"No. Just around behind the
hill. I made quite a good shot
on the Tommy."
"You shoot marvellously, you
know."
"I love it. I've loved Africa.
Really. If you're all right it's
the most fun that I've ever had.
You don't know the fun it's
been to shoot with you. I've
loved the country."
"I love it too."
"Darling, you don't know how
marvellous it is to see you
feeling better. I couldn't stand
it when you felt that way. You
won't talk to me like that again,
will you? Promise me?"
"No," he said. "I don't
remember what I said."
"You don't have to destroy me.
Do you? I'm only a middleaged woman who loves you
and wants to do what you want
to do. I've been destroyed two
or three times already. You
wouldn't want to destroy me
again, would you?"
"I'd like to destroy you a few
times in bed," he said.
"Yes. That's the good
destruction. That's the way
we're made to be destroyed.
The plane will be here
tomorrow."
"How do you know?"
"I'm sure. It's bound to come.
The boys have the wood all
ready and the grass to make the
smudge. I went down and
looked at it again today.
There's plenty of room to land
and we have the smudges ready
at both ends."
"What makes you think it will
come tomorrow?"
"I'm sure it will. It's overdue
now. Then, in town, they will
fix up your leg and then we
will have some good
destruction. Not that dreadful
talking kind."
"Should we have a drink? The
sun is down."
"Do you think you should?"
JOY FEELINGS | DECEMBER ISSUE
263