“Dad, we have already been over this. And you said going to Lusaka was O.K. with you, remember?”
“No! No! You misunderstand. I want you to go back to Lusaka.”
“What! At first, you were against it. And now you want me to go? Why, if I may ask, the sudden change of heart? Does mother know?”
“Yes, your mother knows.” We just heard about an important archaeological discovery near Lusaka on the evening news.”
“Some American archeologists from Iowa, of all places, digging in the Lusaka area uncovered a thousand-year-old skeleton in excellent shape. A rare find. We thought it would be nice if you could visit the site, and maybe take some photos to share with us on your return home.”
“O.K. Dad. I will try to change my departure time tomorrow. But no promises.” “You know the slogan African airlines use. ’We will get you there, but we just don’t know when.’
Breaking up with her fellow trekkers was difficult for Sara. Having explained her early departure was a request from her father, “Since my father is paying for this trip, I could hardly refuse. I really wanted, for once, for all, of us to finally go to a nice restaurant and not worry about finding albino eyeballs in our soup. Besides, I was getting tired of eating the same old food day after day at our hotel. Maybe we can schedule a return trip someday just to eat a nice meal in a nice hotel.”
That last statement brought on a laugh. “No way in hell am I ever returning to this god-forsaken place,” spoke Mary.
Only in their second week of touring, and after the experience of the last two days, most of the girls were considering leaving early, anyhow. The girls, no longer caring to tour another broken-down, bankrupt African nation, hoped their tour of the country’s capital, Lilongwe would not end up like Blantyre.
“It is two-hundred and twelve miles by road to Lilongwe, according to my travel guide. Closer, if you fly. However since arrangements have already been made to take the local Kwesi bus to Lilongwe, we should stick with our original schedule.
“Cross your fingers that on this trip you will have better roads and a better driver than we had on our last trip. I am flying out early this morning. My flight leaves the Blantyre Kamuzu International Airport this morning at 9:30.”
“The trip to Lusaka, Zambia from Blantyre, Malawi is approximately six-hundred and sixty-eight miles. I hope to see Charlie and the ancient artifacts my father told me about as soon as I arrive there. I look forward to joining up with you guys in Lilongwe in two to three days to finish our tour. Just remember when you get to Lilongwe: Don’t eat any ‘mystery meat’ hamburgers.” This is an unfair characterization of Malawi. As there are many beautiful sites to see in Malawi. Just try not to think about the severe poverty, and rampant diseases, with the AIDS virus topping the list. ****
The Three Mummies had a new role to play. Modeling. Every school, university, museum, and some plain, ordinary tourist passing through, asked for a photo-op with the dirt diggers with the three going through the motions of digging up artifacts. Even the locals got into the act. Once sullen and unfriendly, the locals brought forth heaping baskets of locally grown fruit and vegetables. Shockingly, standing on the sidelines were the three would-be rapists with big smiles on their faces. But the biggest surprise was yet to come of which Charlie was unaware of at the time.
Allison, busy carrying on an interview with members of the local museum staff, looked up just in time to spot a small group of tourists approaching. Thinking to herself: “That beautiful girl looks familiar, although I know I have never met her before.” Approaching the group, she said to the girl, “Your name would not happen to be Sara, would it?”
“Yes! How did you know?”
“Because my brother Charlie never stops talking about you; his ‘Sara.’ So, it wasn’t that hard figuring out who you were. With Charlie describing you in such great detail, it would have been hard to miss you.”
“Oh, my God” shrieked Sara. “I’m going to kill him He never told me his sister was the famous professor, Allison Dawkins.”
“Well, don’t be too hard on him. Charlie probably did not tell you, he tells bad jokes, either.”
“That part I know. I have heard quite a few of his outlandish stories. If he made his living as a stand-up comedian, he would starve to death.” They both laughed at this last remark.
Charlie, in the middle of one of his modeling poses, suddenly stopped. Thinking: “I know that voice.” Jumped up and ran to meet Sara. After the customary small talk, Charlie asked: “When did you get here? I didn’t expect you to hear this soon. Sorry about your bad experience in Malawi.”
