XVI. Trapped in the Spotlight, Part One

When the Thai government declared the jungle a national park, they cut a two-lane road directly across the middle, not taking into account that it might interfere with the animals’ feeding routes. Tom depended on this very oversight to stay in business.

We carried a full load of travelers in the pickup. Tom drove as I stood on the back fender, holding onto a railing with one hand and a spotlight with the other. It was our nightly routine – crawling down the road, spotlighting for animals, and hoping for the best. I explained the fine art for the travelers, “Comb each and every tree. Slowly up… and slowly down… The whole tree, then move on to the next. The rest of you watch for pairs of glowing dots. That’s their eyes reflecting the light. When you see any, pound on the side of the truck and Tom will stop.”

I demonstrated a couple of passes, then somebody spotted eyes high up in a tree. Everyone pounded on the truck. Tom stopped as I shone the light on the animal, figuring it was probably a civet. I’d seen at least half a dozen civets every night for months. The first time, it was exciting.

“Oh! What could it be…?” I wondered to the travelers. I got out the binoculars, “Ohhhhhh! I thiiiink it’s a… Yes, I do believe… it’s a civet! Yup, I’m sure. It’s a civet. Here take a look, it’s a beauty.”

“Ooh, a civet!”

“What’s a civet?”

I explained how a civet was like a jungle cat (“Jungle cat!”) but actually related to the mongoose (“Mongoose!”), as everyone took turns with the binoculars. Everyone except Davide, yet another in a long, long line of disaffected Frenchmen who seemed to be drawn to our tour for reasons of their own. He sat in the truck-bed and just watched me, smiling, his head ever so slightly nodding.

When everyone had enough of the civet lying high up on his branch yawning, I pounded on the truck and Tom drove on. I offered the spotlight to the travelers. Davide immediately volunteered. I sat down and watched for glowing dots with the others. He swung the spotlight beam up to the sky, paused on a low cloud, then swooped down to the ground. What was he doing? The beam then arched over the truck and down to the road on the other side. I got up to correct him.

“Yes, yes, I know. Each tree. Up and down, up and down”

I sat back down. He methodically combed one tree, then started swinging the light around again. Again, I corrected him.

“I understand what you want, but this is better,” he whispered, “Watch their heads.”

Every head on the truck, in unison, followed the beam wherever he aimed it. The heads went up, they went down, they went round and round. I had to admit, it was amusing, but I was the Jungle Guide. I had to be serious. As I snatched the light from his hand, somebody pounded hard on the truck. Everybody stood up and pointed straight ahead. Bull Elephants, three abreast, taking up the entire road, were walking straight towards us.

To be continued…