Of Monsters and Friends.
Well amigos…It’s been a wonderful week for two big reasons: "My life is very monotonous," the fox said. "I hunt chickens; And then look: you see the grain-fields down yonder? I do not eat bread. Wheat is of no use to me. The wheat fields have nothing to say to me. And that is sad. But you have hair that is the colour of gold. Think how wonderful that will be when you have tamed me! The grain, which is also golden, will bring me back the thought of you. And I shall love to listen to the wind in the wheat . .." - Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
(1) It has been short. For that I have to thank institutionalized religion; the Easter Bunny and the very alarming invasion of those crazily-calorific Cadbury Chocolate Eggs. 
(2) It has been eventful. Between breaking in my new sound system; framing my Red Jazz canvas; jamming in a studio in the south west; skinning my shin on my spin bike on Tuesday; 
finger-tinkling the grand piano at the Savoy on Friday night... and between “Boffo-Borat-sleepover-ing”; my new lounge lamps arriving; the lazy Sky engineer excusing; weekend cycling trip planning and all the relentless talk-talk-talking thanks to my “I-asked-for-it-didn't-I!?” invitation to chin-wag last week… I have not had time to (whew!) breathe…
Last Sunday night as I shuffled my confused utility bills and thoughts, I thought of my little purple friend and wondered where he was and what he was doing. 
So I walked out into the desert where I had last seen him and called out for him. There was no reply. I made my way along the sliding sands, and after a good while I spied him walking across a field of dried brown grass - a little hunched silhouette painted against a sun-kissed horizon - a Lilliputian explorer under a sweeping orange and purple striped sky… and so…
…the story continues…
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The riverman wasn’t exactly having the time of his life!
First there had been that dreary and dry desert and now it was nothing but parched grass for miles. No sign of that enticing river and most definitely nothing that looked remotely like sugar cane. The field around him was flat and probably the most monotonous and unimaginative landscape he had ever been in. In fact everything around him was so plain, that that he was plain depressed, and he knew that he needed to find somewhere to rest very soon. Twilight approached, and he most definitely did not want to stumble and fum
ble around in the dark and unknown.
He walked on for another hour, and there was still no sign of shelter. It 
was then that he heard a loud roar and the most dreadful sucking scream slicing through the night air. The ground shook violently and he was thrown off his feet. He turned around, and he saw It - A monstrous giant behind him menacing its way across the field in his direction!!! Under the faint glow of moonlight, he saw the creature raise a large tentacle bristling with 
minacious teeth, and then to the riverman’s terror, that large tentacle began to descend towards him!
The riverman struggled to his feet, all his thoughts bent on flight. Adrenaline coursed through his little body and his tired feet fairly flew over the grass. 
He rushed on, not daring to look back, and not caring where he was headed. It was in that mad and manic rush that he saw a cave - a gash cut deep into the smooth black hills stabbing into the dark sky. He scrambled through the gaping opening and and dived into the darkness.
Voice: Hello?
riverman: (startled) Wha… Who is there?!
Voice: (softly) Please don’t be afraid. I won’t hurt you.
riverman: (looking wildly around) I..I…can’t see you! Where are you?
The riverman saw two bright blue eyes shine out suddenly from the darkness. It was a little bit unnerving to say the least! For a moment he thought the monster had followed him into the cave...
Voice: I'm here...
riverman: Whoa…hey!!! (steadying himself against the wall) Oh… yes, there you are!
Voice: (apologetically) I hope I did not frighten you.
riverman: (out of breath but steadily) Oh no… it was just a shock finding someone here. Can you see me?
Voice: Oh yes, I can.
riverman: (curious) Well, if you can see me, how come I can’t see you?
Voice: Well, you will probably understand why when the sun comes up tomorrow. But for now, why don’t you just sit back and relax. We can talk for a while if you wish, and you are welcome to share some of my food. This cave is good shelter for the night.
