Silversands Barracks was dead quiet everyone was sound asleep; even the rooster did not fluff a feather. Everyone but one. Maisy protected from the cold wind by her thick greatcoat tiptoed around the back of their quarters to the ladies ablutions; it wouldn’t wait till morning. Not wanting to wake anyone by switching on the wall lights, she took her flashlight and only used the dim light instead.
Her greatcoat was heavy and cumbersome; it was heavy to lift up and get her knickers off at the same time. Her task accomplished and just in time before her bladder burst, she sat on the toilet. Maisy was about to stand up when she heard an “Ook, ook” sound behind her. Still fighting with her greatcoat and her knickers but with her flashlight shining dimly she turned around toward the back wall; she was unable to see anything. She put her flashlight on the floor to continue the arduous task of pulling up her knickers and fighting with her greatcoat. “Ook, ook.” Maisy heard it again. Slowly Maisy reached with her left hand down to the floor to pick up her flashlight. She steadily straightened up and pointed the dim light toward the sound. “Ook, ook.” A shadow of something hairy smiled at her.
Maisy’s scream that collided with the sky came from the very pit of her throat. She bolted from the toilet without a hesitation, dropping her flashlight in her outcry. Everyone was up and out of their rooms within seconds; flashlights were shining everywhere. “What happened?” “What’s going on?” Questions got asked from everyone’s foggy, sleepy minds. Peggy bumped into Maisy, who was standing shivering in a dark space between the rooms and the ablutions; they both sent out riveting screams. Instantly all the flashlights focused on them. “Maisy what happened?” Peggy held Maisy by the shoulders. The flashlights beamed in on Maisy closer now.
“The.. Th.. There’s something in there.” Maisy barely got the words out. She was terrified, the tears welled up in her eyes almost brimming over, and her bottom lip quivered. “It said ook, ook.”
“What did?” “What did she say?” “Who is where?” The choruses of questions were thrown around.
“Frank, come with me,” Harvey ordered, and the two men walked to the ladies ablutions. In the meantime, all the ladies huddled around Maisy.
Harvey entered the first of the toilets shining his flashlight on the brightest setting. “Ook, ook.” He heard and instantly took a step back. “What is it?” Frank whispered, moving the flashlight about in every direction. Harvey recovered from his initial fright and shone the light back at the object of concern. A loud “EEK, EEK” exploded from the room as a baboon tried to escape the light and fearing for its life. “Move. Move.” Harvey yelled at Frank, and the men ran from the toilet, the baboon hot on their heels. The remaining men ran to Harvey and Frank armed with their flashlights. The ladies screamed and scattered. Maisy ran but fell face first into the grass. In her state of panic and shock she had forgotten to pull up her knickers properly, and they were still wrapped around her knees. Maisy started to crawl the rest of the way to the porch. Audrey grabbed her arm and pulled her to her feet and finally pushing her into a room.
A heavy silence hung in the air of the room as the ladies held their breaths waiting for any sound or movement. Knock-knock thudded against the door. Ten heartbeats stopped and jumped back into place. “It’s okay ladies everything is under control,” Frank shouted from the other side. The sound of a few more footsteps assured them that it was indeed all over. Dorothy opened the door stepping out onto the porch and followed by the rest of the ladies.
“What was that?” Veronica inquired.
“A baboon, they are plentiful here and if enticed are very dangerous. Be mindful of them ladies.” Frank informed them. “Maisy, you feeling alright, do you need anything, calming pills or something?” He asked genuinely concerned.
“I’m recovered. Thank you. Sorry for all the fuss.” Maisy looked at the wooden porch floor highly embarrassed.
“That might have been an interesting or important fact to mention when we first got here don’t you think?” Dorothy glared at Frank and all the men standing about on the porch.
“Well, I don’t know about you, but I could do with a cup of hot cocoa,” Audrey said. They all agreed, grabbed their greatcoats, scarves, and slippers and headed for the Rec. room.
At 3 am the operators came off their shift and were surprised to find everyone in the Rec. room. When they were told the story of Maisy, the baboon, and her knickers, it brought hilarity around the room like a contagious virus.
Dorothy and Maisy were on the 8 am shift, however, Maisy had not pitched for breakfast and was difficult to wake up. Peggy was on duty at 1 pm, and so she swapped shifts with of course Audrey’s permission since they were shift partners.
Peggy and Dorothy walked slowly along the rough pathway to the Radar Station hugging their greatcoats around them to fight off the morning chill. “I get the feeling that it is going to be very cold here very soon.” Dorothy broke the silence.
“I want to go to Cape Town to get extra bedding and a few other things. I will never last with just the Army issue.” Peggy grumbled.
“Oh, yes that is an excellent idea.” Dorothy paused dodging a few potholes in her heeled military issued shoes. “I thought that we should start a Sunday worship service, I mentioned church last night, and Cecil was very keen as well as one or two of the ladies.”
“Dorothy, the men, will do anything you ask them to, they are so smitten with you.” Peggy teased her ducking under a tree branch that hung over the pathway.
“Peggy, stop it. You know I’d never intentionally stir a man’s feelings in such a manner.”
“I’m only teasing Dor, but you know how the beautiful women of the Bible used their beauty for the good of God, well you can do that too.”
“I won’t exploit anything Peggy, and I am no prettier or uglier than any of the ladies here.”
“You can keep on believing that if you like Dor.”
“So should we start this on Sunday mornings or not? Cecil said he could do devotionals and the Lord’s supper.”
“Is he a Christian, I didn’t realize he was?”
“I haven’t had time to speak much to him about it, but I believe it to be true.”
“Well, then I think it is the best idea since we’ve arrived here,” Peggy said opening the door to the Radar Station.
Harvey turned from facing the window that he was staring out of “La .. Peg .. Good morning ladies.” He finally managed to utter clearing his throat.
Dorothy and Peggy were informed of the movements of the ocean and took over the shift. Harvey removed his hat and jacket, placed them neatly on the coat and hat stand then settled into the chair behind his desk. He fiddled with pieces of paper looking very flustered.
“Peggy and Maisy swapped shifts; poor Maisy did not get much sleep,” Dorothy noted to Harvey.
“Yes, well I am sure she didn’t sleep well. Thank you, Peggy.” Harvey moved his focus to an instrument rather than chat with Dorothy or with Peggy in particular.