Patience County War (Madeleine Toche Series) (5 page)

Nathan’s father had been in John Trunce’s ranger unit in Vietnam as a young officer. He had joined the military in an effort to attempt to control his destiny, as he saw many of his African American friends and relatives drafted into the general infantry and told where to go. As many of the men who ended up in elite units, Joseph Harper wanted to be surrounded by the best and brightest. He thought his ability to survive the war would be improved. Many black men at the time, regardless of their aptitude, ended up in combat units. Joseph’s deferral for college was over; he’d graduated and he thought it would be best to go in as an officer and to try to save some lives if he could. Joseph lived with his family in rural Mississippi and most of the young men from the poorest areas of the state seemed to be going off to war. Not only did he not feel different from these young men simply because he was intellectually and physically gifted, they were his family and community and he had to stick with them. To survive poverty, people in families and long standing friendships rely on one another to get along. There was a common struggle and suffering, at least where Joseph grew up. While everyone was proud of Joseph, they were even prouder when he enlisted and went to Officer Training School. Joseph had some ideas about defending his country, freedom and the flag, but for him it was more personal. His friends and cousins had to go, so he had to go. The idea that somebody else might have to fight if he stayed didn’t sit well with him. His personal faith and sense of duty to others just wouldn’t allow it. Besides, Joseph told his family and friends, since he was an All- American running back at the University of Mississippi, he could outrun anything the enemy
threw at him. He had a shot at professional football and a stellar academic career, but left them behind to fulfill his responsibilities as he saw them.

Joseph joined the army, excelled, and went to Officer Training School where he excelled again and ended up in Airborne Ranger Training. It was there where he first encountered Colonel John Trunce. Colonel Trunce was the C.O., and headed up the regiment of paratroopers that Joseph was assigned to. Colonel Trunce was already a combat veteran of World War Two and Korea, and had been in country in Vietnam from the beginning of US involvement.

As a young lieutenant, Joseph made the wise decision of listening to his non-commissioned officers and the other members of his platoon who had combat experience. They knew right away that he came from a background much like their own. He worked with the men as a team and soon they came to trust him and respect his courage. Joseph saved many of their lives more than once and they came to follow his command without question. He protected his men and accomplished his missions. Joseph soon became a Captain and carried on his leadership style. His colonel soon took notice and drew Joseph into his circle of confidence, trusting his judgment and his intellect. Joseph was never a ‘yes man’ and would put his two cents in regardless. If he disagreed with the orders he didn’t complain, he followed them.

John Trunce was a soldier’s soldier and, contrary to higher command directives, fought alongside his men whenever he was able. Colonels weren’t supposed to be in combat with their troops: they were too valuable to lose. That’s how it happened, that John Trunce and Joseph ended up behind enemy lines for two weeks on their own. They lived on grubs, mined from under fallen logs, and learned which ones tasted the best. They killed the enemy, and brought the war to the Viet Cong. They were cautious, disappearing like smoke after each stealth attack. They learned by doing and became experts at jungle warfare, and because they were fast learners, they stayed alive for those two hellish weeks. John Trunce had been trained by both the South Vietnamese and by Japanese Veterans of WW II. He was a jungle fighter of the highest skill and Joseph trusted him completely. Each developed a sense for what the other man was thinking and knew what he would do or not do. When they were finally able to cross back over enemy lines and rejoin their troops, John Trunce made sure Joseph became a major and was at his right hand. Joseph couldn’t leave his colonel and
did three tours of duty with him. When John Trunce went stateside, he took his major with him all the way to Patience County. It was as good a place as any. Joseph went to graduate school in St. Louis and earned a PhD. while John Trunce trained troops at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri and went about the life of a career regular army soldier. John had long been eligible for retirement, and when his wife Kathy finally put her foot down, he left the military. John supplemented his pension as a consultant to defense contractors and trained troops for friendly foreign governments. John developed many military ties throughout the world in those years.

