His destiny,to return to the caves of our ancestors

His destiny,to return to the caves of our ancestors

fiction
edward w pritchard

Seven years ago at a small community Bank in Colorado my husband Austin had went from loan officer to President through a series of lucky breaks. Only I knew previously my husband was uninspired every day at work and dreaded going in. One day two of his bosses quit and that next day Austin was made temporary President. The following Friday it was over. The directors had secretly sold the Bank and Austin was given three hours to clear out his desk and leave. As severance Austin received the 4 million dollars in stock that was to have been paid to his two bosses but they had left unaware that the Directors were selling the Bank out from under them. To us that was a fortune, beyond our wildest expectations and we were set for life at the age of 40.

We upgraded our house and cars and took two years off to travel. We had no children and we criss-crossed the world. We took so many trips that we built a special room in our house just for suitcases. For a while we even hired a part time person to help us make travel plans, and handle routine affairs when we were gone. Our assistant would spend hours each week when we returned packing and unpacking and organizing our bags and trunks.

After two or three years of traveling Austin tired of travel and wanted to start another career. We still had over 6 million dollars in the Bank and in quality stocks so there was no need for him to work, but at age forty with no children, my husband wanted to re-establish himself in the business world. Unfortunately Austin was unable to find a worthwhile position with a Bank for banks preferred to hire younger executives. In time Austin started two businesses but thing never seemed to work out.

For about four years we traveled again sporadically but it wasn't the same for Austin any more. His zest for travel was gone. I still enjoyed touring the world and shopping but he just came along and lost interest in the nuances differentiating one place from another.

About six months ago Austin became very excited about us going to Madagascar and I was pleased to see him interested in something again. He was lethargic at home, was no longer golfing, or watching major league baseball, even not reading the financial news or watching the financial channel.

Austin planned the trip, arranged the hotels and rushed around for several weeks handling all the details.

Madagascar is one of the World's largest Island's known for it's wildlife, caves, and to world travelers as one of the longest flights from the United States it is possible to take, 39 hours from our home to Antananarivo, the Capital.

Austin became obsessed with the lemurs and the sacred Caves in Madagascar and I was very glad to leave at the end of our planned seven day trip. We spent the bulk of our time in the "field" observing wildlife and the caves and I was not comfortable most of the time for I have grown accustomed to luxury. To me a vacation is a time to pamper oneself not to learn or go back to nature, but I supported my husband for he was genuinely interested in Madagascar like no place we had ever been.

Returning home in a few days Austin began planning our return to Madagascar. I tried desperately for three weeks to talk him into another destination, any where else, but he was insistent. Finally I conceded and took virtually the same trip to Madagascar again but this time because of airport delays it was a 49 hour flight and we spent the bulk of our time at the National Park at Ankarana a sanctuary for birds and wildlife and the lemurs. I had agreed to stay no more than seven days and despite a fierce argument with Austin who was becoming irrational concerning the Island I refused to visit another more primitive cave at Andoboara.

I put my foot down when we came home for as soon as we returned from the airport Austin was on the internet researching and planning our next longer trip to Madagascar. Austin went to a psychologist twice at my insistence because of his obsessive behavior. The lady Doctor concluded that although Austin had gotten a little eccentric, maybe from not following a regular schedule, he was sane and the Lady Doctor suggested we experiment with separate vacations the next time.

Austin had been startled by me insisting he see a psychologist and he was able to wait six weeks before going alone for a two week trip to Madagascar.

Yesterday, I received a phone call from the American Embassy in Cape Town South Africa that Austin had been reported dead in Madagascar. The details were for now sketchy but he apparently had died in a cave near Ambalakedi. With condolences I was told I would receive a personal phone call from the US State Department in Washington DC as soon as more details were available so that I could plan for my husband's funeral.

Before I was called again, however I found the following in a large US newspaper:

Austin Seld 47, a prominent US banker from Missouri was reported dead today near the village of Ambalakedi, Madagascar. Mr. Seld was found by villagers in one of their sacred caves approximately twenty miles from the village.

Mr. Seld is believed to have been killed by small animals maybe brown lemurs. Mr. Seld had been sleeping in the cave alone, considered very dangerous by locals because of the threat from wild animals and the inherent dangers in the large caves.

A local villager, Ainu, who had originally refused to enter the caves, although hired by officials to find the wealthy American tourist, believes Mr Seld was killed because he offended a malevolent spirit. Ambalaked villagers, where Ainu lives believe that it is some men's destiny to rejoin their ancestors in the caves near Ambalaked. "In legend our ancient lemurs relatives often kill men who venture into the caves at night. Once a man has been summoned he is destined to die in the sacred caves" said Ainu.

Mr. Seld leaves a wife Carolyn, 45. The Seld's are world travelers and the Madagascar department of tourism spokesman in New York regrets the death of Mr. Seld and note that it was his third recent trip here in the last year, and friends report Madagascar was his favorite vacation destination he had ever visited.

End part 1