A Monkey Story (9/18/08-9/19/08)

Nicolau climbed through the hyacinth bushes by the bench outside the employee mess hall, and I wanted to know, did he remember? I called him, and he kept climbing. I went towards him, and he climbed away. Sitting on the bench by the bushes drinking my after dinner coffee some of the guides asked me if he remembered, and I said that I thought not. As I sat listening to how the guides had passed the off-season, he climbed closer. I stuck out my hand, and he grabbed it playfully then retreated. I watched him continue to climb eating flowers and leaves as he went. Then he climbed on the bench, and gave a little monkey squawk. I scratched his head, and he sprawled out on the bench. I scratched his belly, and he put his head in my lap.
Quite different from 6 months ago when he had ridden on my shoulders behind my neck like I was some sort of parent, but now it seemed we were just friends, and I was fine with that. I didn’t need a monkey to raise, but I was glad he hadn’t forgotten.
Today as I was putting my office in order, I heard the caretaker with his leaf blower, and I knew Nico would be following him. At first I couldn’t see him, but then I heard the tree to my left rustle, and I saw him. I called to him, and he looked at me both curious and shy, and finally climbing closer out of the tree, he let out a cry. I stuck out my hand to him, and he climbed on my shoulder, though now he was twice the size of the last time he had been on my shoulders.
I walked inside, and he didn’t run off, so I continued to put my office in order with him on my back until I heard the leaf blower move farther off. Knowing I couldn’t keep him on my back all day and get my work done, I took him out to where the caretaker was blowing cut grass off the walkway. He resisted as I pulled him off my shoulders, but did not bite me as he had used to. He cried like a little baby does imploring its mother to pick it up, but he did not run after me as I walked away like he used to. I turned around to see if I was being followed expecting him to be running on all fours in my shadow hoping I wouldn’t see him, but he was gone somewhere into a tree where I couldn’t see him.
I saw him again after lunch in the bushed by the bench, and he came and sat in my lap as I scratched him. This time he did not cry as I walked away.