By Vic Midyett
One dark, moonless night, when my sister Anita and I were kids in India, we were riding with our missionary parents on a windy gravel road with thick jungle on either side. Our Jeep truck had about a 15-inch wide pine board going across the width of the vehicle behind Mom and Dad's two seats. This is where Anita and I slept lying in opposite directions.
We rarely travelled at night, as the wild animals were prolific and guaranteed. There was certainly no other vehicle traffic, only lots of animals who likely had never seen a vehicle before, or the headlights from one.
I was sound asleep. As dad rounded a corner, he suddenly slammed on the brakes and skidded to a halt. I raised up in a split second to see the enormous south end of a north-bound wild bull elephant. Mom was shrieking in fear and hanging on white-knuckled, everything frozen except her voice box.
From my vantage point I could not see the top of the elephant without lowering my head between Mom and Dad. He was that close, and far taller than our Jeep. And the road was far too narrow to pass. It was him or us who would remain on it.
He must have wondered what in the world were those two bright eyes facing him.
The stare seemed to last forever, but very slowly, after a snort, he turned and pushed his way through the dense brush and got off the road.
Dad, shaking, idled by him and continued down the road a good distance before he stopped to let mom out to pee.
Probably again!
[Today is Earth Day. You might like to read the Earth Day Network's campaign to protect the Asian elephant.]
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Copyright © 2014 by Vic Midyett
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Another good story thanks Vic.
ReplyDeleteBear
Elephants loom large in Vic Midyett's memories of when he was a missionary kid in India. [Thanks for the memories, Vic!]
ReplyDeleteLucky I wasn't there. I'm sure there would have been more than pee on the floorboard. It brought a smile this morning Vic---thanks.
ReplyDeleteHa! Thanks ya'll.
ReplyDeleteSometimes I just have to pinch myself. I am involved in the local community, have a job and a career, am single by choice, and am working towards my senior years to live comfortably so why do I need to pinch myself you may well ask. How to explain the "other life" to you in this world of over indulgence, technology, and loss of that community feel of days gone by. I too lived without electricity, plumbing, locks on doors", but had my own nanny, my brother too, we had a cook, someone to do the laundry, someone else to clean the house and also the "security guard. Ran around in hand me down clothes and only came home to eat. Vic's describes his world with a sence of humour but it was more than that. It was very real, with elephants (Raja), pet otters, mongoose, deer, jackels and the everyday cat and dogs. I am Vic's sister and can verify that we certianly lived this life, that the above animals were indeed our pets that came to us from the jungle that surrounded our house. And that pine board behind Mom and Dad balanced ontop of the motor in the old flat nosed Jeep which Dad managed to keep going for 25 years. Wow and we never complained. Thanks for reminding me. How fortunate I am to have shared these incredible memories with you Vic. Just for fun why not share the one about the monkey in Jaffrabund ;)
ReplyDeleteThank you, sis! It certainly was the highlight of our childhood, wasn't it? Vic
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