An aura of tension grips the waiting passengers
"You are holding up other passengers,' says one of the officers but Jere refuses to let go. The officers push him forward and, with the two hustling him along, he is unable to resist. His wife screams for help and her yell echoes across the transit lounge. Several wriggle in their seats...Jere is still resisting and is punched several times...and kicked ... Slowly, he is driven along and, as he weakens under the assault, his only recourse is to continue shouting.An aura of tension grips the waiting passengers...Most avoid looking in Jere's direction...He manages to get an arm free and lashes out but he is quickly overpowered...'Freedom, freedom, give me my freedom,' he shouts...A few more paces, and he is pushed into an office closely followed by his wife. The door is slammed shut. There is silence in the lounge; not a whisper that anything is amiss. Suddenly there is movement.
Page 12
The military truck quickly reverses and skids to a halt in front of the taxi
Jesse drops the camera case on the floor and clicks the camera shutter. It is a dull flash but he is sure it has triggered and he has got the shot.
Suddenly a siren blasts out and the overhead flasher on the police car starts twirling. The military truck quickly reverses and skids to a halt in front of the taxi. Four soldiers jump down.
One of the soldiers runs to the car and points his gun at the driver.
'Get over there.' He points to the side of the road and the driver pulls over. 'Who took photo?' he demands, glaring at the two passengers. No one answers. 'Get out of the car,' he orders.
Page 21.
A good insurance policy.
'You must miss the family,' said Liz. 'I know I would if I was living in a foreign country. Life must be very different in America.'
'We Americans have too much. I came here to get away from the wastefulness and the extravagance. We Americans feed on extravagance - more of this, more of that. We don't need all these things.'
Harry returned with Jesse's drink. 'Don't blame the system; that's human nature,' he said.
The only thing we Americans believe in are God and money.'
'Well, that covers everything, I would say,' said Harry. 'A good insurance policy.'
There was an intensity about Jesse that startled Harry. He wasn't sure whether he was just giving vent to his emotions or was using Harry as a sounding board. They were both in the same boat, in a foreign country with a different culture, different perceptions of the same situation. Harry didn't want to talk about his views, not to a stranger, and in any event he had Liz to talk to and he knew he could be frank with her, but he liked the openness of Jesse. Black and white could go their separate ways but Jesse - it wasn't just his colour - he had come to a very different culture and that couldn't be easy to accept.
Pages 82-83.
...those in the villages think it is witchcraft
'Now everyone is talking about Slim,' said Kovalenko. ' No one talked about Slim before. It must be a disease that is being deliberately spread.'
'No, no,' said Chipembe, 'people in the villages say it has been here for many years. My old grandmother says people died of it when she was a girl. Then it was known in the villages. At one time Zambia was mostly villages but now more people are dying.'
'They talk of it in the towns,' said Ngoni.
'Many people are dying of it in the towns because more people now live in towns,' said Phiri. 'Today they call it AIDS. People in towns know it as acquired immune- deficiency syndrome but those in the villages think it is witchcraft.'
'We've all got AIDS,' said Chipembe, laughing. 'We all suffer from acute income deficiency, that's why it's spreading.'
Pages 100-101.
If I'm not back by 5 o'clock ring the police.
'The police have told him that he's going to be taken to court. He could be charged with a serious offence. I've got to get him out.' Harry deflected his gaze away from Liz.'You know what that means?'
'It's too risky.'
'It is if I don't offer enough.'
'Why are you doing this? Jesse is only an acquaintance. Would he do the same for you if you were in his situation?'
'Liz, I'm tired of hearing excuses. We have to do something. I'm fed up with going along with these politicians. Someone has got to speak out. We can't leave it all to Jesse.'
Harry left the room to reappear a minute later. 'I've got fifty quid that should be enough. I'll get it changed into local money at the bank.'
'Don't give him all that, just give him twenty pounds. He can get a better exchange rate on the black market than at the bank.'
'It's got to be enough.'
'You can always offer more.'
'That's too risky.'
'He can still arrest you and keep the money. No one will take your part.'
'Of course he can but it's a risk I have to take.'
'Are you sure you're doing the right thing?'
'I'm breaking the law but who isn't.'
'I'll wait for your return.'
'If I'm not back by 5 o'clock ring the police. If they can't help give the British High Commission a ring.'
Liz watched Harry go through the door. She lay back on the settee listening to every sound - the gritting, as the wheels moved over the gravel, then the revving as Harry drove out. 'Oh God,' she said to herself. 'I only hope he's doing the right thing.'
Pages 202-203.
Harry pushed the notes towards the officer
The officer stared at Harry. 'You had better sit down,' he said and pointed to a chair.
Harry took several deep breaths trying to control any tremor in his voice. 'A friend has been arrested. It's all a mistake.'
'What has he been arrested for?'
'He stopped to park his car.'
'Where did he stop?'
'Near a building outside the Finance Ministry.'
...Harry reached into his pocket. 'Times are difficult for all of us.'
'It's out of my hands.'
'I thought that instead of the small fine he could make an "Admission of Guilt" payment here at the Station; after all, it all goes into an account.'
'That will be difficult, very difficult.'
'Even a large fine now is better than a smaller fine payable to the court.'
Harry edged the notes out of his pocket and placed them on the desk. Then he lifted the notes and ran them through his fingers counting each note. The officer watched closely. 'In this way justice would be done,' said Harry.
The officer said nothing for a second. 'The money will have to be exchanged into Zambian currency and go into an account.'
'Of course it will.'
Harry pushed the notes towards the officer who brushed them to his side. 'What is the name of your friend?'
'Wellman, Jesse Wellman.'
'I will remember that.'
Pages 203-204.
Don't trust these whites; theirs is a very funny culture
Liz planned to leave Zambia in May. A week before she was due to fly out she received an unexpected visit from her brother, Benson... After she welcomed him they went into the lounge and sat down.
...'How are mama and papa?' asked Liz.
'They are very unhappy that you are leaving,' said Benson.
'I've told papa not to worry.'
'Liz, have you forgotten that you are an African, born on African soil?'
'I am proud to be African but the world is changing. Now people move around, travel, we have to move with the times.'
'The white man came for a job and now the job is finished he goes back to his own country.'
'I have to go.'
...You have no job to go to. No house - you will be dependent on him. The white man can throw you out. He will be among his own people. You mustn't go.'
'If it doesn't work out I will come back.'
After a light lunch Liz saw Benson to the car. As Benson embraced Liz he said: 'Don't forget you will always have a home here in Zambia. Don't trust these whites; theirs is a very funny culture. Money is all they are interested in.' As Liz stood watching Benson drive out doubt took hold of her. Was she doing the right thing? She wiped away a tear. Well, that's it she said to herself; I've committed myself - now it's time to move on.'
Pages 229-230.