EXPANDING HIS VISION (C)

[This story is an improved version from mini cassette recordings of Mekkar’s actual voice in 1990 while hiking and walking as a University student; then, it was converted to a Windows Media Audio File and transcribed in 2011. Mekkar’s spoken English skills are nowhere near as polished as Saavo’s are. Continued from the first PART (B) in July, 2015.]

The two of them left the scene and scurried back to their hotel on foot. Soon afterward, Henrik arrived back from his meeting. Well, Mekkar assumed that his father came straight back from the important appointment. However, the boy did wonder why it was so long considering the events that recently had taken place. Mekkar’s questioning was never voiced because he trusted his papa. Eva was very stoic, as was her normal disposition, and unlike her vocal exhortations during the explosions earlier in the day.

 

Early the next morning, Mekkar, Henrik, and Eva left their temporary quarters while being escorted by armed solders in a small convoy to the airport. They went through all of the many checkpoints with no hassles. Along the way, the Arctic youngster thought to himself - that his papa must know some important people in this place. From Saigon, they boarded a commercial jet and flew non-stop to Bangkok, Thailand. When they were out of range of the fighting on the ground below, Mekkar finally breathed a sigh of relief. After their arrival in the Thailandese capital, the wait for their connecting flight out was long. Mekkar became irritable, restless, and uncomfortable while stuck in the airport. On the occasions when he did not take naps, Mekkar noticed the harried and crowded environment. In and around the airport was quite similar to where they had left. The major difference he observed was the lack of large number of troops everywhere. This one factor provided some solace to Mekkar as he grew more impatient.

A few people were bold enough to approach and discuss with Henrik and his secretary regarding their situation. Some would pat Mekkar on the top of his head or rub it, in front of them, and boy did he hate that. Others would ask the adults to describe what transpired in the war zone of Saigon. Many were stranded while waiting to leave Bangkok. Mekkar was too young and didn’t understand the concept of delayed flights and what that entailed. Well, for now at least. During this time period, Henrik left Eva and his son at the airport for another business engagement. Mekkar’s papa assured the boy that he would return in plenty of time for the next journey on their itinerary. Mekkar believed him, yet still missed his papa and felt assured that he was going to see him again soon. Mekkar just figured that the next trip would be a return back home. Contrary to the impression Mekkar had, this was not to be the case. Henrik had more adventure in mind for his son.

After what seemed to take forever, Eva and Mekkar saw his papa rush and arrive out of breath to meet them again. Approximately ten minutes later the overhead speaker blared out the correct flight information and passenger loading gate number. Mekkar was still in the dark regarding the next stop. If Eva knew, she wasn’t telling the boy anything about it while all three of their small group proceeded to the proper boarding location. The next flight immediately became a very rocky adventure, soon after takeoff, in the commuter plane. One time, Mekkar looked out the window where he was sitting, then pulled the window covering down quickly. He didn’t like what he saw outside. Since the plane’s elevation appeared to lower below the clouds than he was used to, Mekkar thought he saw small objects on the ground as they reached the next city of their expedition. It was quite obvious to anyone who had military training that some of those popping sounds outside the aircraft sounded like anti-aircraft gun fire rounds. The little Arctic Warrior had questions that couldn’t be answered such as why would anyone be shooting at us?

All of the passengers and crew could hear the rumbling of explosions that were taking place which grew louder upon their arrival. The boy was lost and had no idea where he was, the only thing he could do was trust his papa’s judgement. Mekkar voiced his concerns to his papa sitting next to him. The son asked, “Why are we are getting closer to the military action again?” The dangerous environment was obvious even to a young person such as Mekkar as the activity was more frequent. Henrik told them, “Hang on because it is going to be a bumpy ride before they land.” When Mekkar looked at Eva, he saw her apprehension and concluded that something was definitely not right. Mekkar’s mind raced and he didn’t know how to stop it. The boy thought to himself – here we go again. The last part of this flight circled a few times while the boy from the Far North was stricken by inner turbulence. It was almost with a sense of comfort when the flight touched down on the landing strip in Hanoi.

The three of them rode a shuttle near the center of the city. Henrik explained to his son while they motored together. Thus was exactly what Henrik wanted him to see. Both sides of the conflict from two different viewpoints. Henrik wanted to drive the point home that war is hell and it is not a pretty sight. The lesson that his papa wanted Mekkar to learn was that many things are not as they seem in the media and very divergent from real life. Additionally, the intention was for Mekkar not to lose his compassion for others due to becoming desensitized as a result. Suddenly, Henrik had to go to a separate area for another briefing. It was just the two of them now in an unfamiliar city.

Then, a stranger to Mekkar approached Eva and gave her some local currency. Mekkar never did figure out why. The boy began to have directed conclusions that his papa arranged everything and had it taken care of. Mekkar glanced at Eva and she looked more relaxed than on the plane. He figured that his brain was telling him that some rest was in order after the recent tense experiences. Mekkar let it slip out loud from his lips, “Where is this unlimited energy that all children are presumed to have because it was non existent right now”. Eva reassured him and tracked down the next mode of transportation. They gave the driver money and off they went back out of the main part of the capital city. The youngster didn’t recognize this type of transportation vehicle and thought it was distinct, but cool. At first, Mekkar thought it was a motorcycle, but it really wasn’t. The transport was similar to a bike where you have the peddler guide in front and the passengers sit in the back. The closest object Mekkar could compare it to a desert three wheeler machine. On the other hand, since the mode of transport was not motorized like a snowmobile back home, Mekkar thought it looked real flimsy and not sturdy at all. He compared the vehicle’s construction to the paper machete kites he saw previously. The Arctic lad squirmed and was not comfortable during the ride either. Still, he hoped this vehicle could take him where he needed to go, despite not knowing where they were being led. At least, the both of them were away from the utter confusion they had witnessed down south. The boy from the Arctic knew that he was special and extremely intelligent for someone his age. The problem was the youngster was not as smart as he thought was and was in unfamiliar territory to boot. Mekkar would soon find out that he was sorely mistaken in his assumptions and more would be in store for each one of them.

Their destination took on a lonely path some distance to the city. Mekkar missing his papa and was hoping to see him again. They youngster had that inner sense that he was going to reunite with Henrik at the end of this jaunt. About 5 minutes after disembarking from the transport and seeing his papa, the air raid sirens blared to warn the surrounding people. Mekkar wondered what was happening. Henrik said to Mekkar and Eva that a bombing sortie from sky was about to transpire soon. All of them followed other residents into the entrance of a make-shift underground bomb shelter, where they would be safe. Before long, the blasts began to pepper the area. The people in the temporary quarters below ground could feel reverberations and shock waves from bombs that exploded nearby. The lights in the dwelling flickered on and off continuously. 

At that moment, Henrik began to explain to Mekkar what was happening, why, and the various parties involved. Part of the intent of Mekkar’s papa was to reassure him, so he would not be scared to death. Henrik described the reasons behind the air bombing campaign. He said to Mekkar, “As in other wars in this century, one side is using this type of strategy to break the local population’s morale and willingness to continue to fight this war. There are only two possible outcomes against an enemy through the adoption of these tactics of total conflict. You either drive the people to be more dug-in and strengthen their resolve to outlast your forces. In other words, the side that carrying out the air raid is attempting to force the opposition, on the receiving end, to crack. If it is not successful, the tenacious spirit of the defenders counts on securing eventual victory. Their goal is to employ any means to hang on until the attacker’s will to fight achieve victory in the conflict has waned. Past history has shown that air campaign bombings alone never win wars. Instead, public resolve among the targeted population usually increases exponentially and resistance becomes stronger the longer the methods are employed against them. The stubborn will of some people is ingrained in different cultures to overcome and never surrender.” Mekkar’s papa spoke additional wise words to his son until the bombing had stopped. In single file, the people emerged from the shelter in a single file line. All three in their small group survived the chaos to continue on. Now, it was time to go home.

EXPANDING HIS VISION (B)

[This story is an improved version from mini cassette recordings of Mekkar’s actual voice in 1990 while hiking and walking as a University student; then, it was converted to a Windows Media Audio File and transcribed in 2011. Mekkar’s spoken English skills are nowhere near as polished as Saavo’s are. Continued from the first PART (A) in April, 2015.]

