As the ship eased out of port, the fresh sea breeze caught him full in the face and he turned to look back at the slowly receding coast. He reflected on his father who had accompanied him to Victoria Station. He had taken leave of Samuel Carter with a light and expectant heart. The moment of goodbye had been poignant – parental confirmation of the graduate. Howard loved his father dearly and acknowledged that, like his brothers, he owed his talents to this man and this man alone.
Howard leaned out of the carriage door window. His father spoke loudly to make himself heard above the noise of hissing steam. “Take the greatest care of yourself, my boy. You are precious to us all.” As if in a sublime ceremony of coming of age, he pressed a small tin of tobacco and some packets of cigarette papers into his son’s hand. His father told Howard he was now permitted to smoke.
“Thank you, sir.”
“Take care, my boy. Watch y’self over there. Gordon is dead these six years. The Sudan is lost. Yet the papers say the Mahdi is vanquished. Be careful. The infidel was well on his way to extinguishing the foreigner in Egypt. He is not beaten yet. You watch them fuzzy-wuzzies! A treacherous breed of untrustworthy ragamuffins. Make your mark and stay close with the occupying forces. Like ’em or not you know you understand ’em – not so the darkies. Cut your throat soon as look at you. Mark my words.”
“Father.” Howard acknowledged with a condescending nod. The ‘fuzzywuzzie’, be he corrupt or compassionate, could await his personal assessment when he finally arrived. He knew full well that his father’s cautions were based on nothing more than unsubstantiated reports in the British press and recycled, embellished pub banter. The boy held no fears, just anticipation.
The train shuddered and slowly began to move out of the platform. Their hands parted. It was only a moment or two before the smoke and steam from the engine descended in thickening white billows over the carriages. The image of his father, arm raised in farewell, became at last extinguished in the pungent, tumbling fog. He would never see him again.
An excerpt from Tutankhamun Uncovered, by Michael J. Marfleet.
Copyright 2009-2010 Michael J. Marfleet. All rights reserved.
Published by Apex Publishing Ltd.
