Jabo

Jabo lived in a little house in the suburbs. He was the middle child.  His older siblings didn’t want to play with him and his younger ones were too small. His mom is a social worker and his dad is absent.  In the street where Jabo lived there was a small area of bushveld and forest where he would escape to with his home made toys made of wire, recycled bottles and tins. Jabo would attend school,  which is quite a walk from his home.  After his classes he would go to his little spot under a huge acacia tree on the grass he would sit and read his books and play quietly.


One afternoon whilst quietly reading his school reader he became aware of someone watching him. He heard a funny noise, startled he looked up from his book stood up and looked around, no one in sight. He sat down again and continued with his reading, short while after settling down again he heard again noise, he could feel something watching him he ignored the noise and continued on reading. He suddenly remembered he hadn’t finished his sandwiches that his mom had lovingly prepared for him, peanut butter and jam his favorite, he took out his lunchbox and unwrapped a sandwich placed the rest back on top of his bag, sitting quietly enjoying his sandwich suddenly a grey figure appeared next to him from out of nowhere, little grey figure with big brown eyes and arms, legs and long tail stared longingly at Jabo. He had never seen such thing in his life. The creature sat quietly next to him. Making funny little noises.


Hello, Sowbona said Jabo the creature just looked at him curiously. Hello again said Jabo.  This is he thought was his little secret so he thought, his own little special creature.  Looking at his watch he thought it was time to head on home. As Jabo got up and packed away his things his curious little grey creature friend looked on and now had moved into the tree. Bye said Jabot see you again he waved as he headed on home.


At home his mom was preparing dinner for his Sister Letti and his older brother Simon, his little brother Siphu. “Hello Mom “Said Jabo. “ My Boy she said did you have a good day at school? ““Yes thanks mum “he left the kitchen to go and get ready for supper. Supper for Jabo consisted of chicken and Rice with vegetables, His baby brother gets to eat his purity. Whilst eating his supper he thought of his little friend in the forest, what does he eat? Where does he come from? Not wanting to give away his secret he thought of how to ask his mom of his little friend he met. “Mamma he asked what creatures live next to us in the forest? “


“Oh my boy I don’t know she exclaimed? “As he finished up his dinner he thought about his new friend, did he have a family? Why was he alone? Whilst his sister did dishes and scraped the plates he secretly thought he would keep some for his friend so he put all the scraps into a packet and carried it secretly to his room.   "Bath time kids" shouted his mom from the nursery, Jabo is always last to bath, His sister took forever and brother too and he waited inline.


After scrubbing himself top to toe he put on his pjs and went and kissed mum goodnight and little brother and climbed into his bed. He shared a room with his brother; they lived in a little house provided for by his mother’s work. He snuggled under the covers with thoughts of his day tomorrow. As the sun filtered through the curtains he woke with visions of his day at school and afternoon. He got up and dressed in school uniform, brushed his hair and brushed teeth, packed his school bag. Kissed his mom bye as she was preparing to leave for work that day and take Siphu to the crèche at her work place.

Off he went to school which was 15 min walk. Jabo is clever child, good at Math’s and English enjoys arts class and sport which is soccer which they play all year round. His first class of the day was Geography and science he was so excited because he would have a chance to ask his teacher about his new little friend, without giving away his secret. Today’s lesson was about Wildlife places in South Africa. His teacher was going to show them videos on the parks. As the video started Jabo sat upright there on the screen showed some funny little grey creatures very like his friend in the forest. He raised his hand “what sir is that?” “Oh exclaimed his teacher that is a Vervet Monkey ““Oh said Jabo” ‘” where do they live? “ Jabos teacher turned off the video to explain, by now many other children in his classes also had questions about things they had scene. Miss, Miss Miss up went the hands.


“ Right she said lets start with Jabo first “ , Vervets live in small troops in the bushveld she explained, they forage on fruits and trees and berries, insects and anything else ,they especially love rubbish bags and bins. She went on to explain that Humans are taking up space with their houses and cities that the poor little monkeys don’t have much habitat left “ what is habitat ?” asked Siswe Jabo's friend.

  

They read all about creatures and Habitats and how man is destroying the environment with cutting down forests and clearing bush for farms and towns and cities. They left there feeling quite sad. The little clearing where Jabo lived used to be huge piece of vacant land before houses were built there and little buck and other creatures lived there. Siswe lived not far from Jabo they both decided to try and save this little park they had found, Siswe often would join Jabo and go together and play ball there and sit quietly and listen to the birds and enjoy the silence.


