This was originally posted on 2012-09-10. Additional commentary has been placed in [square brackets].
So there I was, coconut in each hand, clinging to the back of a speeding motorcycle with my heels as we raced down a farm track. I had already been sipping from one coconut but the other was full, or at least it was full when we set off.
Fresh coconut milk was a new thing to me. At first it was rather pleasant, refreshing even. “aloy aloy!” I told the woman who gave it to me. The thing I hadn’t bargained for was the sheer quantity of milk inside a coconut. I had always assumed that the majority of a coconut was shell, with only a precious dollop of milk at the centre. This coconut however was more like a bucket and by about half way I was starting to change my mind about the taste of the milk from this coconut.
I began thinking of ways to empty the coconut of milk without actually drinking it. Pouring it on the ground would surely make a splash but there was a dog about to walk past. It’s scraggy back seemed like just the surface to stealthily deposit some of the contents of the coconut in my left hand.
That was when they gave me a second coconut.
Then it struck me, Steve! He would want to try some wouldn’t he? ‘for Steve’ I said, pointing at the coconut. There were some nods of agreement so I scooped up the coconut in my right hand, gave a thank you and goodbye, and set off home with Daw.
Then I heard it. We hadn’t got 100m down the track before they realised what we were doing. That's right, we were trying to walk home unassisted, and that was just out of order as far as they were concerned.
I didn’t need the cheery smile or the enthusiastic pointing at the back of the motorbike to understand. This kind woman, was offering me a lift.
So there I was, coconut in each hand, clinging to the back of a speeding motorcycle with my heels as we raced down a farm track. I had already been sipping from one coconut but the other was full, or at least it was full when we set off.
[ Written with a touch of poetic licence x. ]