Mr. Aaron Courtland presents,

Aaron & Cheetah
by
Aaron Courtland

 

Cheetah

I found him in an eagles nest. Or maybe he found me, when I was climbing that old Pipe Tree. Eagles often made their nests at the very top of old Pipe Trees because they were so very tall. The eagle was away at the time but, there were giant eagle eggs in the nest and to my surprise something oddly colorful.

Pipe Trees were always my favorite to climb because the branches were strong, straight, and curvy. There was always a perfect amount of shade from the leaves at the very end of the branch. I would often go to the top of this old Pipe Tree and sit in the curve right under the shady part. I would nap, draw and paint during the daylight hours and star gaze at night. One evening when I had awoken from a nap in my favorite spot in that old Pipe Tree, I checked the eagles nest before climbing down and there was a Cheetah. A cheetah with only three legs! I was pleased as punch when I taught him to climb. He was pleased as punch when he taught me how to run stuff down. And, with only three legs, it didn’t slow him down. I was lucky; I was the only Noil boy with a pet cheetah. Growing up in Noil, Africa was different. It’s such a small place you could miss it even if you were trying to catch it. It will never be on any maps or globes and it would be extremely difficult to find it by accident. We had our fair share of wild life but, cheetahs were very few and far in between. Whenever the other little boys had ants and rocks, I had Cheetah. When all the other boys had pieces of glass and rabbits feet, I had Cheetah. And, I never had to play in the mud alone. Well I guess what I’m trying to say here is, even if I didn’t have Cheetah, I wouldn’t play with rocks, glass and animals feet!

Aaron & Cheetah
by
Aaron Courtland

I Taught Him to Swim

One time Cheetah and I went to Dem Pap Lake to swim. Cheetah didn’t want to get in the water and I understand better his reasons why but, I was determined to get him back in the water for the first time in a long, that day! The day was beautiful. The ants were out scavenging, the eagles were flying low, and the beetles were on their backs. Earlier that day, I had walked my rounds and once I finished I wanted to reward myself with a dip into the cool lake water. Cheetah was all by himself lying in the brush so I asked him to come in and he said, “No thanks!” He sounded very anxious and nervous in his reply but, he tried to play it off like he just preferred resting in the brush at that moment. Something was up, something was wrong. So I went and talked to Cheetah to find out what was going on. “Will you come splash around with me Cheetah?” I asked. “No thanks, maybe next time ok!” Cheetah said with the same anxious tone as before. “What’s the problem Cheetah, what could it be, why are you acting so nervous?” “The crocodile who took my leg may be in there!” Cheetah shouted. “Wait a second Cheetah, you don’t know that your leg was lost due to a crocodile attacking you!” I replied. “It was a hippo then!” Cheetah shouted again. “No Cheetah, I found you in that eagles nest with three legs like you were born that way. You have no scars or traumatic memories. Tell me what’s really bothering you?” “Ok, ok I’ll show you!” Cheetah ran down to the water and started to swim out pretty deep. Once he made it point where his feet could touch the bottom of the lake he suddenly started to swim in circles. He would go in one direction and then the other but, never in a straight line. I thought it looked like fun so I ran out to the water and started swimming in circles as well. He then shouted, “Don’t make fun of me!” “I’m having fun what’s your problem? We’re finally swimming together just like I wanted!” I said. “I’m only able to swim in circles and I get dizzy. I get dizzy and I panic, I imagine myself drowning and then I’m too far out to circle my way back to the bank.” Cheetah told me. Then we can hang out in the shallow part together and splash around. You don’t have to drown to splash around with me Cheetah.” I told him in return. “Ok, I’ll race you there!” And, Cheetah took off, circling in one direction and then the other. I really tried to beat him there but, his tree legs didn’t slow him down any. I was so proud to be in the lake with Cheetah, it had made my day. After splashing around in the shallow water for a bit I decided to get out and take a nap up in a near by Pipe Tree. Cheetah relaxed in the shallow water for the rest of the afternoon. I actually had to call him out of the water. That day, Cheetah really showed me!

Aaron & Cheetah
by
Aaron Courtland

Where’s Cheetah?

I woke because I know when he’s not there. It was early evening and I figured nature was calling him because it was calling me. With out thinking twice I went down hut and answered natures calling. On my way back up hut I realized I didn’t run into Cheetah. This time I did think twice and I went outside to check around the hut and there was no sign of Cheetah. So, I figured he just forgot to leave me a message and wouldn’t be gone for long. But, this was unlike Cheetah, my head started running and I tried to catch up. Where could he be? Why didn’t he wake me? Why didn’t he leave a message? Running out the hut trying to catch my head with the idea of checking all the obvious places like, the watering hole, I checked at Key’s, the monkey’s tree, and I also checked the clay spot. The only other place I thought he could be was Tasha’s bush. Tasha was a female black panther that would tag along with us on some of our adventures. The two had started to take a real liking to one another and would go off on adventures without me sometimes. But, Cheetah would always leave a note. On the way to Tasha’s bush I passed the old Pipe Tree that I found him in or maybe he found me, back when he was only a baby Cheetah. I looked up to the top where the Eagles nest was and there was Cheetah. I ran up and climbed to the top. He had this look on is face and I asked, “What is it Cheetah?” “I’ve checked everywhere for you, where have you been Aaron?” He asked. “I’ve just checked everywhere for you! Where have you been?” I asked in return. “I’ve been here, where we agreed to meet!” Cheetah replied. Turns out, I forgot that at early evening we were supposed to meet to go judge the Light Bug Show. So I guess the real question was, where’s Aaron?