The riverman reluctantly sat back on the hard stone ground of the cave and after a while accepted the piece of bread that was handed to him.
riverman: (hesitantly) Thank you. You are very kind. How shall I address you?
Voice: (also a little hesitantly) Well, I do have a pretty unusual name and you probably would not be able to pronounce it. But I suppose you could call me “Friend”.
riverman: (smiling) Okay then! Very pleased to meet you Friend!
Friend: (relaxed) And I am very pleased to meet you too!
The riverman and Friend talked into the wee hours of the morning. The riverman told Friend about his long walk in the sandy desert and the tall grass, and the day that he met the Elleyfaant. Friend had never heard of a desert and had never seen an Elleyfaant, and 
he had lots of questions about the Chobe and sugar-cane. The riverman tried his best to answer all Friend’s questions.
Friend then told the riverman about the lands he had seen - white mountains of rock-hard water and freezing winds. Friend explained that where he came 
from everyone had to wrap up warm and that there was cold powdery sand that fell from the sky and could melt on your tongue. It was a bewildering thing for the riverman when he heard these stories from Friend.
Friend told the riverman that it would take many a mile and many a day before he would be able to reach those white mountains.
It was close to morning when the riverman and Friend went to sleep, and the riverman only opened his eyes when it was near noon the next day.
He started when he found himself staring into the face of a creature he had never ever seen to date! 
Now he understood why he could not see his companion last night when the cave was dark… Friend smiled cautiously at the riverman.
Friend: (brightly) Good morning! I hope you slept well!
riverman: (trying very hard not to stare at Friend) Oh yes… thank you! 
Friend looked at the riverman for a while, and then looked down at the ground
Friend: (quietly) Now, I know what you are thinking! I am a pretty frightening looking thing aren’t I?!
riverman: (embarrassed) Oh… no!
riverman: (quickly) No you are not frightening… err… just a bit … a bit different…
Friend: (sadly looking down and shaking his head) Yes I know… “Different” is just another way of saying “Weird”. (squaring his shoulders) Well, I guess you want to leave now 
don’t you?
riverman: (puzzled) What do you mean?
Friend: (shrugging and sitting down) I mean I won’t blame you if you don’t feel comfortable staying around. Not very many people who have dropped in on me for dinner ever want to stay for breakfast the next day.
riverman: (puzzled) I don’t feel uncomfortable! (firmly) I don’t think you look frightening and I don't think you look weird! And I most definitely want to stay for breakfast…. errr… if you would like me to?!
Friend: (looking up at the riverman and beaming) Well, thank you then!
The riverman and Friend sat down and feasted on cooked breakfast, and continued to talk. The hours flew by, and then the riverman asked…
riverman: Tell me Friend, why did you end up in this cave?
Friend: (sighing heavily) Well, that is a long story. (Pointing outside the cave) Can you see that tarmac path that winds to the right?
riverman: (nodding) Yes.
Friend: Well, I was travelling down that path one fine day, when suddenly I saw this great big monster coming towards me…
riverman (excited) Yes! I saw it too!
Friend: Well, I was really scared, and so just like you, I rushed into this cave to hide. When I got into the cave I realised I had lost my key.
riverman: Key?
Friend: Yes, see I need to be wound up in order to travel. And I need my key for that. Without my key I can’t move and I am trapped in this cave.
riverman: Oh, I am sorry! You know, I think you are great company, and it would be fun if we could travel together. The journey so far has been pretty boring for me. If you were to come along with me, at least we would both have someone to talk to!
Friend: Oh no! You do have your own journey to continue.
riverman: (insistently) Well, what kind of a riverman would I be if I were to leave you here, unable to continue your journey? (determined) No, I will go out and find that key.
Friend: (hopefully) You will? It would not be too much trouble?
riverman: (smiling) It will make me feel happy! And once I find it and bring it to you, we could both carry on our journey together! So tell me, where do you think you dropped your key?
