Ralph Helfer (21 page)

“Sit down, Bram! Now!”

Bram slowly sat down, his eyes on North.

North continued, “However, I’m a businessman, Bram, and not a product of sweet sentimentality, so…I figure a wise answer is to capitalize on it. We’ll call Modoc the Sea Elephant or Neptune Hero, something…anything that will make the people come. Why, we will make a hero out of her and—”

“Heroine.”

“Yes, heroine out of her! People will pay to come and see her now more than ever!” The heat from the fires was warm on his back. This man was ruthless. North went on, “I know if we present Modoc like that, it will increase sales—that will help pay some of the money you cost me. I know Modoc is special. I could not have gotten to where I am now if I didn’t at least have the talent to see talent. And I wouldn’t have bought her if I hadn’t seen it in her! I’m not so stupid as to not realize that you are able to bring this ability out of her.”

There was a moment of quiet tension in the air, both men staring each other down. It was Mr. North who broke the stalemate.

“And while we use the publicity to get people to come, you will work on a special act. Better than the one I saw at the circus. Are you listening to me, mister?”

Bram, eyes were on the man; his stomach tightened at the thought of having to work for him. “Yes, sir, I am.”

“I want to see something that no other elephant can do, has ever done, or will ever do. Then maybe I won’t hate you anymore…just dislike you. You wanted your chance, you got it. Let me down and I promise this—you will never see Modoc again. Do I make myself clear?”

“Yes, sir—very clear,” Bram replied, tight-mouthed.

The smoke from the fire caused Mr. North to have a coughing spell. He got up gasping something about leaving as soon as Mo was able. Then he stumbled down the dark path toward the village.

Bram turned to Modoc, who was resting. He took a deep breath and slowly let it out, releasing his anger. He stroked Modoc’s neck gently.

A belly rumble answered Bram, and together the two watched the embers in the fires dance into the night.

T
HE CARAVAN WAS WAITING
. Modoc and the other elephants that were fit to travel, and carts carrying the food supply, fresh water, clothing, and trade products for the next village had been packed and were ready to go.

Mr. North had gone ahead in a far better arrangement to prepare for the trip overseas. He wanted all to be in readiness when the caravan arrived at the dock.

Bram had packed his belongings. Mr. North had given him an advance on his salary to buy a few things for his trip to the United States. There wasn’t much to buy in the village, but with the help of some of the women a few shirts and pairs of pants had been made, along with a jacket for the cool nights on board ship. Even then, his possessions had easily fit into a knapsack.

There were a few things Bram had to do before leaving. First was to see his mahout friends. Some were still in bandages, others
limping, but all were grateful to be alive.

“We have shared so much together, we have become…family. Please tell the people of the village that I must go with Modoc to the United States. I have no choice. You all know that.” He hesitated.

“Will you ever come home?” one asked.

“My life will now take a different direction. With Sian gone…and my work in another country…no, the chances are…slim. I don’t think so.” All was quiet for a while, then: “I spoke to Mr. North. He will see to it that all of you return safely.”

Even Bram was surprised that Mr. North had agreed to help. “Tell everyone at the village that I will always treasure the memories we shared.” Bram handed a small package of letters to one of the mahouts. “Will you give these to the people they are marked for: Mr. Singh was so kind to give me a chance; Kalli Gooma was my mentor…teacher of the great things of life; Sian’s family, my family. They took me in as a son and allowed me to take their most precious gift, their daughter, into marriage. Tell them I love them and they will always be in my heart.”

His letters to his mother, Gertie, and Curpo he carried with him so they could be mailed safely from the city.

Bram next visited the Valley of the Stones, which was what the locals now called it. The wind blew over a deserted graveyard. Those who had died were buried on the spot, those who survived were moved to another area so the bad spirits wouldn’t keep them from healing. He remembered the terror that had occurred only weeks ago and was glad those who made it would return to the village and those who had died need suffer no more.

Early that morning Bram had taken the two-hour walk down the mountain to visit Sian’s final resting place. He came to say goodbye. Kneeling, he laid the flowers he had gathered along the way on the grave. “Someday,” he said quietly, “we will meet again, Sian, my love. Out there in the forest of Infinity. I will always love you, remember you, and every night in my dreams, I will meet you
under our tree. We will tell each other of what our day has been.”

Bram looked up. The tree was strong and large and would protect the grave for many years. Puffs of crystal clouds floated in the ethereal blue sky. Two young birds sassed each other in the tree, both too young to know the solitude of the moment. Bram’s voice was broken but he spoke aloud.

“Modoc wanted to come but, you see, we have a long way to go and I didn’t want to overtax her. She wanted you to know she will miss you and…I love you, Sian. I always will. I miss you so much.”

