almost like they stopped being men and became boys again.”
“Really?”
“Really.”
“So when they sold all their cows to come here it was like they were giving up being men,” she said.
“I knew you’d understand. I’m sure when they win the race they’ll use the money to put in the well but also to buy back their cattle,” I explained.
“That makes sense,” she said. “But what if they
don’t
win?”
“Then I guess they can’t put in the well.”
“Or buy back their cows,” she said.
Suddenly I was hit in the head by what she’d said. If they couldn’t buy back their cattle, they couldn’t become men again. There was no choice. They had to win the race. They
had
to. They were Maasai. They could do anything. Couldn’t they?
“My street,” Olivia said.
“What?”
“You just drove past my street!”
“Sorry,” I said as I slowed the car down. “I guess I just wasn’t thinking.”
“Or you were thinking about something else.”
I turned the car around and headed down her street.
“I promised Nebala that I’d take them to register for the marathon tomorrow. Do you want to come with us?” I asked.
“Of course. I wouldn’t miss that for money.”
“Yes, you would, if it was enough money,” I said.
She shrugged. “Or the perfect pair of jeans … But I do want to come. What time are you heading down?”
“Around eleven.”
“Could you pick me up on the way?”
“Sure. How long before you get your car back?”
“My mother said something about when hell freezes over, but my father is starting to soften. I still can’t believe they took my car away to begin with.”
“I still can’t believe you thought they wouldn’t after your second accident and fifth speeding ticket.”
I drove through the front gate of her house and up the driveway.
“They weren’t serious accidents. It wasn’t like anybody was injured.”
I stopped directly in front of the door. Olivia reached over and we hugged and exchanged air kisses and then she climbed out of the car.
“The race is this weekend, right?” she asked.
“Yes, on Sunday.”
“So what are you going to do with them until then?”
“I haven’t really thought about that,” I admitted.
“Are you going to school tomorrow? I mean, after we do the registration thing?” Olivia asked.
“I should go to school, but I really can’t leave them alone at home.”
“Then the solution is simple,” she said. “Bring them!”
“I can’t do that.”
“Why not?” she asked.
“Just … not a great idea.”
“You’re probably right.” She ran up to her front door, then turned and called out, with a laugh, “Still, wouldn’t they be the coolest show-and-tell of all time?”
Cracked me up just thinking about it!
CHAPTER TEN
I adjusted the rear-view mirror so I could see all three of my Maasai in the back seat. Nebala sat there quietly with a serious and thoughtful look on his face. Koyati also looked as though he was thinking—thinking about hurting somebody. That was his usual expression, though, so it probably didn’t mean a thing. Maybe he was just practising getting his game face on for the race. And then there was Samuel—big grin, eyes wide open, looking all around, his head turning from side to side. He was the yin to Koyati’s yang. He never stopped smiling.
I turned onto Olivia’s street and almost instantly saw her standing by the curb in front of her house. That was not a good sign. It usually meant that her parents were going at it again. They were having a nasty time. She’d told me that they were
working ontheir marriage.
That was the line my parents had always used, just before they’d stopped working on the marriage and started working on the divorce. At least they’d found something they were both good at.
I pulled up right beside her.
“Jambo!”
she called out as she climbed in.
“How is it shaking,
dude?”
Samuel said.
“If you think I’m a
dude
, I’m definitely doing
“Really?”
“Really.”
“So when they sold all their cows to come here it was like they were giving up being men,” she said.
“I knew you’d understand. I’m sure when they win the race they’ll use the money to put in the well but also to buy back their cattle,” I explained.
“That makes sense,” she said. “But what if they
don’t
win?”
“Then I guess they can’t put in the well.”
“Or buy back their cows,” she said.
Suddenly I was hit in the head by what she’d said. If they couldn’t buy back their cattle, they couldn’t become men again. There was no choice. They had to win the race. They
had
to. They were Maasai. They could do anything. Couldn’t they?
“My street,” Olivia said.
“What?”
“You just drove past my street!”
“Sorry,” I said as I slowed the car down. “I guess I just wasn’t thinking.”
“Or you were thinking about something else.”
I turned the car around and headed down her street.
“I promised Nebala that I’d take them to register for the marathon tomorrow. Do you want to come with us?” I asked.
“Of course. I wouldn’t miss that for money.”
“Yes, you would, if it was enough money,” I said.
She shrugged. “Or the perfect pair of jeans … But I do want to come. What time are you heading down?”
“Around eleven.”
“Could you pick me up on the way?”
“Sure. How long before you get your car back?”
“My mother said something about when hell freezes over, but my father is starting to soften. I still can’t believe they took my car away to begin with.”
“I still can’t believe you thought they wouldn’t after your second accident and fifth speeding ticket.”
I drove through the front gate of her house and up the driveway.
“They weren’t serious accidents. It wasn’t like anybody was injured.”
I stopped directly in front of the door. Olivia reached over and we hugged and exchanged air kisses and then she climbed out of the car.
“The race is this weekend, right?” she asked.
“Yes, on Sunday.”
“So what are you going to do with them until then?”
“I haven’t really thought about that,” I admitted.
“Are you going to school tomorrow? I mean, after we do the registration thing?” Olivia asked.
“I should go to school, but I really can’t leave them alone at home.”
“Then the solution is simple,” she said. “Bring them!”
“I can’t do that.”
“Why not?” she asked.
“Just … not a great idea.”
“You’re probably right.” She ran up to her front door, then turned and called out, with a laugh, “Still, wouldn’t they be the coolest show-and-tell of all time?”
Cracked me up just thinking about it!
CHAPTER TEN
I adjusted the rear-view mirror so I could see all three of my Maasai in the back seat. Nebala sat there quietly with a serious and thoughtful look on his face. Koyati also looked as though he was thinking—thinking about hurting somebody. That was his usual expression, though, so it probably didn’t mean a thing. Maybe he was just practising getting his game face on for the race. And then there was Samuel—big grin, eyes wide open, looking all around, his head turning from side to side. He was the yin to Koyati’s yang. He never stopped smiling.
I turned onto Olivia’s street and almost instantly saw her standing by the curb in front of her house. That was not a good sign. It usually meant that her parents were going at it again. They were having a nasty time. She’d told me that they were
working ontheir marriage.
That was the line my parents had always used, just before they’d stopped working on the marriage and started working on the divorce. At least they’d found something they were both good at.
I pulled up right beside her.
“Jambo!”
she called out as she climbed in.
“How is it shaking,
dude?”
Samuel said.
“If you think I’m a
dude
, I’m definitely doing
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