Down the Baobab Tree

 Fadzai and Tembo had always felt a gravitational force attracting them toward the great baobab tree, two kilometres outside the village. Its wide outstretched bare arms beckoned them. The village elders warned them though of the leopard that lived up the top in the hollow. It liked to eat small children or so they had been told.

It had been a long, hot October day and the heat sat heavily on everyone's shoulders. Fadzai and Tembo had been sent to fetch water and the buckets weighed them down. Stopping to take a rest, they suddenly were aware of the roots and solid trunk of the tree next to them. Looking up at the bright October sky they realized they were at the giant baobab.

Fadzai hastily picked up her bucket but Tembo continued to stare in awe, and then as if in a trance, walked closer to the enormous tree. On the ground was a cracked open furry seed pod and excited, Tembo pulled out the powdery white cream of tartar seeds. He sucked and chewed contentedly and offered some to his sister. Fadzai at first refused but then was persuaded as she did really like the cream of tartar too. It tasted like sherbet.

The two children were so busy enjoying the fruit that they did not notice two sets of eyes honing in on them. One had four legs, while the other slithered. The four-legged tree resident descended from above, whilst the slithering onlooker came from the roots.

Suddenly the children were aware that they were being watched. Nervously they bent down to pick up their buckets when a gruff voice said, "Don't go." And a hiss said, "Sssssstay." The children froze. Stories of witchcraft and children disappearing were not unheard of. Tembo sounding braver than he felt, straightened up and said, "Who are you?" There was a pause and then out of the tree trunk emerged a large leopard. Both children froze. The gruff voice said, "Don't be alarmed, I am one of the guardians of this magical tree." The children stood rooted to the spot and internally wondered who were the others? As if in answer to their thoughts they suddenly looked down to a python winding between their feet. "I am the other," murmured the snake, and then he said, "We mean you no harm."

Tembo, summoning up all his courage spluttered, "We need to go home." The snake had slid up to the hollow in the tree trunk. "Don't you want to see the secret world inside the tree? We've been waiting for you a very long time." Fadzai and Tembo looked at each other. They had always been very curious children. Some times in danger of their own good.

"What magical world?" they asked. "A land that can only be visited once, on one day, before it is replaced by another one," whispered the leopard. "You may enter at your own peril but must return from it before the sun sets or else you will remain in that land forever."

"What lives in these lands?" asked Fadzai. "Oh, anything from your imagination," hissed the python, "Are you ready to explore?"

Nature Journaling

I

Seed poded munondo giving way to jacaranda. Indigenous to exotic. Changes in my life reflected.

A furry friend follows me along the way.

To the right a manicured terraced veggie garden.

Lady chancellor dotted in between.

A dragonfly perches near where I write.

Pauses then takes flight.

The wintry sun lights up the air and gives a glimmer of spring.

II

Yellow African grass yellow butterflies flit through the dappled light.

A msasa in the distance changing foliage.

It will soon be glorious.

The woodland rustles and the floor is a patchwork of tawny leaves. 

Who knows where this story leads?

A golden peanut butter cassia in the glade,

a butter yellow, still holding on to hope.

III

The buzz of flies and birds cry.

In a poolside garden, ladies write

of msasa trees and Zimbabwean spring.

All around the succulents brim with exotic colours,

standing out from the woodland.

Potted rose bushes, daisies, and bougainvillea,

edging the tranquil pool, too cold yet to swim in.

And still, the ladies write, each with their own take on nature and their surroundings.

A mini oasis in the dry landscape.

That glitter stone pool does invite

but more for a summertime delight. 

Memoir III

 For my friend Sarah Dowling's 21st when I was studying at UCT in South Africa, she had us dress up as our favourite cocktail. There were strawberry daiquiris, pink ladies, Captain Morgan's and I went as a cape velvet, wearing a brown velvet cape I inherited from Mrs Derby, my junior school music teacher at Convent.

On arrival, you could have a non-alcoholic or alcoholic jelly bean cocktail. I'm so glad I chose the non-alcoholic version as the alcoholic one was lethal. People were bouncing on it and it went straight to their heads.

It was a fun night and we all had a great evening. The only problem was trying to herd very drunk people home to Fuller and Smuts residences after. It was like herding cats. Several decided they were going to roll down the concrete stairs by the library and Jammie stairs. They semi did roll which must have been painful. When we finally reached the Fuller and Smuts car park, some of the group said they'd sleep on the hedges. A group of Smuts men decided they wanted to be let into Fuller, the girl's residence, and streak around the corridors. I managed to sneak in without admitting the gentlemen and left them to fend for themselves outside. Sleeping on the hedge and all.

Memoir II

 It was the week prior to elections and I was turning 30. It seemed like such a big age. My friend Lucy and her folks kindly offered for me to have my party at their home. Since I was born in the 80's, I chose that era as the theme.

Rubic cube cake, pin the glove on Michael Jackson, disco and technicolour. I had fun baking, painting and preparing. Despite the build up to elections, we went ahead and hired a dance floor, glasses and speakers.

Everyone made an effort dressing up. Punk rockers, shoulder pads, you name it. It was a night to remember and we danced the evening away.

Memoir I

 It was a court case over visiting rights and custody. I was thirteen. My sister and I were sent in to see the judge in his rooms at the high court. I had to think back over the last few months of my dad's erratic behavior. Strange, unsettling. A manic depressive not on medication. Alarming for my younger self and my little sister.

I did most of the talking. My sister sat there. How did I feel my dad was as a father? Did I feel safe? Prior to this I had been for therapy and the psychologist had written an affidavit. I was asked if I wanted to still see my dad. This all seemed really heavy stuff for a thirteen year old.

But how did I feel inside? What did I really want? What figure did my dad cut for my sister and me?

The time in the judge's room ended and we were ushered out. As we went into the corridor, my dad was at the other end. He shouted out he had a right to see his children. We were quickly transferred into another room. And that was the last time. Did my dad have the right to see us? I'm still thinking about that one to this day.