Short Story – An Ozzie and the Lion

Short Story – An Ozzie and the Lion

“On one occasion we had a single client, he was a game ranger from the Outback in Australia, and I was looking forward to meeting the man. Jaco and I picked him up early in the morning, it was his first trip into Africa and like most tourist he wanted to see a lion. On the way to the park we talked about kangaroos and Ducked-billed Platypus; we could talk Africa in the Park.
We got to the gate at first light and as soon as the gate was open we drove to the spots we were most likely to find lion. Jaco had been doing tours exclusively to the Pilanesberg National Park for many years and he knew that park the way most men know their own backyard. Jaco was speeding, in the mornings looking for lion he was quite manic, we came around a corner and almost drove over the biggest male lion in the Park.
Once Jaco had backed up a bit the lion just stood in the middle of the road looking at us. The sun was just coming up, the lighting superb, and the lion then walked past us. Usually they ignore a vehicle completely but this chap looked directly in the window as he passed. I live here; I have seen plenty lion, but my heart jumped when he looked at me, almost eye-ball to eye-ball. He passed the vehicle and disappeared into thick bush.
I looked back at the Aussie; the tears were streaming down his face.”
From The Chronicles of the Mexican Horse Thief V