Anyway, they were only in that city for a couple of days. On one of the nights there in Saigon, Mekkar commented that he had heard a few noises that made a boom sound in the distance. Those events continued to bother Mekkar as he stayed up most of the night while sitting by the open window as if he were on wolf watch on the trek. Added to his concern was that his papa, Henrik, had gone off somewhere unknown to Mekkar for a late night meeting.

The next day Mekkar and Eva, his chaperon, were walking down one of the streets not far from their hotel. They surveyed the open market to kill time and soak in the urban flavor. One booth had hanging pots and similar wares for sale. The stand was swamped with many customers, so the boy assumed the demand for those items was really high. By the crowd behavior he observed there, Mekkar believed that people greatly needed these goods because their homes were being destroyed by the ongoing warfare.

Eva and Mekkar strolled on and examined the different wares and food offered by the street vendors. Paper machete items caught Mekkar’s eye at one stand. In his mind, some of the featured articles appeared to be dragons and totally out of place here. Sure, maybe not exactly like the medieval creatures, but there were some similarities. There were plenty of objects that resembled monsters or displayed supernatural beings on them. Mekkar decided that he couldn’t leave until he purchased one that was made in the form of a flying kite. The Arctic boy figured the local people must be having a celebration or a holiday, just like back home. What seemed out of place to Mekkar was the number of soldiers here. Right then, he remembered his papa’s warning - that wherever there are troops, there is trouble and battles nearby. Mekkar even blurted out his thoughts to Eva and said, “Soldiers don’t buy kites. They shoot at things. I think those kites are going to be destroyed. What a silly thing to have here.” Mekkar was not grown up enough to understand the concept that often people use coping mechanisms to try to find meaning in the midst of chaos. For example, if a person lived in a war zone environment, one might attempt to find or do anything they could to forget about it. In a matter of speaking, escape from where an individual is and not focus on the hell and destruction around you. Any type of distraction could be a good thing for mental health. If that same individual is rewarded with a little bit of pleasure at the same time – that is an added bonus.

Well, Mekkar progressed onto the next booth that had meats and other food items available. Next to it was a cigarette and tobacco kiosk. Quite a few soldiers surrounded that particular stand and purchased those products. Smoking supplies were in great demand, while at the same time little product for purchase was available in that marketplace. Mekkar observed the continuing to grow long lines to that booth. The smell drove Mekkar to begin stepping away and attempt to stay some distance away due to the negative tobacco effects to his still developing body filtering system. Mekkar was intrigued by the increased frenzied activity as he and Eva wandered slowly along the street. The boy from the far north had never seen this much hustle and bustle in such a small area before. Mekkar had plenty of experience to compare it with and thought he had observed a lot of chaotic movement in his previous travels. Places like India with his papa, a couple of times to Brazil, a few places like that. However, those exhibited goods were far different from the novelties offered in this place. The Arctic youngster had traveled quite a bit in his young life, but had mostly spent the majority of his travel time on the same continent. So, this was a new region of the globe for him. Henrik was aware of this and wanted to expand his worldwide exposure to diverse places and people.

On one occasion in the outdoor bazaar, Mekkar and his chaperone Eva were stopped and questioned by the soldiers there. One of them asked him, “What are you doing here?” and went onto say, “You are too young, you don’t need to be in a place like this”. Mekkar didn’t fully comprehend the true meaning of that comment. Even though Mekkar was already learning the language and knew many of the words spoken to them, there was a lack of grasping the meaning behind the phrases. Mekkar was unable to distinguish the subtle messages as part of what was being said. The soldier’s real directive to him was get out of here before you get hurt or get killed. It appeared to Mekkar as though the infantryman looked at him with confusion. The serviceman assumed that Eva was a newspaper or media reporter instead of Mekkar’s guide. Anyone could easily see the young boy was out of his element and not a native. The other concern also expressed by the servicemen was why Eva would bring a child along with her to a war zone. Plus, expose the child to gruesome and dangerous visual images. Eva, on the other hand, nodded her head in the affirmative as Mekkar saw it. The boy believed she knew the purpose for both of them being here. In this situation, she acted demure as if she didn’t fully understand what the soldiers were saying or what was happening around her. However, Mekkar noticed the opposite was actually the case.

Anyway, both of them continued walking along down the street. All of a sudden, Mekkar and Eva heard some potshots. A couple of the gunfire rounds were fairly close too! Mekkar, crazy soul that he was, did not immediately duck behind cover. Instead, he just stood in the same spot on the sidewalk of the street they were previously strolling on and surveyed the surrounding area. He mistakenly figured since he was small enough that he would be hard to aim at and hit. Of course, it was not the smartest course of action and Eva told him so. Still, he did not seek protective cover for himself. He stayed right where he was while everyone else around him was scurrying to hide. Despite hearing the shots ring out Mekkar didn’t move. If he was an esteemed adult, it would have appeared as though he was posing in a majestic movie scene, but this was real. In this instance, other people sensed the boy was frozen, stiff, and scared. Soon, everyone’s attention was grabbed by the large flames shooting high into air. Then, a loud explosion happened with a resounding boom! Mekkar saw the flash and items flying, it seemed, everywhere. The soldier was right, some gruesome stuff. A collection of arms, hands, legs, an eyeball, and other debris were spread out along the ground. If it wasn’t the case before, Mekkar was in shock and definitely frozen in his tracks now.

Another couple of shots could be heard by the nearby corner. At that moment, a second explosion rang out. After this, Mekkar was absolutely unmoving as if he was frozen solid as ice. Mekkar was a brave boy, yet his mind was racing. He thought to himself, why can’t I move? It appeared the boy lost many of his senses and didn’t grasp the environment he was in. Mekkar was concerned that he might a target. Mekkar asked more questions in his mind whether he was next. His body still did not respond with any movement. Fight or flight syndrome had failed him.

Mekkar was made aware that the soldiers were powerless to protect him and Eva from harm. He had no idea which side the troops were on either. These were things that Mekkar’s papa had been speaking to him prior to this journey. Henrik wanted Mekkar to learn specific lessons. Henrik also wanted Mekkar to be able to use his mind and reason under duress. Very heady stuff for a young boy to experience in an unfamiliar environment. Instruction in life survival skills that would be necessary later on. The experience would be invaluable because everyone in the area Mekkar comes from has to fight for survival. Most definitely during the long winters. Not only that, they have to serve in their own country’s military for a time as well. There are not enough people for any healthy individual to get out of that type of service to their nation.

The authority’s even use physically challenged people in various tasks to fulfill their military obligations. They will find a person to meet a need or place them in tasks despite the disability. The idea is to maximize the abilities and blend them with the resources that are available. It is a necessary strategy because there are just not enough people to meet all the gaping holes in the region’s defense system, while still providing a perceived deterrent to any possible enemy. Women, along children that can stand up and walk, also have to serve in some capacity, even if is just to provide support to the soldiers.

Up to this point, Mekkar did not grasp what was materializing in front of him, although he saw it with his own eyes. Stupidly, Mekkar was fixated on the second explosion undeterred by flying objects from the wall of the affected building landing nearby. The burning building and spreading fire fully consumed all of his attention. People all around him were as if mad in a flurry of activity. Yet, he was still in a trance-like state. The Arctic boy wasn’t taking a step or going anywhere on his own. It was Eva’s responsibility to pull him away from danger. Mekkar gazed at the folks littering the street; they were like blurs at this point. He was mesmerized and distracted by the unwelcome sight that had unfolded before him. After what it seemed like forever, but actually was a short time, Eva grabbed him by the hand and they rushed for cover. This action finally snapped Mekkar out of the haze he was in. She told Mekkar, “There might be more to come. We have to protect ourselves just in case.” Mekkar was not feeling very brave anymore. Nonetheless, he tried to not show outwardly. Mekkar didn’t how to neither deal with nor react in this type of situation. The little Arctic Warrior started to think of how he could show more bravery in the face of another situation such as this. Trouble was, there might not be a next time.