His tears fell upon her grave. One lingered at the edge of a flower petal. In that moment Bram saw in its reflection the clouds, the sky, and the tree. He realized then that all things of nature would be in Sian, and she would now be reflected in them. He knew that only the shell that had once been her was lying in the ground. The seed within, the life source, had been carried by the wind to nourish itself with the sun, air, and water. She was one with nature. Her beauty had been added to and now enhanced the universe.

Coming down the back side of the mountain was pure joy. Tree-laden valleys sloped up to meet them as the open spaces of the country spread out in a great panorama. From the moment he and Modoc left the village Bram found himself becoming anxious finally to arrive in the United States.

Once they reached the main road, a special truck had been constructed to haul Mo to the ship dock. It was a flatbed truck. No walls! Bram, with a smile, had Mo step onto the bed of the truck. The whole back of the truck crunched down, raising the front tires off the ground a few inches! Then, once she was on, Bram found center. He marked out four circles in which he instructed her to put her feet. Mo kept her feet in the circles pretty well. When she had an itch and raised her foot to scratch, the truck would swerve a bit until her itch was satisfied.

Bram rode in the back with her so she would feel secure. He
instructed the driver to go very slow, especially around corners. One of the mahouts rode up front to be sure he held the speed down. Then off they went down the twisted mountain road. Even though the truck was most unusual, riding in it reminded Bram of when he used to drive with his father. Things were different then.

The ship was smaller than
The Ghanjee
. She was a sailing vessel rather than a steam freighter, and her three masts towered into the sky. Under the circumstances this was the best Mr. North could do. The name of the ship was sprawled across the side of the bow but it was in some Arabic language Bram couldn’t pronounce. Because there was no port crane to lift Modoc onto the deck, a huge ramp had been built and secured between the dock and the ship. Mo’s eyes were as big as the portholes when she looked down between the slats of the ramp into the sea below.

Only Bram’s gentle persuasion, urging one foot after another, gave her the security and trust to board the ship. Many had heard the story of her terrifying experience at sea, and a round of applause went up as her hind foot took its final step and cleared the ramp.

Seeing the ship and the ocean had brought back the horrors of the sea. Mo knew and felt the slightest movement. Being a sailing vessel, the ship didn’t compare with the huge steam freighter they had traveled on previously. Rather than cut a wedge though the ocean, it rode with the waves, at the mercy of the sea.

Mo refused to enter the hold. All the begging and pleading from Bram was met with strong resistance. She remembered only too well the terrifying experience that had happened down there. With special arrangements from the captain and a bit of persuasion money from North, a makeshift “elephant’s quarters” was erected aft on deck—a position high up and directly in front on the open deck. A huge brilliant orange and gold emergency flag was used as a roof to protect Modoc from the rays of the sun. It caused a glow to filter down across her body that seemed to light her from within like an ethereal spirit. She appeared as a golden statue.

“She would be the first to sight anything out of the ordinary,
had she a mind to,” rasped the first mate. Being up top gave her the freedom to see the ocean, to know what was happening. The crew nicknamed her the Sea Nymph, a most unlikely name. When the sails were full, her stance was commanding, leaning into the wind, trunk raised, tusks forward as though going into battle.

As the days drifted by the warm ocean winds calmed Mo. Her personality seemed relaxed and her diet returned to normal. The head injury was healing nicely.

The ship headed west across the Bay of Bengal, around the southern tip of Africa, heading for the eastern coast of the United States.

Modoc seemed to ride the waves while standing still. The roll of the ship caused her to lean forward and backward, keeping her balance. The nights were warm, calm, the sea as still as glass.

The weeks turned to months. For exercise Bram learned to help hoist the sails, climbing to the top masts, taking turns in the “bird’s nest.”

Early morning found Bram on deck. He had heard that they would be in sight of New York harbor that very day. He strained his eyes searching the horizon. Nothing. Until a blast from Mo caused all to look, and there dead ahead—land!

She had spotted it long before anyone. One of the sailors had made a huge red and white sailor cap and neckerchief for her. The hat had a band around it to keep it from falling off. The scarf was tied in a bow and hung across her chest. She wore them proudly.

The great day had arrived! The ship had turned its bow and was heading directly into the New York harbor!

Everybody was running everywhere. It was still a little overcast but the sun would break through soon, and it promised to be a bright and sunny day. The huge foghorns blasted their arrival. Bram stood at the railing. He could see the tips of huge buildings high in the air. He had never even imagined a city so large. A fog bank left over from the night was lifting from a small island. As the ship approached, a large statue appeared. He heard someone call it
the Great Lady. Another spoke of it as the Statue of Liberty. She was magnificent! They passed close by, horns blaring. Modoc took up the note and together the horns and the trumpeting signaled their arrival. Bram noticed how even Modoc looked small in comparison to her, but there was one thing they both had in common. They were
both
great ladies!