This was there park they were going to protect it. They decided to do a project to find out about what animals and birds lived there. Oh no thought Jabo then I would have to share my special friend! That afternoon he walked home alone, straight to his little spot hoping to see his little friend. He took out his lunch and the leftovers from last nights dinner and waited and he even called out “hello, Hello special little creature I am here with food for you!”  Nothing happened; His little friend did not appear. He sat for a while feeling sad, thinking that his friend had gone forever. Just then he heard a rustle in the bushes, he looked around he saw nothing. His imagination he thought. Just then having turned to look around there was his little friend, eating the scraps; he smiled at Jabo with a mouthful of food. 

Jabo sat down quietly, his little friend moving away slightly. “Don’t be afraid of me!” “I wont hurt you “said Jabo, his little friend just sitting and eating as fast as he could. Jabo thought what would he have more interesting then that? He took out his little mirror he carried because tomorrow was school class photos he wanted to brush his hair and look smart so he packed it in his bag to take tomorrow. He took it out and played with it, turning it up and down. His little friend, curious watched him with great intent. “Jabo spoke to him saying I know what you are now!” You my little monkey friend “. The monkey sat there looking at him with his head turning from side to side. Jabo held the mirror up the monkey jumped up, he saw himself. He made the funniest noise. “Gwow g wows “his little friend didn’t like that. Jabo put the mirror away. “I am sorry said Jabo ““I didn’t mean to scare you!”   With that his friend scampered away. 

In the next weeks that followed Jabo and his little friend met every afternoon with Jabo taking him treats and snacks. He eventually told his mom what he was up to and about his little friend. “That’s wrong of you Jabo!” she exclaimed “Why mom, he is Alone and hungry! “ “ No said his mom, you are teaching him that humans are not to be feared , now he will think that food comes from people” “why not mum we are taking their forests and bush for our land and taking away his food .” But Jabo it’s not good to feed them” Shame mom 1” “shouted Jabo. Just a few houses down them heard a loud bang. “Distracted by that they immediately stopped the conversation and Jabo ran out to see a van pulling away with a big man shouting, “Take away those pests!”


“Jabot ran out and asked the man in the van “Whets going on?” the man who worked for the SPCA. “The man explained to Jabot that the man was very angry because the monkeys had gone into his house and made a mess and stole and ate his food and fruit.  “Why is that wrong? Asked Jabot? Well said the man, Monkeys are meant to be afraid of humans; they eat insects and fruits and things found in nature. Because there isn’t much of their natural food available to them, they start coming into the houses to steal fruit and food!” said the man. We had to catch this little guy who got stuck in the house.” amah said Jabo what will happen to him ?” we will have to take him away.” Why can’t I have him? No laughed the man it’s not proper for humans to keep wild animals as pets they belong in the wild!”



“I must go now “said the man.  Poor Jabo he thought only of his little friend and what if that was him? He rushed down to the park. Jabo shouted his mom its dinner time!  “OK’ see you now mum just gotta go somewhere?  He rushed to his favorite spot, very out of breath sat there. “He called, hello monkey friend are you there?” He looked around he didn’t have any treats or anything? He sat awhile no monkey appeared, sad and wondering what happened he ran on home.  He hardly ate his food so he kept it aside. That night he couldn’t sleep. Next morning he ran off to school, couldn’t wait for the day to finish. His friend too was excited to see him, he had news.   His dad worked for the Parks department. “Jabo, Jabo he called “ 

Jabo rushed over to talk to Siswe , “ My dad he said is going to make our little park ours and make it a private little park an protect it with his laws “ “ oh wow he said , How can that happen? “ well he said I have been going to the park and I made friends with a little monkey , Really said Jabo ?” yes said Siswe and I told my dad he did a said it’s the only little piece of natural environment left in our area for them so he’s going to get his work . The park people to protect it! “Wow said jabo. He told siswe about his little monkey friend. . “Now, can share him. Now each day after school Jabo and Siswe go to the park, which has now been proclaimed a little Nature Reserve to see their Monkey friend. Now the little monkey has more friends and family and has become a troop. The boys visit and the school is allowed to send with the them a drum of fresh vegetables and fruit daily.