Cautiously tracing their steps, Eva and Mekkar made it back to the hotel, which wasn’t far away from the damage zone. The day’s activities the young boy witnessed kept him frightened throughout the whole night and affected his sleep. The non-stop thoughts ran through his brain wondering if he was safe in defiance of the many soldiers currently patrolling this neighborhood. He remembered when there were a lot of troops in close proximity back at home, he felt much safer against harm. Mainly, Mekkar felt comfort in the fact the enemy that could be identified easily and early in the wide open Arctic region. Although opposing forces might be well above us dominating the air space, while at the same time, exposing home guard troops on the ground. These are concerns that northern hemisphere individuals, such as Mekkar, were not occupied with all that often. In contrast, these were daily worries that directly affected the local populations and mentality of many soldiers in Vietnam. If ignored, the alternative was to not adequately protect one’s self and ending up returning home in a body bag.

One of the soldiers told him and Eva, “We can’t have you walking around anywhere you want freely anymore because we fear for your safety. We are unable to guarantee your personal safety anymore”. The mood became tense, uptight, and restless. It seemed the explosions, accomplished their goal by creating a more restrictive and hostile environment for everyone in that area of the city. By this time, quite a few people had heard about the explosions and subsequent fire. Unfortunately, Mekkar got to see it with his own eyes. He had no idea regarding who did it or why. The little one from the far north was ignorant as to the combatants on each side and who opposed who in this conflict. He could only judge by his sight alone and attempt to mirror the locals who lived there as best as he could. This was still a large metropolis where most of the inhabitants were not dressed in military uniforms. The perceptive boy that Mekkar was, he decided that he would observe the city dwellers to determine when something was wrong. The indifferent conscripts appeared to keep any developments or news to themselves. In his mind, the troops only seemed to bark out warnings or orders in a heartless manner.

It is well to note, that Mekkar already had started playing sports by this time, so he was aware about being on the same team with other people. Working together toward a common goal was not foreign to him, despite the fact that the extremely stubborn Mekkar is not the most agreeable or cooperative individual. In the far north, Mekkar learned how to ski, skate, and walk all at the same time which provided early advantages for him and many in his age range.

EXPANDING HIS VISION (A)

[This story is an improved version from mini cassette recordings of Mekkar’s actual voice in 1990 while hiking and walking as a University student; Then, it was converted to a Windows Media Audio File and transcribed in 2011. Mekkar’s spoken English skills are nowhere near as polished as Saavo’s are.]

Early on Sirga would make Mekkar work in the family restaurant by serving customers and carrying out tasks behind the scenes. Mekkar would do as Sirga commanded to avoid any possible repercussions. Some travelers visiting the area made comments to staff members after seeing young children employed at local businesses. Those individuals didn’t realize that was the normal practice of the regional culture. If a person observed closely, they would notice that Mekkar was not alone in that regard.

Mekkar did a lot of odd jobs as he progressed along his employment path. It was fortunate that he benefitted from a varying hourly schedule in most of his positions up to that point. Thus, the youngster from the Arctic was able to travel, all around the globe, with his papa and mama. Mekkar’s papa gradually climbed the corporate ladder of a conglomerate from his teen years on. With each step, as Henrik advanced upward, the perks became better. Travel was more extensive to additional different locales on this spinning orb. Mekkar did not get a free ride when he went along with his papa; the boy had to carry out various tasks assigned by Henrik or his office secretary. His duties involved having Mekkar sort things like paperwork and figure out some simple issues through analysis. As Mekkar got older and better at testing the data, his papa would entrust even more responsibility to a smart boy like him.

First, would fulfill their business requirements and then have time to experience some fun activities afterwards. Mekkar, of course, preferred the latter. Mekkar thought it was so cool to observe and experience many things on these trips that many people only read about. When he returned back home, while being questioned by his friends, others began to identify a different mindset of haughtiness regarding the overseas travel. After some time had passed Mekkar took to another reindeer trek. A long one, similar in distance to the last journey alongside the animals. It was not the same route as the last major journey, but more to the south in a westwardly direction

The emerging lad also participated in common pursuits along with the other boys his age. The harsh winter season restricted many outdoor activities, yet they adjusted and came up with new ones to entertain themselves. Mekkar spent the majority of his free time alongside his best friend Lasse and that included causing mischief together as well. Not to discount the fact, it seemed relatives always seemed to show up frequently. Mekkar always wondered why his residence, despite not located in the middle of the village, buzzed with liveliness on a regular basis. Probably, he figured it was the attraction of their multiple enterprises such as the small restaurant.

One example arranged by his mama forced Mekkar to work in a travel agency assisting one of Sirga’s friends. He didn’t have a choice in this matter. In the period before personal computer usage in this particular office, Mekkar would constantly be on the phone. Sometimes, simultaneously one phone with the car rental company on the line and the second phone in his hand with the customer. If both sides actually knew how young the person on his end truly was, they might have expressed great anger. However, Mekkar quickly became adept in his assignments, which belied his age. He also went beyond and familiarized himself with supplementary helpful information. For instance, airline schedules through an extensive timetable catalog called the Official Airline Guide (OAG). The positive gained from working there was exposure to travel industry and airline business. Plus, previous travels were another resource that he could draw upon and this would be useful in later endeavors.

Southeast Asia was an odyssey utterly different from anything Mekkar had encountered before. The area could be dangerous due to the conflict raging in some of those nations. He went with his papa and the experience was eye opening to say the least. Due to his background, age, and origin of his passport it was much easier to move around freely than some others. The corporation that Henrik worked for never chose sides in any active war zone. It was perceived as an opportunity for profit and many times business was conducted with both sides in any struggle. Who was on the right or wrong side was considered of no consequence with regard to business. Mekkar’s papa was brought in to setup the lengthy process of negotiation before any physical construction would begin. Arrangements, interaction, and on occasion bribery, with the correct important people in the area were necessary to set the operation in motion. Before building anything one must overcome required building codes, etc. in most places. The standards and methods followed are very different around the world. Henrik’s employer had one overriding rule: Each of the projects must be constructed for the benefit of people in some manner. Those same ventures were never war related and designed to make them difficult to convert for armed conflict purposes. The structure could function as a pharmaceutical plant, hospital, manufacturing factory, as well as similar type businesses. Henrik laid the initial groundwork because he was excellent at doing so. When actual construction began, Mekkar’s papa would move onto another assignment. Sadly, some those projects later became casualties of war or misidentified collateral damage through bombing raids. 

Mekkar’s papa wanted to expose him to new things and expand his vision of the world around him. The goal was to increase his learning far from his native vision and upbringing alone. The idea was to increase Mekkar’s ability to adapt to changing circumstances. Reminding Mekkar the same level of tranquility doesn’t exist in other areas of the globe, as compared to back home in the village. Yet, Mekkar’s papa did not explain these reasons to him because Henrik felt his son was too young to grasp the concepts and reasoning. Henrik went on to quiz him about some events and things he saw previously on the past extensive reindeer trek. Specifically, about the downed helicopters, the damage done to them, and weapons that he might recognize. Mekkar told his papa that he overhead Ansetti told stories of past events and spoke about other connected subjects in the trek tent. Henrik inquired if he was okay with this because he might see worse there. His papa also asked him many questions to determine if he understood what items were used and each one’s purpose. Henrik would then fill in the blanks for his son. Henrik was blunt and described the true situations they might encounter where the trio was travelling to. Contrary to what information could be gathered through the news and reading books, Mekkar’s papa would expose the environments and living conditions in other locales, especially ones away from home. This was the majority of the conversations between them on the travel itinerary. The result was Mekkar’s young mind was overtaxed and flooded by all of the information he attempted to digest as his papa communicated with him.

After leaving home, the trip took them through parts of India and Singapore onto their destination in Vietnam. Mekkar saw a flurry of activity on the ground on their final approach. The boy’s conscious mind became overwhelmed and he only remembered a small amount of what he saw by the time they finally arrived. Fortunately for him, fear was almost non-existent due to the presence of his papa. Saigon or Ho Chi Minh City was the destination on the agenda. Mekkar had never been in this part of the world before and hence, it was a culture shock for him. The reality of being accompanied by his papa and the additional company representative on this trip saved Mekkar from total unsettlement. At the time, Mekkar could not identify this lady who went along with them. The youngster was only aware that she was a person who worked with his papa. Later on, Mekkar found out that she was related to both of them was there to keep a close eye of him, specifically.

