Previous Challenge Entry (Level 3 - Advanced)
Topic: Abundance (06/08/06)
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TITLE: Parables from the Skeleton Coast | Previous Challenge Entry
By Gregory Kane
06/11/06 -
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“Come on, Felix, it’s not as bad as all that.” Richard did so enjoy baiting his old friend. “Besides, in asking only 25% of its market value, Schmidt is practically giving his land away.”
“The only reason Schmidt is willing to do so – and you know this perfectly well – is because of what has been happening in Zimbabwe. The rumour is that we are next and he is running scared. His thinking is that, unless he can sell his farm quickly, it will be snatched away from him and given to some government lackey. Do you really want that to happen to you?”
“Of course not. Nevertheless I have made my mind up. So, are you going to draw up the papers or not?”
“Have it your own way,” snarled Felix. “But if you’re still in the black in three years time, I swear I’ll … I’ll eat my hat.”
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17 May
Helmeringhausen
My dear Felix,
I trust this finds you well. I presume that by now you have heard of my ‘good fortune.’ We have still to see the Sunday papers down here but I understand that the photo of myself looked suitably distinguished.
The Government has decreed that it is entitled to 25% but I see no point in contesting this further. I have never been a greedy man, merely ‘determined.’ I am just thankful that my gamble paid off.
You see, when I found the log book among my grandfather’s belongings, I couldn’t know for sure that no one else had got there before me. I was able to confirm that a merchant ship called the Tannhäuser was indeed escorted in 1940 by the German cruiser Nürnberg. Contact was lost during a severe storm and the merchant was presumed to have run aground somewhere along the Skeleton Coast. This tallied with the captain’s log book and his later account of a perilous journey across the Namib Desert. I hear that the Southern Times is thinking of serialising the man’s diary – maybe there’ll be a movie one day.
According to the manifest, the merchant ship was laden with Nazi gold and the captain managed to transport seven crates across 100 miles of blistering sands. By this point he had lost most of his men, so he buried his treasure trove in a valley marked by an unusual rock formation, one in the shape of a horse’s head. Of course I recognised that very landmark from our boyhood adventures. I’m not sure you and I didn’t climb it on at least one occasion.
I don’t know what ever happened to the German captain or how his log book came into my grandfather’s possession. But there was no way Schmidt would agree to divide up anything I found, so the only thing to do was to buy his farm. You cannot believe how thrilled he was to get rid of his property. Of course right now he’s going round all his gin-sodden cronies telling how I cheated him out of his fortune!
The funny thing is, Felix, I wasn’t certain that the gold was even there. It could easily have proved to be an irredeemable disaster. But I had to find out. I could not have lived the rest of my life wondering if I had been right all along. So I took the plunge and came up swimming, which surely has to the most inappropriate metaphor for this God-forsaken corner of Africa.
I hope to come up on the 30th. Do see if you can’t clear your diary. We’ll have lunch at Lagrange and I’ll pick up the tab. After all it was your good advice that I so obstinately ignored!
Best wishes
Richard
P.S. Don’t forget to bring your hat!
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“The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it …” (Mt 13:44)
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