Friend: (thoughtfully) Well, it would be somewhere around the tarmac path. In fact, I think it probably is that shiny thing on the path reflecting the sun over there (pointing out to the path).
riverman: (looking at the path and exclaiming) I see it! I do see it! Wait here, and I will be back.
Friend: (laughing out loud) I don’t think I have a choice!
The riverman ran down the brown grass to the path. He stepped onto the tarmac path, and quickly jumped away hopping in pain. The path was boiling hot! He could not step onto it. He would have to try and reach the key without getting onto the path.
He rubbed his chin thoughtfully, lay down on his stomach in the grass, reached out with his hand, grabbed the key and pulled it towards him. With the key safe in his hand, he happily ran back to Friend.
Friend: (beaming) Oh! Thank you very much!
riverman: (happily) So now we can get going with our journey!
Friend: (winding himself up with his key) Most certainly! It will be an adventure! Let me just get onto the tarmac path.
riverman: (raising his eyebrows) The tarmac path?
Friend: (getting onto the tarmac path) Yes… I can only travel on tarmac. My skies will not allow me to travel on grass.
riverman: (alarmed) But… but I can’t travel on the tarmac! It is too hot for me.
Friend: (startled) But where are your skies?
riverman: I don’t have skies!
For a while Friend and the riverman looked at each other. Friend was thinking hard…
Friend: Do you think that you could get on my skies just behind me, and hold on?
riverman: Okay, I will try.
The riverman held on to Friend and tried to balance on the skies, but kept falling off. After a number of tries, the riverman sat down on the grass and sighed.
Friend: (sadly) Oh dear… it does not look like this is working.
riverman: Well, what about you getting off your skies and walking through the grass with me?
Friend: (shaking his head) I can’t remove my skies… otherwise I would not have been trapped in that cave. 
The riverman and Friend contemplated each other for a while.
riverman: (sadly looking down at the grass) I suppose… we will have to go our separate ways…
Friend: (sadly looking down at his skies) It would seem so…
riverman: (sadly resigned) Well, will you be alright then? Do you think you will be able to manage from now on?
Friend: Yes, I think I should be okay. How about you?
Riverman: (trying to appear nonchalant and shrugging) Oh, I should be fine.
Friend: (looking at riverman and and then grinning) Well… It has been fun hasn’t it?!
Riverman: (smiling) It sure has! I will miss you!
Friend: And I you!
So the riverman turned towards the brown fields with a heavy heart.
It would have been wonderful to have Friend with him as he journeyed on. There was an overpowering emptiness inside him. It was as though he had been robbed of something splendid he had only just begun to appreciate. The short time he had spent with Friend in that cave and the wonderful stories and discussions had made him forget the dusty desert and the brown fields.
Now the prospect of a long and lonely trek stretched out in front of him, and there was dryness in his mouth that matched the grass under his feet.
Friend: Hey riverman!
riverman: (turning around quickly) Yes!
Friend: You wanted to know my name didn’t you?
The riverman and Friend looked at each other.
Friend: Well, my name is Golliwog!
riverman: Gol-li-wog?
Golliwog: (smiling and waving) Golliwog…That’s it! You take care now! 
And with that Golliwog sped off down the tarmac path and disappeared round the bend.
The riverman watched him go. Then he turned and walked on with a smile on his face. Wasn't it curious?! Something had changed in the air around him, and his heart was singing. Last night he had met a monster, but somewhere between nightfall and daybreak he had made a friend. 
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…and so ends the second chapter of
the adventures of the riverman…
…to be continued a little later on…
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men hunt me. All the chickens are just alike, and all the men are just alike. And, in consequence, I am a little bored.
But if you tame me, it will be as if the sun came to shine on my life. I shall know the sound of a step that will be different from all the others. Other steps send me hurrying back underneath the ground. Yours will call me, like music, out of my burrow.
~~~
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