Safe Escort

Carrie found the path leading away from her enclosure and knew that this was her chance. The monkeys’ enclosure had two oval islands distant five meters one from another and ten meters from the bark. One of them was about 7 x 4 m, the other one 5 x 9 m. In the bigger island there was mainly bushy meadow vegetation and a little grass field subject to seasonal flooding. The smaller island had grass fields as a major part of it and some short bushy vegetation. The enclosure housed six other young capuchin monkeys.

Carrie felt a sense of boldness that she had never felt before. Before anyone could react, she slipped out onto the path and stealthily ran outside the Central Northern Argentinia Iga municipal Park Compound which was located in an area of mixed ombrophyla forest and meadow vegetation of a river. The climate was fresh summer and temperature was 27º C.

Carrie was from the genus ‘Cebus’ and was an arboreal primate of middle height and robust body with a semi-prehensile tail. As she moved on she could see Timmy, her friend close by feeding on ants. She was in a crouched posture, head down and was pulling out pieces of soil with both hands. The ants were held between the fingers as they were being eaten. Carrie smiled. She liked eating ants too.

Suddenly Carrie felt that a fly was hovering around her. With a quick jerk, she moved her arms and caught the fly. Happy with that she moved on following the trail which would lead her out of the boundary of the Compound into a deep jungle where she could meet other primates and be free like them.

As she entered the jungle, Carrie suddenly slipped and fell into what seemed like a small pit. As she tried to get up, she felt a searing pain in her left leg. Carrie was frightened. She wondered if she had hurt herself badly. Instinctively, she looked up and suddenly saw another monkey looking at her with amusement. He was sitting on a tree branch quite close to the ground. She immediately recognized him as a spider monkey from the genus ‘Ateles’. She saw that he had slender limbs and body with long narrow hands and was medium brown in color. He too had a prehensile tail and as she looked more closely, she could see that his nostrils were far apart.
He seemed to be eating the soft mature part of a fruit which she did not recognize. He also had some leaves in his hand which he ate alongside the fruit. In between he would stop eating and look at her with a sparkle in his eyes; then he would scratch himself with his hands and one foot.

Carrie screeched out to him pleading for help from her precarious situation. Suddenly, he jumped down and came across to her.

“You don’t seem to be from around here. Else you would not have missed this little hole in the ground,” he said staring at her.

“You are right. I am from the Park where I was captive right from my birth. I envy you. You have been free all your life,” blurted Carrie.

“Envy is not such a good thing. Name’s Buck. And yours?”

“Carrie, and my left leg is really hurting.”

“Here, let me see,” said Buck.

He began blowing air on the wound and after a while started licking it. Once temporarily cleaned, he took some soil and applied it to the wound.

Carrie was beginning to feel much better.

Suddenly another monkey who looked similar to Buck joined them. He started screeching and was on the verge of attacking Carrie when Buck turned around and crouched down also screeching. The monkey turned towards him crouching face to face ready to fight. Buck jumped over him and caught his limbs. As he clasped him tightly, they started rolling together and biting each other. Buck seemed to be gaining the upper hand as the other monkey suddenly withdrew and started running away. Buck tried to grasp his legs to pull him down but he was unsuccessful as the monkey ran away and swung onto a branch.

Carrie was perspiring and was very shaken up.

“Happens all the time,” said Buck.

“Thanks, you saved me,” said Carrie gratefully.

“No sweat, after all one does not get to save a lady as pretty as you every day,” said Buck.

Carrie blushed. Her cheeks took on a crimson shade. Her eyes were downcast.

“So what brings you here,” asked Buck.

“The desire to be free,” answered Carrie promptly.

“That’s interesting,” said Buck.

“You don’t know how lucky you are to be here. You are free to roam wherever you wish!” exclaimed Carrie.

Suddenly the air resounded with the sound of musical trumpets.

“What’s that noise? asked Carrrie.

“Hey, that’s the Annual Forest Carnival, you game to see it?” asked Buck.

“I would love to,” cooed Carrie.

As Carrie and Buck entered the grounds of the Carnival, Carrie could see the flurry of other monkeys moving around. They were screeching and shouting – the environment was filled with laughter and joyous mirth. Everyone seemed to be having a good time.
As they walked past a few stalls, they heard someone shouting – “Come on, all you beautiful couples, come on in and win exciting prizes in this dance competition.

Carrie and Buck instinctively looked at each other.

“Hey, let’s do it,” said Buck happily.

Buck took Carrie’s hand and led her to the dance floor.

“You familiar with the ‘Rumba’,” asked Buck.