Joseph completed his PhD. In Botany and went to Africa to do field study in Kenya among the Masai people. Joseph had thought that being black would be enough to fit in. While it didn’t seem to hurt, it became clear to him that he was treated as an outsider simply because he wasn’t a member of the tribe. The Masai were fierce warriors and had never been conquered. Throughout history, the area’s European and British invaders wisely went around the warrior nation.

As a botanist, Joseph worked with the local farmers, established irrigation, and did research. He loved working and living in such a different and challenging environment. His research facility was near the Masai camp where the local chief and his enormous extended family lived. Joseph picked up the language fairly rapidly, as the farmers who were important to his work spoke both Swahili and some English. Soon Joseph began to attend ceremonies and celebrations at the Masai camp and was treated as an honored guest. On one of these occasions, Joseph walked into camp and saw the most beautiful woman he had ever seen walk past him, accompanied by a large teenage boy, oddly holding her hand. Joseph thought it must be a Masai custom, or maybe just a show of affection. Not being stupid, he didn’t go to the first warrior and ask him who the woman was. He didn’t want to start an incident or be stabbed with a seven foot spear. He came to find out that the woman’s name was Ua. She was one of the chief’s daughters and had recently lost her husband to disease. The chief became increasingly aware of Joseph’s efforts to help his people and decided that he needed an interpreter to learn more Swahili and the tribe’s customs and traditions. To Joseph’s eternal joy the chief gave that task to the same beautiful woman he’d seen in camp. Around the same time, the chief became more and more comfortable with Joseph. He began to send young women over to Joseph’s tent when he stayed in camp. Joseph firmly sent them away, explaining
that in his country, the girls were too young and that men and women had a courtship and marriage. The Masai understood the courtship and marriage part, but only if the woman was to be your wife. The chief thought Joseph a little odd to turn away these fine young women, but understood at least that all people are not the same, especially when they are not Masai.

Joseph and Ua worked together with the farmers and the people of the village. With her help his Swahili became better as did her English. They spent many long hours together and a friendship developed. Joseph spoke to her of the world, of the great warrior John Trunce and of America. She taught him the traditions of the Masai, their oral history, and all she knew of the local vegetation and its medicinal properties.

One day Ua introduced her son to Joseph. He thought it was a little bit odd that the boy seemed very childlike. He watched the boy chase and play with children who were ten or so. The kid had to be at least eighteen, he thought. He was almost six feet tall and weighed two hundred and thirty pounds. Joseph asked one of the villagers how old the child was and was told he had been born ten seasons ago. Joseph thought that he must have heard wrong, so he asked someone else and got the same response. Knowing that there had to be a mistake, he asked a local missionary if the Masai measured years differently. The response was no, ten seasons means ten years old. Ten years old, that’s impossible! The kid could play professional football and probably give me a run for my money in a wrestling match, he thought, bewildered. Joseph gently asked Ua about the child and she said ten seasons, as if it was completely normal.

Joseph came to find out that the Masai, while they are certainly tall people, can also be big and heavily muscled, depending on their family history. It happened from time to time that someone like Ua’s son was simply a giant. When American’s think of history it goes back a couple of hundred years. For the Masai, it goes back for thousands of years. So when a giant is born, others have been in the past. And it is no big deal. Everyone has their role. The boy would just be a big warrior and herdsman, and that was good for the tribe. Once Joseph understood, he knew how to relate to the child. Joseph had numerous younger sisters and brothers, cousins, nephews, nieces. A huge extended family, all of whom grew up with very little more than the Masai seemed to need. They raised their own food and built their own homes. Joseph played with the boy, taught him things and soon he and Joseph became inseparable. It was clear to the chief that Joseph was in love
with Ua and her son. The chief called Joseph and Ua to him and explained to Joseph that he could not have Ua as a union would be against tribal law. Later, after many tears, Ua told him that she too loved him but must obey the will of her father and their laws and she needed to look after the safety of her son until he reached manhood. Joseph pleaded his case with the chief but to no avail. He gave no explanation and was absolute in his denial.

