Thursday, November 30, 2006

Kinda like Daniel in the lions den - only different ?

In 1986, Mkele Mbembe was on holiday in Kenya after graduating from
college.

On a hike through the bush, he came across a young bull elephant
standing
with one leg raised in the air. The elephant seemed distressed so
Mbembe
approached it very carefully. He got down on one knee and inspected
the
elephant's foot, and found a large thorn deeply embedded in it.

As carefully and as gently as he could, Mbembe worked the thorn out
with
his hunting knife, after which the elephant gingerly put down its
foot.

The elephant turned to face the man and with a rather stern look on
its
face, stared at him. For several tense moments Mbembe stood frozen,
thinking of nothing else but being trampled. Eventually the elephant
trumpeted loudly, turned and walked away.

Mbembe never forgot that elephant or the events of that day. Twenty
years
later he was walking through a zoo with his teenaged son. As they
approached the elephant enclosure, one of the creatures turned and
walked
over to near where Mbembe and his son Tapu were standing. The large
bull
elephant stared at Mbembe and lifted its front foot off the ground,
then
put it down. The elephant did that several times then trumpeted
loudly, all
the while staring at the man.

Remembering the encounter in 1986, Mbembe couldn't help wondering if
this
was the same elephant. Mbembe summoned up his courage, climbed over
the
railing and made his way into the enclosure. He walked right up to
the
elephant and stared back in wonder. Suddenly the elephant trumpeted
again,
wrapped its trunk around one of the man's legs and swung him wildly
back
and forth along the railing, killing him.

Probably wasn't the same elephant.....

Thursday, November 09, 2006

Cummon Bokke !!

I am a very happy man today !!

As you may know I am a very staunch fan of the Boys in Green and Gold (Bokke).Well they are playing here in Dublin this weekend against the Irish and the fever is getting catchy.... As Always I am shouting my mouth off to anyone who may listen (and to a few who wont !!).
Two years ago I was doing the same and made my name completely "Tottie" cos they actually beat us for the first time in My living memory.... Not good when you work in Ireland and your boss is a rugby-head too.....

Anyway...... Today i got a call from an aquaintance who owns a "South African Shop" In Dublin to say that the Bok team was on their way over to his shop for an impromptu Shirt signing..... so off I went to the shop and I bought their last big SA Flag..... while I was there some of the Bok team arrived and I got to really chat with them cos I was nearly the only guy there !! They all signed the flag for me and then we just stood around shootin the breeze... They are REALLY hungry to put the Ghost of 2004 to rest and promised me faithfully that they would put things right for me !! :-) They are a great bunch of guys !!

I have complete faith in them and have a list of bets as long as my arm from the lads in my local rugby club.... So, my next blog will either be euphoric and jovial or sent from the poor-house :-) !!

Hold thumbs for me and watch out for me on TV on Saturday afternoon (I'll be the eejit waving the SA flag in the seated stands with the huge grin on my face !!!

Cummon Bokke !! Time to show the Irish that they are better at Guinness than Rugby !!