“Yes, a friend of mine who was captured from the forest taught it to me in the enclosure,” said Carrie excitedly.

“C’mon then, lets paint the floor red!” exclaimed Buck.

Both Carrie and Buck stepped on the dance floor and stood facing each other holding hands with Carrie’s palms facing upwards. As the music flowed, both started moving their hips side to side, torso erect, carefully executing the pattern of two quick side steps and then a slow forward step. Skillfully executing three steps to a bar, both Carrie and Buck were a delight to watch. With the music, Buck first held Carrie and then let her go, throwing her back with the musical beat. Suddenly mid-way during the dance, as Buck held Carrie and they looked deep into each other’s eyes; and when he threw her back Carrie suddenly felt very strange. As he let her go, she suddenly felt very sad with the realization that Buck and she would be separated very soon once the evening was over and they once again go their own ways. It was in that moment that Carrie realized that she had fallen in love with Buck.

Carrie was filled with a sense of exhilaration and longing at the same time. She felt pangs of fear flowing inside her like uncontrolled waves longing to reach the seaside. She felt afraid that Buck would not understand her feelings. She felt like holding Buck and telling him how much she wanted to be with him. As she looked up, she saw Buck looking at her with concern.

“You o.k.?” asked Buck.

“Yesss,” mumbled Carrie.

As they walked down the steps from the dance floor hand in hand, Carrie was already thinking of how to tell Buck that she wanted to spend the rest of her life with him.
As Carrie glanced to her right, she saw a small dome where ‘Hanuman’ was being worshipped. She immediately nudged Buck, “Let’s go there, I want to tell you something.”

Carrie led Buck to the front of Hanuman’s idol and stood directly in front of him. She held his hands and looked straight into his eyes.

“Buck, remember the movie – “Shall we dance?”

“Yes,” said Buck, in a very serious tone.

“Buck, there was something that was said in that movie. I have always believed in that and hold it very dear to my heart. I was saving it for this moment. I want to convey that now to you…We all need a witness to our lives. There are a trillion creatures on the planet... What does one life really mean? If you and I get together in a union, in togetherness, we promise to care about everything…The good and bad things, the terrible things, the mundane things... all of it, all of the time, every day. It means that we say to each other that your life will not go unnoticed because I will notice it. Your life will not go un-witnessed because I will be your witness."

Buck burst out crying.

“He put Carrie’s hand to his heart. His voice was cloaked in emotion, “Carrie, I am touched. Yes, I want to be with you too.”

Carrie smiled and they embraced tightly.

The next few weeks were filled with moments of love and togetherness. Both Carrie and Buck had never been this happy. It seemed that this golden period would never end.

One day Buck and Carrie were out looking for food.

“Buck, I am tired,” said Carrie.

“O.K. You wait here by this tree while I just move on a bit ahead. There is a place up ahead where we can get food. I’ll grab some and get it here,” said Buck.

Buck went on ahead humming. An hour passed before he returned.

Carrie was lying on the ground screeching and crying in pain. She had multiple wounds on her body. There was blood on her arms and legs. Buck could see a few black tall monkeys attacking her. Buck started screeching loudly and rushed towards Carrie.

Upon seeing him, the monkeys screeched and started running away.

“Carrie! What happened?” shouted Buck in anguish.

He jumped over and before she could say anything plucked something from a plant close by. He immediately began rubbing it over her wounds. After a few minutes, Carrie stopped crying.

Buck came over and started licking her wounds. He held her gently and said softly, “Carrie, why didn’t you defend yourself? These are Alligapara monkeys and they are cowards. They run away whenever someone screeches at them. Didn’t you know that?”

Carrie looked down shamefully.

“You know so much Buck. I know nothing. I didn’t even know which plant you used to apply to my wounds,” Carrie almost started crying again.

Buck was silent and in deep thought.

A few days passed. Carrie’s wounds were almost healed.

Buck took Carrie’s hands in his and kissed them lightly.

“Carrie, I love you very much and I don’t want to lose you. But, I have realized that it is impossible for you to survive here. I won’t be around all the time to save you. So the best thing for both of us is that you go back to the enclosure. You will be safe there,” Buck said in a heavy voice.

Carrie was very sad. She understood what Buck was saying but her heart did not want to agree. But she realized that it was the only solution. With a heavy heart she nodded.

The next day, Buck escorted Carrie back to the outskirts of the enclosure.

“We could have been each other’s witness all our lives but I guess that is not to be. God Hanuman will remain the ultimate witness forever for everyone. I guess that is the ultimate truth,” Buck said softly as he turned back and went away forever.


By Vikas and Me