Dripping with sweat, filthy, smelly, but pleased with the now pristine enclosure. Aydin had watched as Lawan returned, bringing with her a large blue ball.
Dusit mimed that she would expect them to play with her once she’d had her breakfast.
She had dumped the ball. Attacked her cradle, dropping grass and leaves everywhere, and dropped huge heaps of stinky manure.
Aydin sighed sadly, much to Dusit’s amusement. It was like looking after a huge toddler. Sleep, eat, shit, play, repeat.
He went for the wheelbarrow and shovel and got back to work.
A local delivery truck rumbled to life and started down the track. No one paying any attention until it let go a sharp, loud backfire that echoed around the trees.
All hell broke loose.
As alarm calls sounded throughout the enclosures, Lawan danced sideways and knocked Aydin flying.
He hit the ground and rolled instinctively, even as Lawan started to run while trumpeting her warning.
Hearing Dusit shout, “Out. Out.” In Thai as he grabbed Aydin under his arms and hauled him up.
Which was actually breaking his own rules. He should have been out already.
Aydin ran, ignoring the shaking ground under his feet, or the echoing calls. He ran and fell through the gate. Dusit slamming it shut.
Lawan ran around the enclosure panicking and bounced off the sturdy fencing a couple of times, before slowing.
Dusit shouted something harshly towards the house. Aydin saw that Beam and Sophon were half way down the steps. They halted at Dusit’s snapped command.
Sean came running out. Moved the kids back to the doorway and then walked extremely briskly towards them. Generally people didn’t run or shout around here.
Aydin got to his feet as Sean approached. “I’m okay.” He smiled at Dusit, “I’m okay, thanks.”
“You just got knocked off your feet and nearly trampled by a two ton elephant. I’ll be the judge of whether you’re okay,” Sean told him and started to check him over.
Aydin let him. Aware he was trembling like a leaf, his heart still pounding.
Dusit and Sean were talking urgently, but Aydin was distracted by the action in the enclosures.
The trumpeting calls were over. Only Sundara was speaking. Loud calls and rumbles that were very clearly calming the younger elephants.
Aydin smiled. He had the strongest suspicion that if he spoke elephant he would be hearing, ‘It was a backfire. Stop acting like lemons!’
“You’re bleeding,” Sean informed him.
Aydin looked and saw a graze on his arm. “It’s not bad.”
“In this climate it can become infected very easily. Plus you’ve rolled straight through elephant poo. Let’s get you cleaned up.”
Aydin wrinkled his nose, suddenly aware of the smell. “Ah, sweet Jesus!”
Dusit laughed. He may not speak English, but he understood the tone.
Sean gave his arm a tug and Aydin nodded, but paused.
Placing his palms together he gave Dusit a small bow. “Thank you.” Very aware that Dusit had just saved him from a very squishy end.
Dusit winked and patted his arm. Turning back to the enclosure.
When Aydin reached the house he gave the kids a reassuring smile but then turned back. “Oh look.”
Lawan was at the fence. She had reached her trunk through a gap and Dusit was holding her and stroking her, while singing a soft song in Thai.
Throughout the enclosure’s the keeper’s, although not yet back inside, were doing similar things. While Sundara walked around. Reassuring and rumbling.
“They’ll be okay,” Sophon told him, with the wisdom of experience. “They just need to calm down.”
The next morning, Dusit arrived at breakfast and asked if Aydin felt he would be able to return to the enclosures.
Sean reassured that he didn’t have to, but Aydin wanted to. And Dusit felt it would be good for Lawan.
Slightly terrified, Aydin entered the enclosure. Watching as Lawan turned and saw him. His heart breaking, as instead of her usual trotting to happily greet him, she eyed Dusit, and then on his encouragement, started to hesitantly walk towards Aydin.
“She knows what she did. She’s very sorry,” Sean translated quietly from behind the fence.
“Ah, bless you darling, it was an accident,” Aydin crooned, as Lawan reached out uncertainly with her trunk.
She gently touched him, head, face, torso, and then moved a little closer, her trunk just nudging his middle.
Aydin, to his amazement, found he wasn’t nervous at all.
He rubbed the end of her trunk and moved so she slipped slightly around him.
“It’s okay, sweetheart. Sweet Lawan,” he told her, and she took another step, letting her trunk slip loosely around his waist.
When he gave her a stroke and moved his another arm around, her hug tightened.
Aydin, thinking of Dusit’s actions the previous day, held her and started to sing. A soft, sad song in Gaelic, that spoke of war and loss, but she didn’t know that.
Dusit smiled when she let out a rumble. He nodded and got to work.
When Aydin finished he kissed her trunk and smiled at Sean, still stood on the other side of the fence.
“Haven’t heard that in a while,” Sean said after clearing his throat.
“She’s a good girl,” Aydin said. “That backfire must have sounded like a shot to her.”
The following day, Aydin had been disappointed to find a planned trip to a pretty river and swimming spot had been cancelled. Neither Mai or Sean would entertain him going in the water with the injury on his arm.
Even though Mai was cleaning, and slathering antiseptic on it three times a day.
Instead, they were leaving in the afternoon, or a mystery overnight trip. One the kids were very excited about.
“You don’t have to provide entertainment, you know.” Aydin had told Sean. “I came to see you.”
“I can take an overnight,” Sean said. “You should have some experiences to tell people about, other than shovelling shite!”
After an hour and a half in the truck, the kids and Mai had dashed excitedly off and Sean had introduced Aydin to a colleague.
Aydin had been confused by Sean’s request that he show Dr Anong his most recent test results.
“I know you get tested regularly. You don’t mind do you?”
“No.” But he kinda did. “Here you go. I got tested before I left, for the travel insurance.”
“Thank you, Aydin,” Dr Anong took his phone and made notes. Mumbling things like hepatitis and HIV under his breath which made Aydin feel strangely embarrassed.
Sean then asked if he took PrEP, quickly explaining to Dr Anong who added more notes.
“I don’t take risks,” Aydin told him. “It’s for back up only.”
“It’s fine, Aydin. I’m not judging, I know you’re sensible.”
Dr Anong finished inputting notes and touched Aydin’s arm. “I know that Sean wanted to surprise you, but I’m going to explain a little. You are about to meet some primates. That’s why it’s very reassuring for me to have your results and why knowing you take PrEP is also useful.”
“Oh I see. Okay, no problem.”
“Sorry, Aydin. I should have explained.” Sean apologized.
Feeling better Aydin smiled. “I’m guessing they’re nocturnal? That’s why we’re came late.”
Both men nodded and stood. With last minute instructions to keep his voice low and calm, they pulled on face masks and handed one to Aydin.
He pulled it on, understanding that primates would also be vulnerable to colds or flu. Followed them into a dimly lit room, and…