There was an abundance of soldiers moving to and fro. The boy observed they were not dressed like the ones back home. Mekkar thought their military fatigues were in an irregular arrangement of design and colors. There was a mixture of black, brown, and the base was green. It was in contrast to the soldiers’ attire back at home during the wintertime which was all white. Mekkar discerned that these troops all over the city didn’t have skis’ with them because they probably didn’t know how. His previous geographical studies fostered the question, how much snow could a place like this have? These troops had much larger packs on their backs and were normally either on foot or in a mechanized vehicle of some sort. Mekkar surveyed the surrounding area and discovered no snow anywhere to be found. Brave and bold boy that he was, Mekkar approached one of the troops and asked him how he was able to ski with all of his gear on. The warrior just kind of peered at him strangely and pushed him away. Mekkar thought maybe there was a communication gap. He did try to choose a soldier that had the appearance and insignia of a European that could speak a common tongue with him, that is English. Truly, how hard could that be? Eva explained to Mekkar, “Perhaps, the gun toting individual felt he was as out of place here as you do? The main difference is he is much larger and has a weapon.”

In this case Henrik, Mekkar, and his attendant were still tourists in this land. Quite a few inhabitants appeared to be scrambling around them, while at the same time, columns were on the march. A lot of hustle and bustle was taking place among the people along with a scattering of a few very poor residents. The extent between the rich and the poor was extremely evident; there was no way to hide it. Mekkar detected this but he did not understand its meaning until after they had left. Questions ran through his limited mind, what is my papa doing? He sends me to this place, but I don’t understand why. Even though, Eva did her best to explain it partially to him, the comprehension of it all still didn’t make sense. Later that day his papa tried to answer any questions Mekkar had, but he sensed much of the message wasn’t sinking in.

If he just kept a watchful eye out, some answers would come to him, thought Mekkar. Despite a very high intelligence, Mekkar still needed interpretation and portrayal along with what he saw. Two aspects were conspiring against Mekkar’s situational understanding: One was his relative youth and inexperience and the second, was the cultural influence and background. Mekkar grew up in a place with a language and customs that were to the point and very blunt. Back in his village, everyone was straightforward with “no beating around the bush” in any circumstance or situation. Definitely, recognition or ability to look beyond one’s vision or “read between the lines” was absent in his young mind. That comes with maturity.

Anyway, they were only in that city for a couple of days. One of the nights there in Saigon, Mekkar thought he had explosions way out in the distance. At that particular time, Henrik had gone off somewhere for a meeting. Mekkar had no clue as to his papa’s whereabouts. He figured the other side didn’t want any children around to distract them.

One of the times Mekkar, with Eva his chaperon, went walking down one of the streets in the urban area. They approached an open market, which resembled a small flea market. One booth had hanging pots and that type of thing. It was fairly crowded which indicated a demand for the items being sold. Mekkar assumed that people needed these goods due to the ongoing military activity around them. The little Arctic Warrior based this opinion upon the visual images of military wreckage on the reindeer trek. Eva and Mekkar were among the throng that viewed the different wares and food offered by the street vendors there. One stand caught Mekkar’s eye. He was still a kid after all. He was fascinated by the intricate paper machete items that looked like dragons to him. Maybe, not exactly like the medieval creatures, but had similarities in design. Some of the objects were in the form of flying kites and other household ornaments. Eva mentioned to Mekkar about an upcoming celebration or a holiday time related to the inhabitants of this area. The boy thought it would be hard to for the people to rejoice with all of these soldiers here. Yet, they are selling kites! Mekkar even blurted out to Eva and said, “Somebody is going to shoot at one of these kites. What a silly thing to have here.” Mekkar was too immature to understand the concept of people trying to find meaning and normalcy in the midst of chaos. When an individual, family, or group lives in a war zone environment, they need to find or do anything they could to help them forget about it. In a matter of speaking, escape from where an individual is, as well as, not focus on the misery and destruction around you. The view is that any type of distraction is a good thing. If a person gains a little bit of pleasure and mental healing, at the same time, regardless of…

Well, Mekkar fixated at this and then shuffled on to the next booth which sold meat and other food items. Next to it was a cigarette and tobacco kiosk. A considerable number of soldiers were there purchasing those products. Top of the line smoking items were in great demand, while at the same time, there was little quality product available to the public in that area for purchase. Mekkar observed long lines to that booth. He stayed some distance away due to the smell and negative tobacco effects to his still developing body filtering system. The pair continued wandering slowly along the street with Mekkar intrigued by the activity. This was the most frantic exchange activity he had seen in such a small area. Mekkar thought he had observed a lot of indiscriminate movement in his previous travels. Places like India with his papa, a couple of times to Brazil, and a few other venues. Still the ambience and resulting commotion were at a higher level here.

END OF TREK

[This story is an improved version from mini cassette recordings of Mekkar’s actual voice in 1990 while hiking and walking as a University student; Then, it was converted to a Windows Media Audio File and transcribed in 2011. Mekkar’s spoken English skills are nowhere near as polished as Saavo’s are. Continued from ON THE TREK & SURROUNDINGS - PART 2 (B) in February, 2015.]

The geography has changed back to more familiar settings because the trek is almost over. It is getting closer and closer to home. Mekkar, Ansetti, Juhani, and the rest of the group are returning. Every one of them can sense that another long trek is almost over …

Some of the older ones, like Ansetti, have recognized the difference between the treks of today and yesteryear which, for the nomads, never ended. The more experienced trekkers recognize the always changing circumstances. They see routes and lands to move herds are increasingly disappearing. Government agencies are continually adding regulations and companies never stop pursuing additional land purchases to exploit remaining natural resources. It seems as though only the inhabitants see the permanent damage to the natural ecosystem. Development projects and construction of large scale undertakings such as hydro dams, etc. gobble up more territory while taking away from animal husbandry activity. Crooked officials use eminent domain and outright, direct government takeover to reclaim the land. Each instance further restricts open grazing and birthing areas that have been used for centuries in these regions. Added to this, encroachment upon ancient native areas, due to enforced new settlement takeover policies, diminish animal movement patterns. Technology has brought great changes to reindeer gathering and management of stock. Reindeer herding is less labor intensive now as a result of modern day equipment being employed in the process. Snowmobiles, trucks, boats, and helicopters are presently adopted to carry out these tasks in opposition to earlier times.

Seasonal Patterns for the herd to follow, while trekking, have been occurring for a long time. In the past, specific reindeer herding villages had their own preset chosen migration routes chosen by the local community. Due to the current ever-changing political atmosphere, natives are in an uproar because they endure the loss of more land for herd movement. Many old pathways are now fenced off for various reasons. 

In Mekkar’s culture, old native thought practices reign supreme. Everything belongs to the family and the village group as a whole. It is selfish to consider it any other way. Previously, permanent and separate homes or dwellings were constructed without an individualistic viewpoint in mind. Items are not only yours alone but to be shared and enjoyed by all in the tribe. Mutual benefit of the whole group is key. The concept of single person ownership was foreign to the natives here. Sometimes those same materials, which included all supplies and goods, could be needed to ensure the tribe’s very survival. If that was ever the case, then so be it. That type of approach, especially on a trek, is executed with maximum efficiency to insure the success of the journey for all involved. It is a long forgotten, nomadic, and tribal approach to ensure continual existence. These thought processes have also been applied and adapted to the modern way of living to a certain degree and with a native flavor. In many cases, far northern latitude small communities experienced forced changes beyond their control.

People are seen as visitors or travelers on this earth; technically you as an individual don’t own anything. Not even yourself! Well, maybe just yourself. In some aspects, yes and some ways, no. Everything is only a rental and that perspective benefits the collective unit or group. Extremely selfish people have few, if any, friends in this environment because they refuse to cooperate with anyone else. Those type of people end up having a much lesser chance for survival. In the Arctic people and animals are very connected with a need for each other whether a person admits it or not. Herd mentality is perceived as the best option and has functioned successfully in inhospitable climates for centuries. Uncompromising, solitary folks left to their own devices usually have negative outcomes such as an early death.

