Kindle Edition
Amazon
Amazon.com: Haim Kadman: Books, Biography, Blog, Audiobooks
Amazon.com: Haim Kadman: Books, Biography, Blog, Audiobooks
Category:
Literary Fiction
Publisher: Amazon Kindle
Pages: 171
Copyright: Jan 16, 2012
Price: $7.99 (eBook)
AN AFRICAN SUNSET is my first novel after having written 75 short stories; several of my short stories were published in my country.
The plot is based on my own experience as a manager of three districts in Togo West Africa during the years 1969 - 1971. It isn't a biography but a fictitious plot, which describes the bond between the Israeli delegation members in general; and the trials and adventures of a young agronomist Reuven Shatz his name, his short love affair with Hilla Priel, the wife of the expert that he was sent to replace, his relations with the head of the delegation, and the embassy members in Mouaka the Capital of "The Coast of Hope."
"An African Sunset"
Reuven Shatz a young agronomist joins a small Israeli diplomatic delegation at the "Coast of Hope", a West African country. He is sent there to replace an agricultural instructor whose term has reached its end. Hardly a week passes and he is already acquainted with the trivial disputes between the delegation members. Major Everon the agricultural delegation's head takes him under his care and influence. He keeps him away from the foreign office members, and does his best to adapt Shatz not just to the harsh local climate, but to the unruly way of life that he himself leads there.
As Shatz is supposed to replace Moshe Priel the instructor that is about to return back home as smoothly as possible, he is requested to work in correlation with Priel at the model farm near the town of Dialo; thus he spends the few days up to the Priels' departure at their cottage as their guest. During his stay with the Priels Shatz learns much about the rupture between his hosts and the rest of the delegation members; the strange way in which Priel is being exploited by Da-Silva the local of Portuguese descent, who is the local farm's manager; and of Hilla Priel obsessive fears of that powerful man.
Shatz falls in love with Hilla, and conducts a strange and short love affair with her, which ends up to his bitter disappointment when the Priels departure.
His evenings Shatz spends with Everon at the club, which is not far from Mouaka the capital; he is supposed to become Everon's bridge cards game partner, while he learns to his surprise that the club's bridge championship is Everon's highest aspiration.
While he accompanies Everon to the club, he meets Janine, the young daughter of one of Everon's closest French associates. His flirt with Janine gets on Everon's nerves. Everon envies him terribly and makes up a scene during the ride back at 100 miles per hour, almost overturns the car and endangers their lives in a heated dispute.
That dramatic scene brings Shatz's salvation in its wake. He frees himself completely from Everon's patronage and gets the support of the embassy members, but has to face the consequences - a hearing at the embassy, before the ambassador who tries to solve in vain the dispute between Shatz and Everon.
On the verge of being sent back home Shatz tightens his relationships with the rest of embassy members, and with Janine and her father, against the ambassador's strict orders and manages to survive against all odds.
20 chapters, 101,106 words.
Excerpt
A typical roar of an engine attracted Shatz’s attention. He could hear it growing louder with each passing second. A white Peugeot 204 crossed the Hotel’s wide gate and turned to its parking lot.
Janine got off the parked car, accompanied by a French couple. Shatz’s heart didn’t lose a single beat; the blood didn’t race in his veins on seeing her. He wasn’t assaulted with that kind of emotional wave that fogged his brain, whenever he was seeing Hilla after their first night together. Nevertheless, he was glad to see Janine again and that shock of red hair of hers glistening in the sun.
The French couple he had already seen once, here at the pool. The man was of medium height, fair-haired and good-looking man, he seemed to be in his late thirties. He was dressed elegantly in a full light beige summer suit. The young woman seemed to be about Shatz’s age, fine lithe figure and fine features, but nothing exceptional, Janine’s beauty overshadowed her.
Shatz left his chair and moved towards them smiling happily, the presence of Janine’s escort didn’t bother him. His enthusiasm wasn’t feigned, he did expect her to come at that late morning hour; that bit of information he learned from Janine herself. But that young and inexperienced redhead brought up an expression of such indifference on her astonishing pretty face, as if she was saying: “Oh, it’s you again”.
She did introduce him to her escort, asking his name while doing it as if she had difficulties remembering it. But his title made the difference and must have impressed the other two. It was a rather pleasant surprise, as he was certain that they wouldn’t accept him so easily; and that Janine would keep him off, make him sweat hard. He was mentally ready to give the whole thing up, to take his leave politely and get back to his room. Janine's female companion perceived Shatz’s mental efforts at that critical moment, although he tried hard to conceal his feelings. A flicker of a smile sneaked to her lips.
Her male companion the fair headed man, Monsieur, whose name Shatz didn’t grasp, so quickly did he spit out the vowels through his teeth; turned to Shatz a cold shoulder, at the first seconds of their acquaintance. He was scrutinizing Shatz’s face with a hint of haughty reservation.
Shatz’s sudden and somewhat pertinent barging into their company in his bathing suit and into the Frenchman’s conscious and to the attention the two young women in his company paid him, up to Shatz’s appearance on the scene, must have caused it. But after learning Shatz’s few personal details, he thawed a little and they all moved to one of the shadowed tables.
