Chapter 24 #2
where you live? What’s a typical day like in the wild?”
Zach stands up
briefly and turns his chair to face Adam. I can see absolute pleasure
on his face that someone has asked about his home, and he’s
clearly eager to share it.
“First…
it’s the most beautiful place you can imagine,” Zach says
with reverence in his voice. “Green as far as the eye can see.
The air is heavy… like a soft blanket… and sometimes
smells like perfume because of the wild flowers. Brilliant-colored
birds fly overhead. The jungle can be mysteriously quiet, although it
can be very noisy when all the animals are chattering. But there’s
also danger, and I live every moment on the edge… always aware
that a small misstep could have grave consequences. It’s hard
to describe… but, when you are always cognizant of how fragile
life is in that environment, you feel more alive… more
exhilarated.”
Adam’s eyes
are wide and almost glazed in a hypnotized fashion as he listens to
Zach paint a pretty picture of his life. But I know it’s much
harder than what Zach is portraying. I know every day is a struggle
to keep their society whole and free from harm.
“What do you
do every day there?”
“The man’s
main job is to protect the tribe.”
“From wild
animals?” Adam asks with intrigue.
“Sometimes,”
Zach says. “But also from other tribes that attempt to raid
us.”
“Seriously?
That happens?”
“Absolutely,”
Zach says. “There are a few tribes that we are constantly at
war with.”
I hope Adam doesn’t
push for more information because I absolutely don’t want Zach
telling him that those raids and wars result in loss of life. I don’t
want him knowing that Zach has killed, because while I understand it
based on my education and background and the way I’ve come to
know Zach on a deeper level, it’s not an easy thing for many to
digest.
Instead, Adam asks,
“So, you stay close to your village to protect it?”
“No, we have
to hunt almost daily to provide protein. We go out in large hunting
parties but will leave a few men back for some modest protection.”
“And what do
you hunt?” Adam asks, fascinated by the concept. Such a man.
“Tapir, wild
pigs, and alligator. That’s some of the bigger prey, but we
also hunt monkey and snakes. Although we fish as well, and that’s
actually something the women help us do.”
I didn’t know
that and I perk up in interest at this concept—that the women
would actually be counted on to help in the providing of the food. I
mean, they tend the crops but the men do that as well.
“So you all go
out with fishing poles and have a day at the river or something?”
I ask Zach.
“No, far more
interesting than that. The women make up palm-frond baskets, and we
fill it with a plant that has a toxin in it. We then find small pools
and submerge the baskets in the water. The toxin temporarily stuns
the fish but doesn’t cause permanent damage or poison them.
When they float to the top, we shoot them with small bows and arrows.
It’s actually one of the ways the boys in the tribe learn how
to use their own bows. It’s more of a tribal bonding experience
when we do that.”
My heart sighs at
the same time it sinks. I can’t mistake the fondness in Zach’s
words, and I even recognize longing within them. He comes from a
society that has mastered the idea of community living. It’s
something that we have long lost in this country.
“This is all
so fascinating,” Adam says with a smile. “I’d
totally starve to death if I were lost in the Amazon.”
“Just like I’d
probably starve to death here,” Zach says, and my head jerks
toward his when I hear a slight hint of bitterness.
His eyes come to
mine, and I see something in there I’ve never seen before.
Uncertainty, fear, and low self-esteem.
“No way,
dude,” Adam says with a laugh. “There’s a grocery
store on every corner.”
Such a simple answer
for a terribly complex problem.
Sure… there’s
food everywhere, but what Zach means is that he truly has no way to
earn it. He has no transferrable skills, no education, and no work
experience. He’s virtually unemployable except for maybe manual
labor and, even then, you have to have skills or experience.
Is that why Zach
wants to return to Caraica? Because there at least he’s needed?
He’s important and he can survive? Whereas here… it
would be such a struggle to catch up to this society that left him
behind so long ago?
I know, without a
doubt, that Randall would gladly have Zach stay with him and would
provide for every comfort he could ever wish for. I also know Zach
will never… ever accept something like that. He’d
rather be homeless and starving before he accepted that type of
lifestyle. He has too much pride to ever submit to that.
But on the flip
side, I know Randall would never let Zach just take his charity.
Randall has all but made a formal offer of employment at Cannon’s
if Zach were interested in that. I’m betting Randall would also
want Zach to complete his education and would help him obtain that.
Interesting things
to consider, and maybe I need to broach this more with Zach. Maybe if
he saw a way to survive and flourish here, he wouldn’t want to
go back.
Maybe he’d
want to stay here with me and build a life.
Probably more
wishful thinking on my part, but a wish is better than nothing and,
right now, I have nothing to entice him to stay.