This is a concept Mekkar would acquire a better grasp of and expand his learning capability as he grew up. In the cases regarding any type of monument, they are considered to be a tangible gift which belongs to everyone. One’s selfish personal desires are disparaged and the objective radiance is meant to serve all who come into contact with the structure. The notion is for greater good encouragement to keep the villagers fighting for survival, one of those of which was Mekkar. A person is looked upon as a grain of sand on the beach and one small piece of the whole, like a puzzle. The native outlook is unchanged for the most part on matters such as these. This is true even as their native world and circumstances get swallowed up by the modern society all around them. Today, Mekkar has recognized a mingling of both belief systems. Yet, each particular piece cannot be discounted and always must fulfill a function or purpose.

Now, since his native people are more settled than they were one hundred years ago, treks can be better contrived due to technological advances in equipment. Trek planning and timetables, in modern times, are less rigid. Nevertheless, some actions must still be carried out on a regular basis during various calendar seasons and animal requirements. Specific flexibility is modified according to the herders and their overall collective mood. In this culture, many tools, accessories, and useful family possessions belong to the whole group. That is, any resource that can be relied upon to meet needs and aid the entire clan. Mekkar sees this as the very antithesis of extreme individualism in various parts the modern world. His upbringing is what is considered as yours is also in many aspects everyone’s around you and should be relished in a widespread manner. This applies even to inconsequential personal awards, trophies, and other related items. The truth is, no one ever gets to a high level in any endeavor without help from others along the way. Natives, all around the world, grasp this concept as it has been part of their way of life for a long time. Unfortunately, greedy influences from modern societies have infected change in native cultures more rapidly than anyone cares to admit.

Going on, the trekkers travelled for a few more days and nights and the mood of the group improved along with the weather. There seemed to be less distractions and everything appeared to have become easier during this part of the journey. A few in the party thought it might be a situation of the calm, before a storm. Still, the leader Ansetti had a tough battle to root out any complacency within the party in the homestretch. He knew that any sudden lapse in the attention to detail could result in another attack by wolves or other predators. Experienced outdoor people are well aware how a wolf pack can steal potential food from much larger animals such as bears. They are not afraid to rob from you too! An attack can happen at anytime, especially in the nighttime, even in familiar surroundings.

A number of Arctic animals have adapted eyesight that is superior to big city dwellers, fortunately a balanced number of natives have been blessed with a similar sense. Plus, many animals, in such a harsh environment, are usually visually keen in the dark of night. Populations in snowbelt regions can see how the white snow can illuminate the earth’s surface with more light than dark metropolis roads lit by street lamps. That, along with colorful clothing, attempts to make up for some of the darkness and fight off climatic induced depression. This is especially true, when the twenty four hour darkness season arrives.

Anyway, as they reached closer on the path toward home, the leading ones in the tribe told more and more stories about the old ways. Past legends were spoken of during those stops along the trek. There have been films made and books written in other languages about some of the tales and heroes, Mekkar heard in the tent. He listened, absorbed, and learned a lot on this journey. But, he was still young, too young to really understand the whole experience and how it affected him. That would happen in time. As they got nearer and nearer to their destination a few more days had passed. Always at the evening’s group gathering was the night coffee. The leaders consumed copious amounts of it. However, Mekkar greatly disliked that drink. It seemed to the boy that definitely the evenings were getting longer as they moved closer to his village. Aslak mentioned to Mekkar, what he was feeling was the anticipation of longing to be back home.

Mekkar’s village is divided by a natural water barrier which also functions as a borderline running down the middle of the river. The water flow does become more restricted and narrow when the river winds around, bends, and curves at various points. Some in the village were convinced the map-makers were drunk as they surveyed the area for the national government. It was probably the reason for some of the odd geographical choices that were selected.

There was a celebration when the trekkers arrived in the village. All manner of festivities were involved with singing, dancing, some play fighting with the buddies, spitting of blood, flirting with the girls, and more. Many of these things are a picture relating to symbolism, a symbol of actual experiences that one encounters and actual desired results of making it back safely. The trek chief Ansetti, well, was not so happy because there was lost reindeer and he felt responsible. Some of the trekkers felt that they did better than they should have in that instance due to its suddenness and large number of assailants. However, that was of no consolation to Ansetti. Overall, that was the only major attack on this trip. Young Mekkar was pleased and he felt proud. He was the youngest person in the herding group on this trek. Yet, there was no reason for him to brag to his friends about being chosen for this completed trip. Another youngster, male or female, from the village would be chosen to participate in the next travelling party with the reindeer. Of course, after the young member of the tribe was somewhat trained and “prepared” first. The boy made it through and there was also a sense of relief on the part of his parents. Mekkar made it back from his long reindeer trek without his parents accompanying him on the journey. There was also a surprise in store for him as his own family was now settled in their new, larger permanent home. Mekkar felt that he had come back to an existence more planted after this trip. This meant no more wandering for awhile. Now was the time for Mekkar to carry on with his free will and be less limited by his surroundings and as many predators. The boy would later see that his assumption was mistaken.

ON THE TREK & SURROUNDINGS - PART 2 (B)

[This story is an improved version from mini cassette recordings of Mekkar’s actual voice in 1990 while hiking and walking as a University student; then, it was converted to a Windows Media Audio File and transcribed in 2011. Mekkar’s spoken English skills are nowhere near as polished as Saavo’s are. Continued from PART 2 (A) in December, 2014.]

A part of the discussion mentioned how native peoples all over the globe deal with many of the same issues, concerns, and battles to preserve their cultures. The other side in the struggle for self-preservation is the prevailing, dominant civilizations. Problem is, the larger ones make all the rules and continue to spread their reign as the dominant rulers of societies. In a way, similar to an extensive mafia with attitudes and viewpoints that see the natives and their old ways as primitive, backwards, and even retarded. Often times, actions are carried against the indigenous peoples to eliminate them altogether because the view if taken that there is no use for them anymore. Even more so, leaders make straightforward demands that all natives should catch up and adapt to the modern world.  

In this area it is normal to have served in the various national military branches for a few reasons: a powerful enemy nearby; this area is sparsely populated; the practice of conscription of all available people for national defense has been conducted for such a long time; and to avoid penalties and punishment for not fulfilling compulsory service. Specific duties depended on each person’s talent combined with geographical location. Some towns or areas are split by a national border, thus individuals from the same village or hamlet possibly could represent different armed forces. Hopefully, they do not have to face off against each other. Various types of service included local militia, homefront, or regular duty.

Females were included in the arrangement also since the regional inhabitants were a small number as compared to huge populations and large armies that surrounded them. In this area one has to be fully committed to their assignment. Choices are limited in some respect because there are not enough people, plus you might end up protecting your own family plot. It is important to note that service is not only restricted to able bodied men. No gender distinction is considered when filling needs. Everyone must contribute if needed to protect the land, property, homes, families, etc. Many of the older people are justifiably afraid of the alternative and what could happen. They still vividly remember the World War II time period, when most of the area was burned to the ground. The local thought process is if everybody does not stand up, then everyone here will be defeated, even crushed and conquered by their enemies. The concepts are built on past real life experience and hardship.

Unfortunately, there are conflicts and rivalries between natives themselves, and certain individuals in particular. Plus, indigenous population is not predisposed as a warmongering people. They are a very peaceful society as a whole. Individuals, can be a different matter altogether. Of course, outside enemy attack without provocation can occur. People can respond, in kind, due to the adaptability aspect that consists as part of overall human nature. In the past, this naturally inclined harmonious disposition and neutral stance positioning has resulted in much suffering placed upon Mekkar’s people. The perception by others saw this personality trait as weakness and forcibly administered a policy of harsh domination and undeniable cruelty. There was plenty of confusion, due to the multiple layers of taxation, levied by a variety of chief rivals who claimed the area as their own. Locals were expected to pay in money, goods, or services to more than one authority at the same time. Otherwise, violent repercussions could be taken such as a family member being sold as a slave to pay the tax debt.

Mainly as a result of necessity, germinating from past brutal treatment experiences, the last few generations of Mekkar’s tribe has acquired an added suspicious defense mechanism. The current age has its dilemmas, but nowhere near the same as in earlier times when the native descendents took a lot of abuse. Massive exploitation of the native people and natural resources by those in authoritative positions was the norm. To some extent the trend still continues, although under the radar and not as blatant. The current laws of the land allow discriminatory practices to transpire at the expense of native interests. Kings, foreign dignitaries, ministers, etc. in former times misused their power in many ways and still do today.

