Memories of Africa-1

It had been lovely having Amanda over to help her get settled in her cottage but at last she had an evening to herself, she’d made a pot of tea and was on her second cup thinking about the crate she had yet to unpack. She knew inside that crate was a box she hadn’t opened in almost thirty years.

It was a young Winnie Peeg who went to Rhodesia in l979 attached to Lord Soames' office, two years later Lord Soames was appointed Governor to see the disarming of revolutionary guerilla and the holding of elections and granting independence to the coalition government. Winnie had a tiny flat she shared with two other girls who also worked for the British Foreign Office.

Miss Peeg put her cup down and with a long screwdriver pried open the wooden crate. Down on her knees she carefully lifted out her much padded and taped possessions and then lifted out the box from Africa. She ran her hand over the top of it, it was sealed with wax and taking a breath she ran the screwdriver along the edges until the wooden box opened.

It was not safe at that time for a woman to be on the streets alone and various members of the staff would always see the girls home. As she was coming out of her boss’s office one day she saw a man sitting in a chair, head leaning back on the wall with his hat down over his eyes. He had a cup of tea in his hand that was dangerously close to spilling and she took it from him. As she took it from his hand he jumped, his hand going immediately inside his jacket.

Winnie jumped too surprised at the move, “Sorry your tea was about to spill.”

“Oh,” said the handsome young man relaxing, “Sorry about sleeping in your office, I catch a bit of kip when I can.”

“That’s perfectly all right,” she assured him, “would you like a cup of hot tea?” his obviously had gone cold.

“Yes thank you, do you think it will be much longer in there?” he’d indicated the door to her boss’s office.

“I’m not sure he knows you’re here, may I tell him who’s calling?”

“Redfern, he’ll know.”

Winnie had looked at him questioningly and went to inform her boss that he was there.

“He’ll see you now,” she smiled bringing him a warm cup of tea.

He tipped his hat back and stood up just a little taller than her own 5’11” “I didn’t catch your name?”

“Winnie, Winnie Peeg.”

He had the most dazzling smile in his tanned face she’d forgotten the notes she must transcribe before two o’clock and stood staring at his back as he entered the door.

And that was the first time she’d ever laid eyes on Billy Redfern.