Transmenu powered by JoomlArt.com - Mambo Joomla Professional Templates Club

Part one of Do you know the Monkey Man - Charlie's Story by Logan Niadin 

Charlie Huggins was a little bugger. Always up to something or another. He was the youngest of four children, in a railway family in Asansol, (near Calcutta). He was a gifted lad, everything came easily to little Charlie. As a youngster he was the first in his peer group to ride a bicycle, the first to climb a tree and as he grew up, he excelled in the classroom and on the playfield in all sports. He was a happy youngster, but became moody and a bit nasty as a teenager. His two elder brothers either ignored him or belted him. His Mum was the local midwife so she was always busy, and his Dad who, worked as the store keeper in the ‘railway shops’ was a drunkard. He knew only one way to bring up his children, violence, and now since the others were big enough to fight back, poor Charlie got the brunt of his fathers drunken rages. The only person who paid any attention to Charlie was his sister Lorna. She was four years older than him and practically brought him up. She was the only person who would take the time to try to understand him and maybe talk some sense into him.

Part four of Do you know the Monkey Man by Logan Niadin 

They reached the end of the cave and emerged into bright sunlight that initially blinded them. Richard and Noel couldn’t believe their eyes. They were tired, and hungry, but all that was forgotten as they looked around in wonderment.

They were in a valley, a huge valley and it was beautiful. Everything seemed so colourful and bright. Everywhere they looked there were busy, happy, smiling, people. There were animals too. Horses, dogs, cows, bullocks, chickens, ducks and geese. At the far end was a paddock with what looked like pigs but, ‘Richard, look’, said Noel. ‘Wild boar, wild boar Richard’. They had never seen a live wild boar close up. There were birds flying around and perched in the numerous trees. Parrots noisily feasting on ripe figs, and from the far end came the evening call of the peahen.

The sun was just about to dip behind the hill and the chill in the air reminded them it was December. It all became too much for our little captives and Noel began to cry. ‘What’s going to happen to us Richard? I’m cold and tired and hungry, and scared. What are we going to do?’

Part three of Do you know the Monkey Man by Logan Niadin

The monkey man did not stay long. He had a quick conversation with the other man, then slung the two heavy gunny sacks on his shoulders, scooped up the two daisy air rifles and took off at a slow trot. The other man motioned to the boys to get up and pushed them towards the direction that the monkey man had gone. Richard was relieved that they were not expected to run also.

As they came out of the small wood, Richard looked around for the monkey man, but couldn’t see him. They plugged on. Their captor seemed in no particular hurry. After what seemed like a long while walking, the man led them to a small stream, where they had a drink and wet their faces and arms. He let them sit for a while, but was soon up and shooshing them in front of him again, not urgently, but he certainly wanted them to keep moving.
‘Richard, where is he taking us’ said Noel. ‘I don’t know’ said Richard. Then after a pause, his eyes lit up, the very thought of it. ‘Noel, guess what? He said excitedly, Noel, I think we are being kidnapped’.

Continuation of Do you know the monkey man" series by Logan Niadin.

Plans for Christmas in the Rego household were well advanced. Richard was very excited about his new clothes and checked to see if they were still in his chest-of-drawers every morning. A small little disappointment was that he did not have long pants. How he worried his Mum and Dad, to no avail. Ah well! Life is a constant battle - some you win, some you don’t.

He had his lunch and said, ‘Ma, I’m taking my Daisy (air rifle) and will be with Noel in the gully by the hockey field.’ ‘Ok, said his Mum, but don’t go near the Quartz dump, I don’t want you falling and fainting.’

(Richard always fainted when he saw blood) ‘Ok, Ma.’ He said, and off he went.

Noel was waiting for him and the both of them headed off for the gully, by the hockey field. As they reached the road, they heard the sound of a beating drum, in the distance. That meant that Mr Kaufman would soon be marching by, with his troop of Punjabi security guards. They sat down at the side of the road and waited. Soon they were joined by all the children from the block.