One past example of harsh policy application by invaders was conversion and acceptance of new beliefs. If the aboriginal dwellers didn’t convert, through force, to the dominant state accepted religion from the accepted old rituals of the ancient pagan faith, there would be punishment metered out. Sometimes, the choice was convert to our way or be put to death. Many aboriginal people died as a result of their refusal to neither accept nor submit. More than a few overlords demanded that the natives allow their women to be taken away and intermarried with these strange foreigners or make them slaves. Many of the process were part of an overall plan of racial assimilation. Basically, it is culture extinction forced upon the indigenous minorities by government or powerful leaders.

It is well to note that Mekkar’s people lived in this region long ago and were even given descriptive terms by ancient foreigners who visited from other lands. Study of the area’s languages and dialects have revealed more continuity in the past. Now, there are mostly unintelligible variations mostly due to isolation, locational factors, and national borders. Mekkar thought Ansetti was incredible as he has been able to converse with many different types of people in various dialects of speech. Mekkar admired the trek leader’s communicative ability with everyone he encountered and thus looked up to him in that regard. The boy thought Ansetti was special and had a gift given to him from another realm. This talent was something that Ansetti appeared to do better than everyone else in their crew, well at least, in Mekkar’s mind. He thought it was so cool and desired to acquire that ability also.

As the youngest person from his tribe on this trek, Mekkar had received wide-ranging special education, whether he realized it or not. Added to the fact, back in the village the wise, medicine man Aslak foretold this would happen. The boy was partially exposed to and being trained in a variety of mental and physical categories, all at the same time. Mekkar still didn’t fully grasp many of the concepts due to his youth. The youngest member of the trek was confused regarding some lessons that he was learning on the trek. Later questions and discussion between elders arose as to the boy’s education gathered here. Was there high value and how could it be relevant toward the proper direction of the youngster’s life purpose. How little did Mekkar truly know that he was being prepared for much more, in the future, than he could ever imagine.

According to the plan, the trekkers never quite reached the other sea that Mekkar thought they might reach. Instead, the group changed to a different direction and progressed toward home. Understandably, it was probably a good thing the boy was not part of the leadership planning committee. Admitting inexperienced children in the decision making of the trek, even one as brilliant as Mekkar, would result in disaster for all of them. One of the tribe elders, Aarro, was a mapmaker and sailor who had spent time in other lands. The world explorer mentioned to Mekkar that the group had a certain number of miles (or kilometers) left to travel. He also told the youngster that the trek would follow a slightly different route on their way back home. Aarro commented that the journey shouldn’t be too bad. Along with the herd, they would follow a course which went near a number of a larger lakes and rivers. For Mekkar, there would be more time to progress on to the next level of his development. Aslak and other key players were careful not to overload the growing boy. Information overload avoidance was important. The potential for distraction was great while trying to assimilate everything. Any errors in these environments and situations normally occur due to confusion and lack of coordination among the herders. Potentially costly dangerous mistakes including loss of life was always a real possibility. The idea was to keep Mekkar excited about participating in future treks and not to grow to despise the experience.

There have been great changes for trekkers over time. Groups can now be guided exclusively by modern technology and also aided through the use of machinery with some tasks. Not to forget, the old ways which have been proven effective over hundreds of years. Some tribes, such as Mekkar’s, prefer a mixture of the two methods and claim it delivers the best results. Various fairly predicable seasonal weather patterns often determine diverse individual responsibilities, as well as the whole group. Ancient practices followed guidelines by employing features seen in the sky. The March and September equinoxes, June and December solstices, the recognizable four seasons, plus other important points throughout the calendar year could affect the chosen itinerary. It is a common occurrence each year in winter that a person can experience, no true daylight, for weeks on end. Mekkar has overheard older people in the tribe described their depressed state of mind when they observe the dark sky, even in the middle of the day.  On the other hand, during the height of the summer, the sun never completely sets even at midnight. The natives see it as more preparation time to ready themselves for the long, harsh cold season. Mekkar’s parents, among others, believe the tilt in the Earth’s axis plays a role in designating daily weather conditions. In ancient times and similar to an astronomer, a scant number charted these patterns in a manner that was quite different from the current modern day calendar. It was not a complete almanac, but a chronicle to keep track of consistent rhythms and cycles of life unique to this part of the world.

To approach the closest village, the trek was forced to travel around assorted bodies of water. The herders could see, as well as, feel a rush as local military pilots zoomed above their heads. The exhausted and less fearful, young Mekkar accepted this as an indicator of the long final leg of the journey. It was last step toward home or so he thought. They once again set up camp, while a few kept on watch. While listening to the elder’s converse in the sauna tent, Mekkar found out that home was not as close as he hoped. It was about one hundred sixty one and a half miles (260 kilometers) away. Despite the fact the band of herders hadn’t technically gotten back to their destination, a small celebration broke out. The trekkers realized what they had endured on this trek, yet they had not been conquered. There was a collective sigh of relief and gratefulness that they were all still alive. Still, as the trek chief Ansetti was the only one not fully content with the results due to the losses incurred earlier during the wolf attack. There was plenty of reindeer meat available to be consumed; Cheese from their last stop was part of the diet also. Ah, this is fun, thought Mekkar. He saw it as a reward for a difficult journey. There were other delicacies to choose from: salmon, cod, pike, trout, char, carp, perch, whitefish, and others. They are readily available in the territory. Mekkar thought to himself, “Where have they been hiding this stuff?” After relaxing an extra day, the crew continued back on the move.

Juhani was the first one to point out their good fortune that this homestretch area normally had relatively few wolves. However, as they have remembered earlier on this trek you never know what might happen. It is always better to be safe than sorry and prepare for the unexpected. Not to forget any number of other possibilities that could arise at any time. The assembly there didn’t feel they were in much danger here, but they would stick with the original plan anyway because there were precautions built in.

Overall, most felt the trek had gone well except for that one wolf pack attack. Mekkar felt like it was partly his fault for some of the negative outcome because of failure in the execution of his duties as a watch person. He judged that he could have done a better job and more to prevent any losses in the herd. In reality, an effective response is everyone’s responsibility, not Mekkar’s alone. The youngster did what he could to the best of his ability by warning the others. Trouble was, he was unable to recognize the dark enemy figures basking in the twilight glow. Only experience could have taught the boy. Usage of terrain as cover for a night assault on a herd has been effectively employed for many centuries. After a day or so, the band reached a plateau in the plain, while at the same time encountering a strong head wind. In this locale the air sweeps over the high hills and small mountains and picks-up momentum on the flat valley floor. The two major villages in the area receive the full brunt of the flow. Amazingly, the gusts appear to direct itself to points further south because there is nothing to hinder their path. When the wanderers reached one of the villages the group took a break for more supplies.

Ansetti, with Mekkar in tow, struck up a conversation with an old man named Jaakka. Aslak joined them as they already knew each other from long ago. Jaakka had lived for a long time in this vicinity. Even before the Great War which involved almost every place on earth. At that time essentially everything in this area was burnt to the ground. Mekkar was surprised that Jaakka could converse with the leaders somewhat in their village dialect since it slightly different. Later, the local man joined them at their camp on the outskirts.

That evening, Mekkar stayed attentive as Jaakka recalled many tales of old. Legends, sagas, and mythos were brought up also. A few local heroes were featured in some of the stories. Yes, the natives have their own mythology just like the Greeks, Romans, Norse, and other native peoples. There are key figures and individuals, like Thor or Zeus as well. The narratives included a history of their tribes too. Jaakka spoke to the group in their home dialect as much as could. He could get by, but he was not completely fluent in Mekkar’s dialect of speech. Jaakka had his own regional tongue. Instead he conversed in the main national language for most of the campfire session while most sat around drinking their beloved coffee. Part of the dialogue brought up the point regarding the natives, in most circumstances, are not naturally a warring people. Comparable to most cultures, most people are followers and look to leaders to give them courage, especially in times of adversity. Mekkar’s native tribesmen will reluctantly take on a defensive stance if they have to and only as a last resort. To take on a foe in a physical warlike manner is not normally the first course of action.

