An Inconvenient Elephant by Judy Reene Singer Page B

smile. “And everything I own is in my rucksack—a few changes of clothes, my tooth-brush, and my lariat.” She put her head back against the seat and let out a sad sigh. “’Course, I’ll have to pick up a new safari knife. They confiscated mine just before we boarded. Had a good gut-hook blade, too.”
    â€œYou won’t have much use for one,” I reassured her. “Unless, of course, you’re going to start dating.”
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    We cleared customs, rented a car, and stopped for our first American meal.
    â€œHow’s this place for dinner?” I asked, pulling into an inexpensive-looking diner along the interstate. I glanced down at my now dusty jeans and soiled tee, and then at Diamond’s outfit. “We’re not exactly dressed to kill.”
    â€œI think we look fine,” she said. “I just want a little snack, anyway.”
    We lingered over coffee while Diamond scrupulously studied the dessert menu. She signaled the waitress and ordered a double slab of chocolate pie, which inspired me to order a piece of chocolate cake.
    â€œSo,” Diamond asked, “how much will you charge for me to stay with you?”
    â€œThat’s okay,” I said. “Don’t worry about paying me for the room. It’s my—”
    She held up a finger to interrupt me so she could signal the waitress. “Throw two scoops of ice cream on my pie,” she called over, then turned back to me. “That just might do me, though I might want some cherry pie, too. It’s been a long time since I’ve seen American desserts.”
    The waitress brought the check, and Diamond-Rose snatched it from her hands. “My treat.” She dug through her rucksack and pulled out a woven red straw purse. “I may have spent my life in the bush and have to be housebroken again, but as they say in Kenya, only someone else can scratch the middle of your back. So, I sleep at your house and the food is on me.”
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    My house was waiting for me, like a faithful friend.
    It was a proper house. Windows, with their eyes shut,about to be awakened at the touch of a light switch. My green-painted rocking chair was still in the corner of the porch, its yellow floral pillow perched invitingly against the wicker. The porch light, left on for me by my brother after I let him know I was on my way home, made a welcoming yellow splotch in the night. My front door stood ready to let us inside, as though we were any family coming home after an evening out. I had been living in a wooden hut for the past year, and I had almost forgotten what it felt like to have a house. Diamond took in everything with a certain hunger in her eyes before she even got out of the car.
    â€œThis is it,” I turned around to announce from the top of the porch steps.
    Diamond grabbed her rucksack. Her boots made hollow thumps as she climbed up behind me. “I really appreciate the invitation,” she said. “You know, I had originally booked my flight without even planning what I was going to do afterward.”
    I lifted the doormat and picked up the key my brother left, along with a little white card. “From my brother Reese,” I explained. “He’s kind of a goofball.” I opened the card and made a face at its content. “It says welcome home, and then there’s the usual elephant joke. He’s been obsessed with jokes ever since I got involved with elephants.” I scanned the handwritten note and then read it aloud. “‘Where does an elephant with a rash go?’”
    Diamond gave me a puzzled look. I turned the card over and upside down to read the answer: “‘To a pachyderma-tologist.’” I sighed and stuffed the card into my pocket and opened the front door. “He hasn’t changed one bit.”
    Diamond followed me in and stood there awkwardly as I put my suitcase down and flicked on a table lamp. Its light looked