Zumbala is an extremely small African nation that attracts only three kinds of people; smugglers, adventure seeking college kids and shady business investors. I was one of the later. Right now, waiting in the only airport in the country, I seemed to be surrounded by the other types as well.
I couldn't wait to get out of this hell hole and the long delay in the sweltering airport was wearing me down. Adding to my discomfort was the group of young women sitting across from me in the only other available seats, all of the other people waiting for the single daily flight to board were sitting on the floor or leaning against the walls.
I was in what might be considered a foul mood. The locals with whom I had been conducting business took it upon themselves to take me out for a farewell celebration last night and despite my objections had kept me out so late that I barely made it to the airport in time. Only the forethought of my hotel housekeeper who had packed my bags for me allowed me to rush out of the hotel as soon as I got back. Her efforts however, meant that all my travel clothes were already packed and I was forced to travel in the suit I had been wearing last night. That combined with the hangover that was beginning to make itself felt added up to very unpleasant morning.
Being a married man in my late forties I would normally have been delighted to sit and look at the four young women across from me as I waited. They were all very pretty and were dressed in tight tee shirts and shorts. They looked like the usual type who came to Zumbala to party on the beach. Mostly rich, spoiled kids who globe trotted to various hotspots to seek adventure. The group included two brunettes, a redhead and a blonde who seemed to be the ring leader. They were all chatting loudly and laughing uproariously. The incessant chatter was adding to my headache until I finally asked them if they could hold it down a bit.
Their reaction was less than friendly and they seemed delighted to increase their laughter and noise now that they knew it was irritating me. Between their revelry they stole glances at me and occasionally whispered to each other while looking over at me. This went on until I asked once more if they might tone down their noise, which prompted the blonde to stick out her tongue at me and tell me to mind my own business. This only added to the laughter of the others and I resigned myself to a long unpleasant wait.
Right next to where we were seated was a roped off area that was used for a final baggage check before boarding the plane. The airport was a rather primitive building and the baggage check area consisted only of a table and was staffed by two soldiers and what appeared to be an officer, all three of who were lounging around trying to stay cool. The officer did seem to be very interested in the girls and kept coming over and chatting them up while apologizing for the delay.
Finally the soldiers began calling the passengers forward. There weren't many of us, perhaps twenty in all. Besides the girls and myself, all the others were native Africans. The soldiers called the locals first and the girls and I waited while the others were cleared for boarding. Most were sent right through with only a cursory check. One individual toward the end of the line looked a little suspicious even to me and when he reached the table he was questioned more thoroughly. The girls and I watched while the questioning became more heated. The two soldiers carried out the questioning while the officer stood to one side and continued to pay more attention to the girls who smiled at him and giggled.
Then to our surprise the man they were questioning suddenly began to undress. The guards were apparently conducting a strip search on this poor fellow right there in view of everyone. I thought the girls would be shocked and embarrassed, but they seemed delighted and increased their giggling and whispers. This seemed to encourage the officer who was doing his best to impress the girls and he called out more orders to the soldiers. He then came over and stood next to the girls and chatted and laughed with them until the man was left with nothing else on but a dingy pair of underwear.
The soldiers looked over at the officer who glanced at the girls who were still giggling. He then called out something in their native language to the soldiers who repeated it to the man. He hesitated and the guards repeated the order more forcefully. He then slid down his underwear and stood there naked.