Yet, the assembly was aware there was still quite a distance to go before they would reach the sanctity of their homes and families. Not long after the small gathering concluded for the night, the wind became heavier and more forceful. The teepees had to be closed more tightly than usual for the next few evenings. It was a good thing the tents are not as tall and wider at the base to make them structurally suited to withstand higher gusts. Mekkar awoke from rest from the noise due to the strong winds. Leaders endured the bursts to gather anything they could to hold down the loose items by staking some of these items into the ground. It was not possible to tie down anything due to a lack of suitable large trees. Many of the trees there were small enough that practically all of the adults could push them over. The problem is the roots are not able to secure themselves deep into the earth due to the permafrost barrier.

SPEAKING FOR PAPA

Mekkar’s papa had to conduct a business trip to the United States. The father directed his oldest son to ready himself for the journey ahead. Yet, Henrik didn’t reveal any other details about the journey to come. Mekkar was even unaware of the destination or the nature of the trip at all. He thought this was odd, since usually his papa normally prepared him just in case Mekkar’s help was needed in any way.

They drove from the village on a bright sunny day to the closest airport, which was a little over one hundred miles (160.93 Kilometers) away. This trip by vehicle normally takes a couple of hours, in good weather. Right away, Mekkar began the journey speaking with his papa regarding a variety of subjects. Mekkar felt the give and take of conversation would make the drive pass more quickly. However, the reality set in, about fifteen to twenty minutes later Mekkar’s eyelids got heavier and he began to nod off. Soon the youngster, in the front passenger seat, fell asleep to the hum of the car’s motor.

Henrik continued to navigate the vehicle in a non-vocal manner. Mekkar slept all the way to their destination and awoke when they reached the long term auto parking area at the airport. Now, he needed to be alert to avoid mistakes and be at the right gate to board the correct flight. The boy thought it was good that his papa was a detailed individual who handled those minute details for him.

After waiting in the lounge for about thirty minutes to hear a voice over the speaker, it was time to get on the plane. Mekkar joined his papa, Henrik, in their first class seats. His papa never flew economy class. For a few main reasons: Flying coach would create an image that would negatively affect the company Henrik worked for. Secondly, the trips were usually long ones and there is more to be done. Not to forget Henrik, at six foot seven inches (2.0066 meters) tall, had a build that was larger than most people. Personal comfort was always a consideration. Henrik said that, for him, being at ease improved his   business interaction and success rates. On forays with his papa, Mekkar was a beneficiary of this projection of appearances due to his papa’s beliefs. The boy was not going to complain in the least. It was also the same when arriving at different places with his mama, Sirga, too. Both of Mekkar’ parents permanently spoiled him in this regard. Mekkar preferred travelling in style and had gotten a small taste of the good life. No return would ever be acceptable. Mekkar would only now fly economy on an air carrier that has no availability of better accommodations.

The first leg of the voyage was about a three and half hour flight to a much larger city to change planes. It is part of the airline’s hub and spoke timed interchange flight connection system. The larger metropolises are the hub where all flights meet and funnel out of spoke out to smaller destinations. Airlines claim it saves money and provides more service. Not surprisingly, many flyers are skeptical about those assertions.

This was not the first time Mekkar had been on this particular route. He had done this previously with Sirga. There was only a short wait until the next departure and that would be of a much longer duration. The pilots would direct them, high in the sky, over the polar route to Los Angeles. Mekkar watched a couple of movies, grubbed away, and napped some more. Fighting boredom was a difficult task. The youngster was aware of the fact there are a limited number of activities available inside a tube hurdling through the sky. Plus, due to their elevation he couldn’t see much out the windows of the jumbo jet either. At least, it was more comfortable in the non-coach area of the aircraft.

It was nighttime when they at last arrived in Los Angeles. Still, the city illuminated the evening horizon. Henrik and Mekkar’s body clocks needed to adjust to the local area. Both the boy and his papa were tired of travelling all day. Henrik figured they had logged a minimum of ten thousand global air miles in the past twenty four hours. Henrik told Mekkar that sightseeing of the famous movie industry and other locations would only occur after the main tasks were completed.

Accommodations had already been made to stay at one of the nicer local hotels. Mekkar knew that his papa would avoid a reservation too close to a busy airport like LAX. Thus, to be further away from the constant aviation landing, takeoff, traffic, and crowd noise. Avoidance of shaking and rumbling windows, as well as, the scream of powerful engines soaring into the night can affect a person’s sleep habits. The next morning, a limousine,  it was more like a shuttle van, came to pickup Henrik and Mekkar outside the hotel main entrance to take them southward toward San Diego.

In the van Mekkar’s papa only revealed their destination but little else. Henrik told him in a language that no one else there could understand them about this the situation. He said that this was a secret meeting involving a military nature. Henrik also mentioned from this point on, Mekkar could not speak of anything related to this matter for many years to come. The boy misinterpreted his papa’s warning, assuming that he must keep silent about the tasks ahead, forever. Mekkar was fine with that particular stand. Yet, he was still a curious boy. The shuttle dropped off a couple of people and picked up only one other person, a uniformed military man. Henrik figured that this individual must be going to the same place down south as they were. For the rest of the drive there were no more stopovers.

Mekkar had some scant knowledge of his papa’s flight skills and military training. Most of what he did know about his papa in those areas was from listening to stories told between the other adults in the sauna. Henrik would, once in awhile, contribute to the historical discussions and tell his own adventures that he participating in. Much of the conversation went back to World War II because their village was directly affected by it. However, Henrik was much too young to be of any effective armed resistance during that great-war period.

The oldest son, Mekkar, was proud of the fact his papa was the only accomplished jet pilot in the village. Airborne crop sprayers and small plane recreational flying was dismissed by Mekkar, in his mind. Only top-notch commercial jumbo and air force supersonic jets would suffice in the boy’s equations. After hearing these stories about his papa, Mekkar began to elevate his papa on a pedestal. Equaling him at the same level as other great historical flying aces and famous battle tested pilots of earlier times. Mekkar thought his papa was so cool and put him in his own category, a master of the air. Similar to the Red Baron, the boy read about in books.

However, the adolescent declined each time Henrik offered him a plane ride with him in the speedy aircraft he was required to test out. Mekkar was not excited by the possibility of losing his last meal, be rendered unconscious by the g-forces involved, or being inside a plane that was not fully tested. The boy didn’t want to suffer embarrassment, due to a failure to hack it. Also, Mekkar had a feeling if that were the case, the word would get back home and the teasing wouldn’t end for a long time. Thus, Mekkar never took advantage of any requests to go up into the sky. Still, Henrik continued to ask every so often if his son wanted to fly with him. Yet, he was always rebuffed by Mekkar. Henrik’s attitude was ok but you are missing out on a unique experience. Mekkar interpreted it as a probable plane crash would be a rare event also.

Henrik was required during these assessment flights to conduct maneuvers to demonstrate the flying machine’s full capacities. His job included an evaluation process to be done in these prototype jets. Questions must be answered whether the planes functioned as they were originally intended and which improvements were required before full production. Henrik would test the limits of these original aircraft far before they reached full capacity status. After a number of flights or more Mekkar’s papa would land the plane, then get out, and pointed out flaws to improve the flying mechanism’s capabilities. He would also suggest needed upgrades and other aspects based on his electronics and avionics expertise. If other pilots were involved, the cockpit might be reset back to normal. As they were modified to accommodate the large physical specimen that Henrik was. Mekkar’s papa, as a full grown adult, was considered too large to be a pilot according the size and space restrictions of the time. Despite his body structure Henrik was adaptable and could take the controls of just about any aircraft in the skies. Even if the instrumental panel labeling was in an unfamiliar language, he had the knack to figure it out anyway.

On the other hand, Sirga was always worried that she would be the recipient of bad news. She expected that one day she would see an unwelcomed government official or military officer. Sirga continually worried about an approach to the front door of the family home with news that her husband’s test plane had crashed. She was afraid of that dreaded announcement regarding his death as a result of an accident. The good thing is that it never happened. Mekkar and his mama mainly thought that Henrik was fortunate or just lucky perhaps. From time to time, Henrik would fill in and join the crews of the national airline. Henrik flew their commercial jets on various travel routes just because he loved to fly and he was great at it. The company smartly took advantage of his services due to a seeming shortage of good pilots. Once in awhile, Mekkar went along on a few of those flights to destinations all over the globe.

