The Leopard

My entry for "Invalid Item" 

The Leopard

“Right! Tidy the books away, you’ve done enough school work for today. And because you have worked so hard this morning, how about we go for a nature walk later?”
“Oh yes Mum, can we go to the river?” asked six-year-old Alexandra.
“Naw Mum, we want to go to the dam and watch Dad working,” said Gerald, nudging his older brother Andrew to back him up.
“Not fair, not fair!” shouted Alex. “They always get to do things just because they’re big boys. It’s not fair.”
“Okay! Okay! Calm down sweetheart, we are going to the river because Dad is busy today and we need to stay away from the dam, as other engineers from the power station will be there.”
Just then, Martin appeared in the lounge and Alex shot into his arms to tell him that she had got all her spelling right and they were going to the river. They all sat down to lunch, which was mainly a cheese salad, but Moria had added apple, celery and raisins for the children to enjoy. It was served with freshly baked bread.
Martin complimented his wife on the delicious bread. “You’re getting to be such an expert bread maker,” he commented as he sliced the loaf into doorstep chunks for the children.
“Thanks love,” smiled Moria. “And guess what? Erskim wants me to teach him to bake bread.” Erskim was their African houseboy from the Bemba tribe. As they were living in Laupula Province, the ethnic group who were employed by Martin’s company considered him as an outsider. So Martin had taken him on as a houseboy to avoid any conflict with his workers.
“By the way,” she continued, “I’m taking the kids down to the river later. Is there a spare vehicle I can use?”
“Use the white bakkie, and take Erskim with you,” replied Martin.
“Whatever for?” asked Moria in surprise.
“Well, the boss boy came to me this morning saying the night watch man refuses to work this evening as he heard a leopard last night”.
Moria laughed. “A leopard indeed! And what good would Erskim be? He would run like mad if he saw a leopard!”
Martin chuckled. “Just take him anyway. He can keep Dusty on a lead.”
Moria gave Martin a playful push.“ Oh, just get back to work. A leopard indeed! That we should be so lucky. Your boys are winding you up, Masunga *!”
Again Martin laughed. “Bye kids! See you later. Have fun!” he called as off he went.

Around four o’clock when it had become a little cooler, Moria called the children to get into the bakkie. Gerry and Andrew clambered into the open back, and Alex sat beside her Mum in the cab. Erskim handed the cooler bag to the boys.
“Thanks Erskim!” called Moria, “Make sure you keep Dusty in the house or he will run after us. You can finish work now anyway. See you tomorrow.” Putting the pick-up in gear, she drove off in the direction of the river.
She followed the dirt track road until it dwindled out as the bush became denser. Moria managed to park not too far from the river and they all got out. Already the path they used was becoming strangled with fresh growth, the promise of a new rainy season coming.
“Keep your eyes peeled for snakes,” she cautioned the children.
“Look Mum, there’s a pretty flower!” shouted Alex, pointing.
“Yes honey, I can see it. Could be a wild gladiola. Pick it and we will identify it from our book when we get back to the house.”
Andrew was crouched on the ground, intently watching a dung beetle moving slowly while rolling a dung ball along the track. Gerry was waiting impatiently with the local version of a fishing rod that Erskim had made for him from a short bamboo stick with fishing line, small stone and hook attached.
“Let’s get to the river!” he called as he raced ahead. When they reached the river, Moria settled on a long flat rock with her sketchpad and Andrew sat beside her with his book. Alex was busy getting out the tin mugs from the cooler bag and pouring Coca Cola for everyone. She counted out three biscuits for each of them. This was always her little chore when they came to the river. They seemed to be there no time at all when Andrew reminded his Mum that it would soon be dark. So they gathered up their things and trudged the short distance back to the pick-up. Gerry climbed into the open back.
“Everyone else into the front,” instructed Moira. Gerry began to protest, but she reminded him that Dad had said to always ride in the cab when it was getting dark. They all squashed in and Moria manoeuvred the bakkie round slowly and set off. As they rounded the bend she let out a gasp; she couldn’t believe her eyes. Expertly, she slowed the bakkie to a standstill.
“Oh Mum, it’s a leopard,” said Andrew in a reverent hushed voice. This beautiful nocturnal animal had just sauntered out of the bush and now stood a short distance from them. He was so close that Moria could see the little rosettes on his tawny coat. Lazily, the leopard turned his head towards them for a second, as if to let them see his full magnificence. Casually flipping his tail over his back, he revealed a white underside; then he turned and gracefully disappeared into the dense bush.
Moria silently cursed the fact that she had no camera with her. She sat in stunned silence. The most secretive and elusive of the large cats, powerful and arguably one of the most beautiful African cats had bestowed them all with such an unexpected appearance, and she without a camera.
“Think I got one of him, Mum,” the quiet voice of Andrew said. He was busy winding his little box camera they had bought him only last week for his eleventh birthday.

They were in a state of great excitement when they arrived back at the house. Martin was standing at the gate talking to Stuart Gunn one of the visiting engineers who was just leaving. The children poured out of the bakkie shouting, “Dad! Dad! We saw a leopard!” Martin and Stuart stared at them and as Moria reached them, she confirmed it was true and related every detail.
“Ah,” said Stuart, “Did you know that when a leopard flips his tail, it is a sign he is not seeking prey?”
“Gosh!” said Andrew still clutching his camera, “He must have just been to the river for a drink then.”
“Probably,” replied Stuart, grinning. “But you won’t see him again. They only stay in any area for two or three days at a time. You guys have been so lucky. In all my years in Africa, I have never seen a leopard in the wild. The chances must be one in a million!”

Word count: 1168