The Frenchman and Shatz moved the chairs backward, waiting politely till the two young ladies will sit down. As soon as they all were sitting next to the small round table, Annette the young French woman initiated the small talk, presenting Shatz with a series of questions concerning his health, his profession and background, his past and present, his hobbies, his impressions and opinion on the Coast of Hope and so on – for Janine’s benefit. His answers must have satisfied no doubt her and Janine's curiosity, and for that purpose these questions were meant by the wise young French woman.
When this stage was over the young women discussed trivial daily matters, while the two men listened to them, the unseen wall of alienation didn’t tumble yet.
A lone waiter appeared on the bar’s threshold and as soon as Shatz noticed him, he raised his arm and summoned him to their table.
The fair-hair headed Frenchman turned his blue eyes to Shatz.
‘Monsieur, is that new ‘Deux-Cent-Quat’ yours?’
‘Well yes, it’s mine, why?
Annette and the fair headed gentleman exchanged a meaningful glance and the young French woman hastened to declare how pleasant the meeting was, and how glad they were to meet Shatz, and they both rose to their feet while Janine and Shatz followed suit. As the waiter was doing his way between the flowerbeds, Janine’s escort took their leave with a warm shake hand and a short: ‘A tout-a-l’heure as accustomed in their language – and off they went, making their way to the parking lot without looking back.
What a blessing, what a divine gift! Shatz could hardly hide his joy, watching the French couple doing their way towards their car. He didn’t expect to achieve much in the little time apparently left to him, in Janine’s company. He thought she might leave him too, in a rather short while. But she returned to her seat a bit embarrassed though, by the quick retreat of her escort.
‘Do they play bridge together? I won’t be surprised if they do.’ Shatz turned to her without wasting precious time.
‘That’s right,’ she answered somewhat surprised but smiling happily, coloring a bit. ‘Their mutual understanding is so conspicuous.’ She added with a short sweet laugh, releasing the caught air in her lungs with obvious relief.
The waiter reached their table at last, and Shatz asked her to order their drinks; and when the latter turned back to fetch them, she rose to her feet and took off her gown; exposing a lithe and a lovely shaped body, and a milky whitish skin so typical to red-heads. She went over to the swimming pool’s edge, stood there a few seconds while Shatz watched her long legs, her narrow waist, her lovely shoulders and her mane of red hair. With a headlong dive she disappeared under the pool’s surface and emerged right away, turning her pretty face towards him.
As if he was just aware at that moment to the day’s heat and humidity, Shatz rose nimbly to his feet, with a few quick strides he reached the pool’s edge and jumped into the water. They were swimming side by side while Shatz was sneaking furtive looks at her lovely features, letting her enough room at that early stage of the relationship he hoped he would succeed to develop, with that young and lovely creature.
Time was passing quickly, a few hotel guests gathered on the pool’s edge; a middle aged couple and several men were seated round the tables, under the broad parasols. They were watching Janine and him as if they were watching a show. A few more minutes passed and some pool’s regulars started to arrive. Cars filled the parking lot, people occupied the tables round the swimming pool, while Shatz hoped and prayed that her noisy gang wouldn’t arrive yet.
Janine was swimming towards the pool near corner, to the ladder. Standing up in the shallow water she waited for him.
‘I’ve got to return,’ she told him and started to mount up the ladder’s few rungs, while Shatz was watching with craving eyes the lovely wet curves of her young body. Their drinks were ready on their table lukewarm already no doubt. The waiter having noticed them coming rushed towards them, Shatz told him his room number, took the small scribbled invoice and released him to serve the other guests.
Janine was drinking in haste without bothering to sit down. Tucked in her beach gown she drank a few drops and put the almost full glass back on the table, and raised a pair of green quizzical eyes to him. Before Shatz could express his sad disappointment, she was on her way to the parking lot. There was no other choice left, but leave his unfinished drink, put his shirt on his wet shoulder in haste and rush after her in unfastened pair of sandals, while tying a towel round his waist.
An impetuous behavior of an embarrassed teenager, Shatz concluded thoughtfully, walking by her side getting used to her whims.
If it isn’t her first date, it’s surely her obliging date with a stranger who’s older than her with several years, and that’s in fact the meaningful difference, which influences such a date no doubt.
After having opened the car’s door for her and seen her sit comfortably in her seat, Shatz moved around and sat behind the steering wheel, switched on the engine and moved out towards the hotel wide gate.
‘I don’t know where we’re bound yet,’ he remarked smiling at her, getting over his feelings of disappointment rather fast. She was still there, beside him after all and he could sneak a look now and then, at her pretty face.
They were driving down the serpentine narrow road, leaving the hotel and the swimming pool behind them. There were enough lonely places along the coast, coconut groves, deserted shucks; sites where they could find some secluded spot to stay together, or his hotel room…
‘Drive up to the square and from there I’ll direct you.’ She said, cutting off his lewd thoughts.
