More of Chapter Six

“He might even meet a woman on the trip. “Anything is possible,” he thought, though he wasn’t in any hurry to do that. He was in no condition to be in a relationship, “but perhaps just for a little fun and to keep company with.” He laughed at that sentence. It was an old way of saying getting a ,little without being crude.

His mother often used the term when they talked about dating and girls in general. They never got too specific of course, that would be intrusive on his mother’s part and a little weird.

Joe was already starting to feel better as he formulated his plan. He then thought about Charlene’s proposal. It seemed like a dim possibility before. It was also filled with some risk. She was attractive but he had tried not to notice. ‘An impossible task for any man,” he thought.

“They were co workers after all,” he had told himself, more than once. If anyone finds about an noffice romance between he and

It could soon turn ugly and into a battle that might not be won easily. Usually one or both both parties soon find themselves out on the street without a job.

If he made enough money with his writing and photos, he would be thrilled. If he didn’t he would still have a great adventure to look back on in his old age. This might even start up his stalled writing again. He had been lax at working at his craft with a romance and work and all.

The worst case scenario put him in Africa, single, with no ties and with a secretary willing to perhaps, work for free or foe a small wage. He had planned on a gap year after college but then he had met Suzan. Now she was gone and he a second chance at a new beginning. That new beginning would start in Africa.

He went to his computer and turned it on. He scanned the travel websites he and Suzan had looked at for their honeymoon. He hadn’t paid much attention to the details before when Suzan was with him. Now he had to.

He soon found the name and phone number on the screen of his computer for the travel company that Charlene had made all the arrangements with. He dialed the number without even thinking.

He clicked the box titled “Africa” again and found himself looking at the same great pictures of endless herds of animals passing through the grass lands of Africa on the great migration as the phone continued to ring. “What could go wrong?”

Chapter Seven

The friendly sounding woman answered the phone with an accent. Joseph thought it might be British.

“Hello, this is The Active Travel Agency, Nancy Black here, with whom am I speaking and how might I help you?”

“This is Joseph Monroe, I need to change my travel plans for my trip to Africa. My secretary has been talking to Nancy Duffy over the last few months planning them and now I need to make a change. Is that possible? I was planning the trip as our honeymoon but that has gone by the way side now. We are no longer together.”

The woman on the other end of the phone line looked at the woman next to here and moved her lips to say, “We have a thirteen again, get ready for who knows what.” The woman on the phone remained siloent, listening.

“Sorry to hear that,” the sweet sounding voice said over the phone.

I still have the vacation time and if I don’t use it, I will loose it. Is it possible for me to still go on this trip to Africa as a single and get half my money back? I ahve to go alone now. I want to firm up the dates as a single now.”

Joe heard the phone rubbing on something and some rustling in the background as he waited for an answer. The woman came back on the phone after the short silence.

“Why yes, Mr. Monroe, I see the notes here on Nancy’s desk. We have your trip leaving on the Monday of last week of the month and a back up date next month as well. Rwanda is a pre trip extension. You must book that separately. Oh wait a minute, I see your secretary has already done that.

Your secretary has already reserved two spots, but since you are letting us know your a single now, half of your deposit will go toward that single fee now. It’s getting close to the rainy season down there so these are the last two trips for viewing the animals in Rwanda, Kenya and Tanzania.

The final trip leaves the last week of November. That’s the twenty-second.” Let’s book the earlier one then Miss Black, shall we?”

“Okay, let’s pout this in the computer and see what happens.” “Thanks again, Miss Black.” Joe waited in silence. His pulse quickened just a little. His vacation and perhaps his future were passing at light speed in the circuits of the computer.

Joe had little family and no plans for the holidays with any one special now. So that wasn’t even a consideration. The only problem he could see had been getting the time off from work and that had been settled long ago, easily.

Joe tried to picture the face that went with the voice as the woman went silent again. He came up with a faces but couldn’t decide which one was closest to being correct. The phone remained silent except for the music playing in the background. It wasn’t bad. Eighty’s rock tunes done with no lyrics. Joe hated being put on hold but the music made it a little less annoying.

In a few more minutes there was a click on the line and the woman came back on the phone. “

“We only take twelve people on these trips so it may fill up quickly. I want to make sure you’re going as a single. I need to know that as soon as possible. “Yes, I’m going as a single, but my secretary may be coming along on her own on the trip, as well.” “Okay, good to know. Have your secretary book as soon as possible to make sure she gets a spot.” The woman looked at her co worker and mouthed the word, “thirteen.” “So you’re going to be leaving on the 22nd of November, correct Mr. Monroe?” “Yes.”

Great Mr. Monroe, you’ll be going as a single if I don’t hear from you by five p.m. Have your trasveling companion contact us as soon as possible as this trip is filling up quickly,”

“Great, I’ll let her know.”

_______________________________________________________________________________________

So here you go.

I want to thank the hundreds of you coming to read this novel now. Tell more friends about this if you think they might like this tale.

I want to thank all of the families who lost family in the past in our wars. We are indebted forever to them.

We must not let this country and it’s values slip away.

Chapter Eight coming shortly.