Job Failure

“You had one job, just one job!” hissed Arnold. I suspect I looked a bit embarrassed, but apparently not enough for my young PH’s taste, because he followed his declaration with a disgusted shake of his head. Hey, I knew that the little Common Duiker was beautifully, but precariously, placed atop the bush next to me. However, as Arnold was about to snap the photograph with my Canon I noticed blood on the little guy’s lips. So, to protect future viewers of the ‘trophy shot’ from any icky bits, I had reached my sleeve up to dab the Pygmy Antelope’s face. That movement led to a slow cascade of antelope from bush-to-ground, resulting in the PH-reprimand. I tried to be very small as Arnold and our tracker, Neville, repositioned the Duiker at my shoulder height. I don’t think I breathed again until the session finished, but I could swear that Arnold was still muttering under his breath as we tottered back up the hill to the truck…

(excerpted from ‘Arnold’s Class Act’; to appear in African Hunting Gazette)