A simple question or two

Have you ever noticed that in a lot of stories or novels, whenever there is a situation where there is absolute silence the author feels the need to add the words "in the distance a dog barked."

Why is that? I decided to play with that a bit in a recent letter to my sister who lives in Tonga. (temporarily, she's teaching music for a year) My sister had written me a letter describing some of the activities on the island, one of which involved a lady who sells bananas becoming so impressed with my sister that she decided she was to marry her twelve-year old son.

I wrote a letter back and used that theme to start a story of high intrigue in the tropics. (The woven-haired lady who came from the skies in the belly of the silver bird and the unsuspecting skinny twelve year old boy that was soon to be her husband sort of thing)

A friend of my sister ( my sister's name is Chris) picked up on the story and wrote a continuation. She had the young man (kwasi) searching for his bride. He discovered her in the jungle. The fever had struck.

That's when I came back with the next chapter , and where you can find the dog barking in the distance.

Feel free to toss some ideas at me for the continuation of this story on the island. I will also accept verbal harpoons.

Here then, is the story....


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Kwasi stood hidden in the trees at the edge of the clearing. He was transfixed by the phantasmagorical display which was unfolding before his eyes. Everywhere there was activity. Women with pans of boiling water rushed to and fro from the hut which stood alone in the center of the giant clearing. Men with spears and wearing painted masks raced around in circles and chanted demonic incantations. Children laughed and threw rocks at the multitude of pigs which rutted with a curious intensity into the soft brown earth. Overhead, screaming monkeys raced through the lush canopy of foliage which prevented the silvery light of the moon from penetrating. The drama below was all shadow and movement. Fires burned seemingly everywhere. In the distance the sound of drums reverberated through the air... the populace of the island was being called together as one. They were to witness the "Carnival of Consummation."

Kwasi stared intently at the tent. He knew his bride was within. Suddenly, the flap was thrown open as a woman scurried out, carrying an armful of colorful cloth. In a flash Kwasi caught site of Chris, the banana buyer. She lay in a feverish state on a cot. Standing by her side was Tubungo, the medicine man. Kwasi would recognize Tubungo anywhere -- the large bone which erupted from either side of his nose, the necklace of dried monkey skulls, the demonic eyes which darted to and fro like goldfish in a bowl. What was he doing there?

And then Kwasi noticed the mortar and pestle in Tubugo's hands. He could see the medicine man grinding the greenish foliage into a sort of luminous paste. Kwasi recognized the concoction in an instant -- huatia, the herb of lust.

Soon the clearing had filled with every man, woman, and child on the island. They gathered in circles and talked in excited tones. Men drew logs up near the hut and sat down, eager to have a choice location from which to view the forthcoming display of carnal lust between Kwasi and the mysterious white-skinned creature from the sky.

Kwasi was shocked by the amount of tribal members. There were thousands. A large, writhing ebony mass of humanity. Kwasi cleared his throat and stepped from the foliage. A hush fell over the crowd. Absolute silence. Even the monkeys in the trees stood still. In the distance... a dog barked.

Kwasi began to walk forward, and, like the Red Sea, the crowd parted, leaving an unobstructed aisle to the entrance to the hut. The chief raised his spear in a signal and the walls from the hut fell outward, collapsing onto the ground and raising a storm of dust which momentarily hid the contents of the hut. But the dust settled, and there was Chris, the banana buyer, lying seductively on her cot.

Kwasi noticed something different about her. And then it hit him. Her eyes! Yesterday they were filled with intelligence and humor. Now, only a longing... a longing for the skinny 12 year old who she gazed upon with an animal lust. Chris propped herself up on one elbow and with her free hand made an almost imperceptible gesture. She beckoned Kwasi.

Kwasi froze. His knees shook and beads of perspiration began to form on his forehead. He tried to walk, but was too weak. Chongo, an old man from the village who always seemed to procure the choice seat to view these activities, and who had apparently consumed prodigious amounts of alcohol, sidled up to kwasi, poked him in the ribs with his elbow, and said, "Go get 'er, Kwas."

A disapproving stare from the chief sent Chongo scurrying back into the crowd, where he melted into the ebony mass.

Kwasi remained frozen. Chris continued to beckon -- her desire for the skinny kid with the garish teeth was obvious. From out of the crowd, Elina emerged. She put her arm around Kwasi and said in a soft matronly tone, "Go, my son. Go to her."

Kwasi rushed forward into the waiting arms of Chris.

The Chief's thunderous voice could be heard over the tumult which had started. "And so it begins!"