‘There’s no name to that street of yours?’
‘No there’re numbers that were wiped off long ago, very few residents remember their street’s number, and all they remember is where it is.’
‘It's interesting or rather strange to put it more accurately.’ He noted, racking his brain after some subject that would get them a bit closer.
That conversation is starting to sound like two kids on their way back from school, a kind of a hide and seek conversation. He thought amused.
‘Are they married your friends, those who brought you along and were so quick to leave?’
‘Yes they’re happily married and quite a while already.’ She answered with much emphasize.
‘I didn’t catch up their name; I’d some difficulties in understanding him.’ Shatz smiled with a note of apology.
‘Xavier Annette and Jacque, they’re very nice and I’m very fond of them of course. I like Annette in particular she’s my closest friend here.’
‘I’m not surprised that’s how she did impress me too, she’s a very nice person, and what is he doing if I may ask?’
‘He’s the Minister’s adviser, the Minister of Agriculture and Development.’ She answered him proudly, without omitting any of the Minister’s responsibilities or his adviser’s degrees.
‘What, he is the Minister’s adviser, from when?’ Shatz exclaimed in amazement.
‘What do you mean from when? From the first day that they have landed here, two years already; they’re going to leave soon, his contract has reached its termination.’ She added rather calmly, with a note of obvious sadness. ‘I'll miss them for they‘ll flying to France next week but what did surprise you so much?’
‘His modesty,’ Shatz answered briskly and turned back to his thoughts.
So, is it possible that the fair-headed Monsieur Xavier influenced the Minister to cut down the size of the Israeli delegation? What an interesting coincidence, an Israeli delegation and a French adviser behind the curtains. Does his approaching leave kindle Everon’s hopes?
‘Has the Minister’s future adviser arrived already?’
‘I haven’t the slightest idea,’ answered Janine after a slight hesitation.
Shatz couldn’t know whether she’s afraid of telling him details he isn’t supposed to know, or whether she was simply telling him the truth.
‘From the little I’ve heard,’ she went on after a short pause; there’s no need for a replacement, for the Minister thinks he’ll manage well enough with his local advisers.’ She added dryly, after all these matters didn’t interest her much. ‘Take the first turn to the right after the square, if you please.’
‘So, it was some kind of a singular mission.’
‘I suppose so, he did complain himself lately, that nothing was left for him to do over here, and they’re very glad to return to Paris.’
Shatz turned round the square, found the right street and drove slowly on the unpaved road.
‘It must be hard for you to lose such dear friends.’
‘Well, I’ve met them just five weeks ago, and I’m due to return to France myself at the end of my vacation.’
‘Is that so, I was quite convinced that you’re living here, in Mouaka.’
‘Stop here please!’ She hastened to ask, putting her hand on the door’s handle, ready to get off.
Shatz slowed down and stopped the car near the pavement, watching her green eyes, waiting for her answer.
‘I live in Paris but sometimes I spend my vacations over here, that’s my third visit, on my previous two visits I was still a little girl.’
Is she an orphan or what? He thought without knowing how to react, how to keep her on beside him for a few more seconds.
‘You were very kind to me, thank you.’ She remarked sending forth her right her. ‘I hope you don’t feel as if you’ve wasted your time in vain.’ She added with an amused smile while shaking his hand.
‘Not at all,’ Shatz answered her as if he was waking up from a dream. ‘Don’t go yet…’ he added holding her hand between his palms, caressing it gently. ‘When shall I see you again?’
‘You may see me at the club tonight,’ she answered with a charming and surprised laugh. Pulling her hand from his hold, she added a short "Au revoir" with much grace, and got off shutting the car door behind her.
Shatz kept watching her till she vanished in the dark entrance. Right after it he turned the car round and returned to the Independence Avenue, on his way back to the hotel.
It was getting late and he hadn’t much time left. Reaching his room at last he didn’t bother to take a shower, just put his pants on, packed a shirt and a pair of shoes and rushed down to his car; turned on the ignition and crossed Mouaka once more, on his way to Everon’s residence.
Even if she would have been born here, she isn’t a provincial. She’s a sweet intelligent girl and she didn’t give up any secrets. These things are well known, not to everyone though. In any case it’s nothing much. He went on thinking encouraged and turned right away to appraise her merits; her dazzling beauty, her delicate white skin, her green eyes.
Yeah she’s a marvel, so pretty and her crown of red hair, that lithe body of her so slim yet; but that’s part of her charm… Would anyone believe it, a Parisian virgin fell into my lap…? Well, I’ll have to check it… He chuckled gaily pleased with himself. ‘Oh no, she surely isn’t a virgin, a Parisian at her age, a virgin still? No way, she must have had her experience, several times I bet.
Mouaka was already behind him and he pushed down hard the accelerator, driving on all alone on the way to the new sector.
She’s a bit reserved, it would take some time to get closer to her, and she leaves in less than a month, while Hilla is flying home next Wednesday. But in a couple of weeks I’ll be busy again, working no doubt. Well I’ll get along, God is great and Claude is his prophet.
|