Even though he can’t recall who first mentioned it, Mekkar had previously been told by someone about his papa’s exploits as a fighter pilot. Part of the epic included Henrik as a young air enemy hunter in the Korean conflict on the side of the United States and United Nations led Allied forces. Henrik’s true age was fibbed so he could appear older to manage the jets of the time. Otherwise, technically he would have been considered too young to participate in dogfights. Mekkar had heard about his papa’s past air war activities from others. The son was also aware of Henrik’s extensive study, knowledge, and insight about Soviet made aeroplanes, especially the MiG. Over the years Henrik defeated a good number of those enemy planes in various aerial encounters.

What was remarkable was a promising and daring young Henrik had a more experienced co-pilot right behind him in the cockpit. The other aviator with Mekkar’s papa had the ability to converse in the same communication language of the Allied operations. Many difficulties were avoided because Henrik did not speak the main language of the commanders at all. It was a smart move to put a compatriot with Henrik that comprehended and spoke English. While at the same time, the co-pilot translated commands and instructions for Henrik. Some things never change and exposed the reason a young Mekkar was on this itinerary with his papa. He needed a translator for him to relay valuable information to his audience. In this area, Henrik displayed a portion of his stubbornness. He never felt the need to learn English because he frequently used other tongues instead while conducting business affairs. Yet, this was a special undertaking and Mekkar would be part of it. Sirga’s plan for Mekkar to learn English for the tourist business back home paid off in other ways also.

When the transport limousine reached a security gate at the military base, Henrik roused Mekkar from his nap. They passed through the first layer of security and encountered more soldiers at the next checkpoint. One of the guards had a clipboard in his hands with a list of names on it. He had anticipated the passenger van after seeing it arrive at the front entrance. The young boy spoke up to the security person and told him he was there to translate because he papa did not speak English. The soldier responded back to Mekkar, “My list has your father’s name which matches his identification plus his son. Okay, you may proceed.” There weren’t many strange glances at them, thought Mekkar. He figured it was like military bases at home when the troops would bring their families with them. The youngster concluded that, here like back home, the sight wasn’t uncommon either.

After reaching the main building, papa and son ventured down a fairly long hallway. To the left, Henrik opened a door to what appeared to be a classroom. Mekkar recognized one, even though he had not been present in a formal classroom setting. Various uniformed personnel began to file in. The adolescent boy tried to recall if he could identify their ranks, etc., but he failed to do so. After about ten minutes or so, Henrik was all setup and primed to give his presentation with students who were ready to receive it.

Henrik spoke first and Mekkar followed by telling the group who they were in English. Mekkar explained that since there was nobody else available to perform his role, it was up to him. He asked the audience to bear with him. Mekkar pointed out the fact that despite having only a few years in their language, he would do his best to translate properly. Mekkar continued on and said, “My papa has instructed me to convert exactly what he says to the best of my ability. He says there will be items, aspects, & concepts of a nature that you will understand. However, I am not familiar with most of these things. Also, my papa has pictures and will draw pictures to illustrate some of his points. This session should take about an hour or so.”

The presenter, Henrik, started in and shortly drew a diagram with a black marker on a large white sheet of paper. Mekkar thought to himself, wow! My papa can draw really well and detailed too. On the stand there were many large white sheets that could be flipped over the top and continue on to the next one. The stand dwarfed Mekkar due to its largeness, yet Henrik towered over the helpful tool.

The developing boy had no inkling of what message his papa’s sketches were conveying to the group, by looking at them. Mekkar only comprehended a little more when it was his turn to deliver the words to the audience. It dawned on him right about then, that this could be what his mama was trying to inform him, the day before. Sirga was right again, when she said to him yet again, “If you had a brain you would be dangerous.” Mekkar realized, by helping his papa get some of this information across to a number of the best U.S. military jet pilots, he fulfilled that remark made by his mama. In this particular case, Mekkar was dangerous, especially if an enemy were operating Soviet-made aircraft.

Due to Mekkar’s capability and value in helping his papa on this mission, the boy later received the added benefit of further trips with his papa. Henrik would later on have his oldest son accompany him on three separate trips to the Hawaiian Islands and other places to conduct sessions of a similar vein. For Mekkar, the best part of being involved with those assignments was the time spent with his papa afterward. The two would have fun with sightseeing, theme park rides, and more after the job was completed. The bonding between papa and oldest son increased as a result.

Henrik has a specific business philosophy of extensive early preparation, follow the plan set out, get the work done, then play time begins. On these trips, Mekkar gained an understanding of why his papa was very successful and enjoyed his job so much. Another bonus was the perks of frequent worldwide travel to fulfill Henrik’s widespread duties. Mekkar enjoyed the travel part most of all.

REFUSAL

Mekkar’s younger sibling, Alf has stated more than a few a times, that he refuses to learn the English language and never will do so. Contrary to Alf’s normally laid-back demeanor, he is extremely blunt and forward in regards to this matter. In no way is it an issue of Alf not being able to learn the language. Alf already speaks over twenty different languages fluently from diverse areas of the world. Mekkar quips about his brother, “He can pick up other languages like drinking water. The only issue is desire.” Plus, since Mekkar and their mama also learned English beforehand, Alf could get hints and tips. Both of them would be good sources to practice the learned skills on also. He would not be relegated to honing his English on their godparent’s dog as Mekkar was required to do.

One time long ago, another person spoke plainly to Alf during a conversation and made the off-hand remark that “English is taking over the world”. This angered Alf. He responded in the following manner with arrogant tone. “It is not taking over me nor anyone in my house. I will learn all of the other languages before I will learn English. Do you hear me?” Mekkar’s younger brother already is fluent in what is considered the most difficult tongue in the world, Hungarian. For business, Alf travels all over the globe along   to frequent trips to Asia. When in Hong Kong, Alf is articulate in Cantonese Chinese. He regularly conducts affairs in German, Russian, Korean, Japanese, French, Italian, and many others. This is a skill he inherited from his mama, Sirga. Sirga, herself spoke easily more than twenty languages and forty plus dialects. For Mekkar, it is not so effortless. The oldest had a head start in regards to English, mainly the United Kingdom Commonwealth or British Queen’s version. Mekkar began that task, just after his fourth birthday, for use in the family businesses. Sirga needed the boys to be able to converse with the increased influx of tourists to the area. Who doesn’t want to see real live reindeer and experience the great outdoors?

To this day when the brothers are conversing together in a variety of ways, they continually switch languages when choosing words because one might prefer a certain one. The siblings have their favorite phrases and words in specific languages. This repetitive switching is not a common habit, even among relatives. Since they can understand some of the same tongues, this is usually not a problem, until they reach a point where the one is unfamiliar. Mainly because Alf can easily speak over twenty languages and Mekkar has the same ability in only five. Mekkar basically lost three others due to lack of mental exercise and usage. However, the older sibling can still read a little bit of those three and remember the odd word or phrase. 

The Arctic Warrior, Mekkar, must try to remember not to use English when expressing himself with his kin. This is especially true with regard to usage of slang terminology that Mekkar has picked up through time spent living overseas in North America. The same is true if Alf spoke Chinese to him, even more so when using casual lingo. Alf has three boys now and the middle one has come home attempting to apply new English words learned at school. The boys are required, as part of the curriculum, to learn and be proficient in another tongue that is away from their home region and part of the world. Part of the same unchanged educational standard that Mekkar, Alf, the youngest, Sirga, Henrik the papa, and everyone else experienced, where they grew up. Alf commented that the system wanted to instill more well roundedness to help individuals better prepare for the constantly changing international environment. The concept was that each person would eventually encounter interaction with people from very different places and new skills are always needed. Yet, Alf understands when he overhears English and bellows out, “I do not want to ever hear that in my house or my presence because it will never conquer anything that I can influence, which means you too!” He is almost militant regarding this, but no one knows why. Still, the man with vast vocabularies is mum on the subject. Mekkar chalks it up to plain cultural significance and prideful stubbornness, which he has in abundance also.