Modoc leaned into the warm breeze coming from the city. She raised her trunk and smelled the strange odors, gathering up all the information she could before they arrived.

A caravan of trucks picked them up and brought them to a squeaky stop. Back doors were opened. Planks were dropped. Cargo was unloaded.

This was the circus grounds of the world-famous North Circus! Crowds of people had come to see the now-famous “Sea Elephant.” There were more people than Mo and Bram had ever seen.

“
Bram! Bram!
”

The voice came from somewhere in the crowd. A man was trying to fight his way through. He broke from the multitude of people and rushed toward Bram.

“Kelly?
Kelly
! Oh my gosh. Mo, it’s Kelly!”

The two men grabbed each other, hugged and danced around like kids. Bram was speechless. “How? Why? This is wonderful!”

“Did you forget? I work here!”

Bram had never even thought that Kelly would return to the circus. They were good friends, these two. There were tears on both sides but neither would admit it.

“Hey, Kelly, we’ve got a ship to unload,” cried a voice from behind.

“I’ve got to go now, Bram. I’ll see you later,” and he was gone, lost in the crowd he had come from.

Bram unloaded Mo. They both were in rapture. A whole city in canvas. Why, the entire Wunderzircus could have fit in just one of the large tents! There were people everywhere. Clowns, circus hands, roustabouts, animals everywhere—camels, horses, giraffes,
and elephants! Modoc was ecstatic! She blasted her newly found foghorn trumpet, attracting the attention of some ten or fifteen of them. They, in their own style, blasted back. This started the lions roaring from the menagerie tents, the zebras and horses braying, and the hysterical hyenas laughing. All saw fit to welcome Mo to her new home.

S
HE WAS THE BIGGEST FROM THE START
. Even old Bertha, the lead elephant, couldn’t match her size. Mo’s tusks had grown, and although not long, they were thick and impressive. She was being groomed to be the center of attraction from the very beginning.

Beautiful ornate golden sheaths were made for her that slipped over the tips of her tusks and extended upward for almost a foot. They were etched with designs of the circus: acrobats, clowns, tiger and lion heads, and of course, elephants. Bram heard that a special blanket was also being made.

Mr. North saw that Bram and Modoc were treated quite well. They were going “First Cabin.” A small but neat trailer was given to Bram. It featured a kitchen, a closet, and a compact but comfortable living room with chairs and a radio. The trailer was fully equipped with a stove, a heater, and an outdoor patio with a folding table, two chairs, and a portable green canvas roof.

It, like the trailers of the other performers, was designed to be loaded on the circus train as it moved from city to city. The toilets were separate units but always within walking distance, Bram knew that Mr. North never did anything out of the goodness of his heart. He figured Mr. North wanted to keep them happy so they would give a great performance. North couldn’t risk anything going wrong for his opening day and surely didn’t need any problems. What better way to keep them content?

To Bram, his salary was a lot of money but it was far less than what the other trainers received. Bram and Modoc were introduced to the other trainers and elephants. Kelly had mentioned it wouldn’t be easy at first. Lots of jealousy, pride—egos ran rampant and one had to be “about themselves” so no harm would come to theirs.

Mo was kept in the lineup with the other elephants: a total of forty-two! Bram couldn’t believe that many existed outside India. All were females except for four young bulls. They were all kept in position according to size, the smallest at one end, the largest, Modoc, at the other.

Bertha was the dominant matriarch cow elephant. The others had a great deal of respect for her and always backed down to her wishes. She carried a few scars from her years in the circus.

Within days Bram had made the rounds and gotten to know all the elephants in his special way. Kelly was amazed at how quickly Bram had captured the respect of the animals.

“It’s one thing when a couple of elephants take a swing or ram each other but the worst injuries generally come from the bull hook in the hands of rough trainers.” He traced his hands over the old wounds. “These, where the holes festered, had become infected. They were caused by the bull hook being used incorrectly. Foot, Bertha!” ordered Bram. Bertha raised her foot and placed it on a barrel used to trim the elephants’ toenails.

“Most,” Bram continued, pointing, “are in the region of the upper front leg muscle, behind the knee area on the hind foot, and the joint where the ear joins the head. Sometimes at the top of the back. All these areas are where a bull hook is used gently when han
dling and controlling the elephant. But no good trainer needs to put holes in his elephant. The bull hook is used to teach, not abuse.”