From Sara. “So, when are you going to tell me your sister is the famous Professor Dawkins?” And the chatter went on and on. At last! A break in the lovers’ dialogue finally arrived with Sara asking Charlie to come pose with her near the now world-famous skeleton.
Allison as a rule did not allow, other than museum officials, anywhere near the skeleton, Charlie and Sara permission for the pose. Allison knew how important it was to Charlie to make a good impression on his new girlfriend. “If my father sees this on national TV, he will freak out,” exclaimed a radiant Sara.
Reluctantly leaving Charlie, and as Sara had promised, she made plans to return to Lilongwe, Malawi to join her friends. But not before joining the celebratory Iowa archaeological team in a sumptuous meal prepared by the famous Chuma Grill & Bar restaurant located in Lusaka’s international classic Radisson Blu Hotel, a meal sponsored by Rob Porter, the new American Ambassador to the Republic of Zambia. [Porter’s promotion to Ambassador was now official]. Once again, Charlie and Sara said their sad goodbyes, with promises of an early reunion with neither one wanting to be separated from the other.
The Lilongwe River flows through Malawi’s capital Lilongwe of the same name. Lilongwe is a smart, modern Capital City reflected by its broad, clean streets and abundant markets in Old Town. South of Lilongwe’s Old Town, you find a real mixture of commercial, residential, and industrial buildings along with many modern shops, markets, cafes, and restaurants. The building boom occurred in the 60’s and 70’s, creating a Lilongwe New Town—the most modern section of the region with its up-to-date development of shiny white buildings with well-established banks, hotels, restaurants, embassies, and government ministries.
Sara was surprised by the contrast of the two cities: Blantyre and Lilongwe. Lilongwe seemed more modern and interesting than Blantyre. There are many excellent hotels, restaurants, and tourist sites for visitors to take in. Sara joined her friends at the Kumbali Country Lodge, one of many excellent hotels in the area. They discovered the people were nicer, the food excellent. Hiring a tour guide, visiting Safari Parks, Majeta Wildlife Reserve, and Lake Malawi National Park, and enjoying a huge picnic on the banks of the Lilongwe River known to flow into the Malawi River. Sadly, the group had mixed feelings about returning home but worried parents, aware of the dangers prevalent in many of the African nations were anxious for their return.
23
Return Home
The townspeople came together to welcome Allison and the University of Iowa’s celebrated archeologist students’ home. The jubilant crowd, bursting with pride, aware members of their own had become international celebrities.
“That’s strange. Where’s mom?”
Allison’s earth mother, Peggy was missing, and the other siblings seemed to be more subdued than jubilant about her return.
On the ride home Allison asked Pauline, “Where’s mom?”
With tears in her eyes, Pauline responded. “Mom’s sick. She has been for a long time. She has terminal pancreatic cancer. Not expected to live much longer.”
“Oh, My God! Why didn’t someone tell me? I would have come home immediately.”
“Well,” said Pauline. “That is why we didn’t tell you; she knew you would do exactly that. She wanted you to stay there. To fulfill your dream of doing something you love. Being a part of history. Which you have more than achieved.”
“She is so proud of you as we all are! I think she is still hanging on. Staying alive, hoping to see you one last time before she dies.”
The sad little Dawkins family, instead of a happy reunion with Allison back, crying most of the way home, finally arriving. Allison burst inside the house to rush to her earth mother’s side.
****
The little family cemetery was unrecognizable. Two summers before, a decision was made to clean up the old family cemetery, neglected for years. A wrought iron fence with a stately-looking main gate was added. Although it is not customary to bury family pets in human cemeteries, Peggy had insisted that the remains of Riff and Raff be allowed a little plot in the Northeast corner of the cemetery. During the grave site cleanup, Paul decided to plant flowers. Posting a little plague on the original grave site where little Allison was buried. The grave site marker plague was inscribed with a poem written by an unknown artist in the tear 1938.
Why stand Yee before my empty grave and weep
Is life not hard enough for me to earn my eternal sleep?
