chloe, you are not his type – not that one can get a real bead on his type – but for starters Shane likes his females brainy. That leaves your dog out of that fight.”
“That’s not a nice thing to say, Roy,” she snarled.
“Not nice, but entirely true. You’re even too air headed for Ashley Lyon and, my dear, THAT IS AIR HEADED.”
Leah resigned her position as the Mayor of the Masai Mara for something of the same reasons that Shane Simba regretted being president. Her love life was topsy-turvy and she didn’t need the high profile job slot. This left Maude Hyena as the mayor until election time. Her mother, Janice Jaguar Simba, gave Leah a job in her fashion emporium JAGGERS. It was a good slot and Leah went to town with it, relieved of the pressures of being in the public eye. Naturally, there would be a good bit of that anyway since she was the daughter of a globally known superstar and iconic fashion doyenne as well as the niece of the President of Kenya.
On her first three lessons, Luke Leoparde knew Lucy Cougar was no great shakes at the controls of an airplane. By the same token, he saw a major gift for piloting in Betty Chimpo Simba. Betty took to flying like the proverbial goose heading for Canada's summer migratory grounds. Luke found Lucy a bit scattered and suggested that she stick to nursing. Lucy argued with her cousin. She wanted to be Mrs. Ashley Lyon. Her aim was to be hired by their safari club post graduation. They didn’t know this angle and would have been horrified if they did.
Betty received her pilot’s license amongst much joviality with a celebratory party at Ashley’s new bush home. Jane and Luke Leoparde were at the champagne fest. They all toasted the gallant Betty whose determination to rebuild her life had gotten their attention and admiration. “L.A.S.”, Jane Leoparde had teased – “Life after Shane”. Ashley had found a Cessna single engine 172 -the perfect plane for her declared her good friend and ex-husband. She bought it.
The following day, she took off amid much excitement, taking her son Solly Simba with her to the Mt. Kenya home.
From his first day at the village school in Naro Moru, he loved his teacher and new friends. Solly also got taken into the junior school soccer team. He was on top of the world and out of the house with the petulant Johanna. Although he adored his father, Solly didn’t extend that feeling to Johanna Delacroix. The young lion cub had always loved his mother. Each day he would arrive from school and run to the kitchen where Betty had snacks waiting for him. He would sit on the veranda with the breathtaking view of Mt. Kenya, and discuss his day with his interested mom. In the evenings he would watch satellite television while Betty wrote her memoirs. In the morning the routine would start again with Betty taking him to school, a chore she was beginning to love since Solly was such a bouncy, jolly little cub.
Solly and his mom, Betty in their Mt. Kenya digs....
In touch by email, she got an invitation from Tarzan to spend a weekend at his new bush home and to bring Solly with her. Solly was delighted at the prospect of seeing Tarzan again. Mother and son flew in Betty’s new plane to his Mara home, landing the light aircraft in the bush near the house. Tarzan came out to welcome them. Betty took a second look. He was now dressed in neat khakis and white shirt. He wore Jesus sandals on his feet which she had never seen shod.
“Look at you, Jack….dressed to the nines,” and leaning up to whisper in his ear. “I did like you naked though.”
He whispered back, “I’ll stake you to a private viewing tonight.”
He then picked up the excited Solly and the three went together to find Patsy in the kitchen with the delicious smells of baking surrounding her.
Jack Tarzan greets Betty and Solly....
Leah went to the river home of Trevor Tau. His car was pulled in the drive. Leah checked her watch. It was 5:45 pm. She rang the doorbell. He came to the door. She put her paw quickly inside so that he wouldn’t close it again.
“Trevor, please. I’m begging you. Let’s talk. I’m practically on my knees asking this of you,” she implored, her eyes brimming with tears.
He relented but with a cold expression on his face and in his tawny eyes.
“I have a dinner date so you will have to make this speedy, Leah.”
He knew what she liked and poured her vodka and tonic. She lit a cigarette.
“I’ve resigned from the mayor’s office. I’m working with Mom now,” she said, her voice shaking.
“Is that what you’ve come to tell me because if it is, you’ve got me confused with someone who gives a damn?”
“Trevor, I just want you to know that I love you…..really I do. I mean it. I know I’ve been ridiculous but I am sincere in loving you and telling you that.”
“Leah, I’ve become very leery of you. I am an organized animal. I don’t consider myself dull – let’s just say cautious. I see you as one big means to get hurt and hurt badly.”
“Trevor, I’m really not that way. Even my parents are shocked at me lately. This is not the real me. This is….coming out and telling you how I feel in spite of the fact that I know you will throw me out in a few minutes.”
“I’m out of time. I’ll phone you tomorrow. Maybe we can get together then.”
Leah didn’t feel like going home so she drove to Juma and Staci’s townhouse. She needed a sympathetic ear from her cousin and a bit of info on Trevor, which Juma might provide.
Supper at Juma and Staci’s didn’t make Leah feel any better about things. Although completely happy for her cousin and new husband, Leah found the newlyweds almost gushy. It only served to point out Leah’s isolation. She left the Mnyama’s home determined to pull her life together as a newly single mom. Ugh, she thought, I’ve never fancied being one of THOSE.
Tarzan kicked a soccer ball with Solly in the yard of his Mara farm house. The little cub laughed and had a fine time. Patsy, Tarzan, Betty and Solly ate at the dining room table. Tarzan had bought steaks and grilled them. Patsy had made fresh bread. Later the sleeping Solly was carried by Tarzan to the bed that would be his for the weekend. Patsy snored away in her chair. Tarzan led Betty to his room where they undressed each other and made love.
Saturday Betty took Tarzan for a spin in her new plane while Solly followed Patsy around who was engaged in much cookie baking.
“Betty, you are the most amazing female. Now you’re even piloting your own airplane.”
“You’re pretty amazing yourself, Jack. Suddenly you have a column in a newspaper and a farm house. Are you happy with all this?”
“The jury is not in yet. You brought all this about…..knowing you made me realize that I was living in a vacuum.”
Betty dipped low over the Great Rift Valley. Tarzan gazed from the window at the splendid scenery below.
“I had forgotten how magnificent Kenya is.”
“I’m so glad you’re back here, Jack. I want you to come to Naro Moru one weekend. I’ll pick you up in the plane.”
“Sounds like a plan. I went to see my mother.”
“How was she?”
“Dead.”
“And the rest of your pride?”
“Scattered - I found a couple of aunts and a sister who had hung around