Joseph refused to give up, and when his grant money gave out and he was scheduled to return to the U.S., he sent in his completed papers, his instruments, and asked the chief if he could remain with the tribe. The chief granted him the right to do so as a visitor, but he was to remember that he was not Masai. Now Joseph was really confused. He was permitted to stay as long as he liked, but could not wed Ua. Her explanation was it was the will of her father and therefore tribal law. Joseph continued to help feed the people, helped at the mission school, and spent as much time with Ua and the boy as possible. One full year went by, and once a month like clockwork Joseph would plead with the chief again to marry Ua. It was as if the guy was made of stone. He clearly hadn’t offended the chief, who seemed friendly towards him in all other instances except the marriage refusal. Joseph didn’t know what to do, but he was stubborn and refused to give up. Short of being born again into the Masai tribe, he just couldn’t see a way other than to stick it out. At least he could be close to her.

It was well into his second year with the Masai that Joseph was awoken in the middle of the night by the roar of a lion. It was close and in camp. Joseph had seen many lions in Africa, happily from a distance. Every so often a lion was killed by the men defending their livestock, brought into camp, and displayed.

Hardened by combat, Joseph could go from sleep to action immediately. He was out of his tent before anyone else. He looked around and saw the unthinkable: Ua was within twenty feet of the lion, having been in the wrong place at the wrong time. The lion seemed ready to spring, and when it did Ua screamed and the lion flew through the air toward her. Just as he saw the lion prepare to jump, Joseph started to run; he’d never make it. He ran like the All-American he was; nothing could catch him. Many Masai came out of their shelters and ran towards Ua. They were left behind as Joseph ran past them and out of his shoes. Just when he thought he’d never make it in time, Joseph saw a miracle. Ua’s son ran from behind his mother with a spear and managed to deflect the lion as it jumped. However, he did
little damage. The lion turned on the boy and cruelly swiped the front of his body with its claws, tossing him aside. As the lion went in for the kill, Joseph ran into it broadside, and the cat and Joseph went down in a tangle. Joseph pulled out his combat knife and ran the blade into the belly of the cat, ripping up towards the heart. He stabbed and stabbed until the cat was still. Joseph knew how to make sure an animal was dead; he had learned on his fellow man. When he stood he looked over at Ua holding her boy in her arms. They both came to him at once and hugged and kissed him, more afraid for him than for themselves. The rest of the Masai who saw what happened began to cheer and to jump up and down. A huge roar went up from the people, and was repeated again and again. The chief had seen the whole thing and was celebrating with his people. Joseph was covered head to toe in the blood of the lion. The people came over and embraced him, covering themselves in blood as well. Joseph just stood there with the woman and child he loved clinging to him, sobbing with joy, his mouth hanging wide open. He had seen some things in his life, but this was just incomprehensible. During all of this the chief bounded over and embraced the three jumping up and down, shouting “you marry, you marry.” After all of the times that Joseph had asked for Ua’s hand the chief had flatly refused. His jaw dropped even further.

The next day, after the child’s wounds had been treated and Joseph slipped him some antibiotics, the chief came to Joseph’s tent and spoke to him. “Big marry, big marry,” he kept saying, smiling like a madman. Joseph thanked him in Swahili and walked out into the camp to find Ua. Everyone he saw hugged and kissed him, including the warriors who gave him spears and shields. Every time he turned around he was given feathers and trinkets and eating bowls, all of the highly prized possessions of the people. He just couldn’t figure it out. While Ua stayed with the boy he went to talk to the French Missionary, to find out what had changed.

“Well, you killed a lion with a knife. You now deserve to be Masai in the eyes of the chief,” said the old missionary gentleman from Marseilles.

“What does that mean?” Joseph asked, unbelieving.

“It means that you can marry the girl and her son,” the old man said smiling.