Bram put her foot down and leaned against her side. “You know, a young circus elephant’s training may start with a gentle, competent trainer but as the years pass, trainers leave or are fired. Then the elephants are handed down from one trainer to another, each with his own style of training and handling. Bad habits become the way. Rough handling by the trainer puts the elephant in a survival mode—always nervous, jumpy, not knowing what to expect next. Many develop an ‘I’ll get even’ attitude.”

“Are there any bad ones here?” asked Kelly, looking down the long line of elephants.

“There’re a few that are waiting for their chance. I’ve told the trainers, but they won’t listen. They think I’m butting in on their jobs.”

For the first season Mr. North used Modoc as a showpiece. The circus master, after a roll of the drum, would announce the performance:

“Ladies and gentlemen, children from around the world. The North Circus proudly presents the most FAMOUS, the most DARING, and the BRAVEST animal in the world! Ladies and gentlemen—we give you MODOC—the Golden Elephant!”

The spotlights would flood the entrance to the arena as Modoc, wearing a solid red velvet blanket with gold trim and tassels, would appear, led by Bram, her golden tusks throwing reflections that glittered in the light.

There was no mention of Bram throughout the performance. He would lead Mo to the center ring where he put her through the old routine she had performed at the Wunderzircus.

At first both Mo and Bram were shocked at the number of people! The roar of the crowd! And the applause was deafening! But Bram knew they were not applauding the performance. They loved Modoc for her act of heroism that Mr. North publicized in every newspaper in the country.

Many had seen the same act done by other elephants, but this was being done by
Modoc
, the
heroine
, the one they heard about on
the radio, the one who saved the people! This is what Mr. North wanted. His publicity was paying off.

Bram enjoyed the performance and loved seeing Modoc center ring. And, true, she had saved many lives. But he wanted to be able to show the world Modoc was capable of performing in a way no other elephant had ever done. He knew the time was coming when he would be able to show the world all that his father, the Elephantarium, and Kalli Gooma had taught him.

Bram never allowed the animal keepers to clean and feed Modoc, which upset the head trainer because the keepers were under his charge.

“We’ve been doing it the same way for many, many years. Why do you think your way is better?”

“It’s not. It’s just that I have an alternative, that’s all.”

The head trainer sat looking perplexed. He really was interested in what Bram was doing but didn’t want to ask. As though reading his mind, Bram spoke. “Look, when the men clean and feed, they do it as a job. They have no interest in the animals. They don’t try to know them, to understand. They don’t look them over for health problems. We both know that many keepers drink, some are what you call winos and come to work reeking of alcohol. If an elephant is in the way, they jab it with a pitchfork to move it. They never check to see if the hay may be contaminated, or if the water container’s clear of algae.”

“But they’re just animals. You make them out to be human,” offered the head trainer.

Bram saw that he would never understand. It made him realize that if the head trainer felt that way about keeping them, he probably trained the elephants the same way.

“Yes, I know,” he said and walked away, bewildering the head trainer even more.

Bram’s happier times were when Kelly would stop by during his break and share a cup of coffee. They would talk of their past that seemed so long ago and of Bram’s journey since leaving his country. They spoke of Hands.

“You were probably one of the last to see him,” said Kelly.

“Ya, he was a good friend. I wanted to thank him for all he did. He saved my life, you know, and so doing, saved Mo.”

The train seemed to stop at every small town on the East Coast. Bram was amazed at the precision with which the tents went up, the animals were unloaded, and the concession stands were erected. Before he knew it the calliope was playing and people were pouring through the entrance!

But the weather was changing and soon the circus would close down and move to a warmer climate farther down the coast to wait out the winter. This would be an excellent time for Bram to work with Modoc.

He had sent his letters home the minute he arrived in New York but had heard only from his mother and Curpo. Gertie had never answered. He decided to write again.

Several weeks passed and another letter arrived from Gertie.

Bram slept with Mo that night. He needed the companionship of a family member. Someone who was there for him, who had proven time and time again her devotion to him. He didn’t sleep head to head that night. He slept as a child curled up in her trunk. His tears were known only to her.

Bram shared with Kelly his sadness over the news of his mother’s death. The broad spectrum of contrast was difficult to experience. The joy and delight of Gertie and Curpo’s coming and the death of his mother. The yin and the yang at work once again. In the months to follow, his sorrow for his mother was replaced by remembrance; his longing for Gertie, by anticipation.

“Kelly! Gertie and Curpo are coming. Kelly! Kelly!”

Bram raced through the fairway chasing after Kelly, who was driving a loading tractor and couldn’t hear him. He ran around in front forcing Kelly to see him and stop.