Scrabble Tournament in Kenya

November, 2008

Jack and I were at our first camp of three in Kenya. I was in heaven - wildlife, amazing people, sleeping in a tent and being awakened by Maasai bringing coffee in bed. I mean this was the fantasy come to life. Our camp was Porini Amboselli Camp - situated near the famous Amboselli National Park - home to elephant and dust devils.

The camp Manager was named Tony. He was a little aloof and in this heat in the bush (very dusty) he wore a white sport jacket. Jack nicknamed him Mr. Rourke (from Fantasy Island). Tony didn't really mingle with us - he left us to our own accord - possibly because he knew we were on out honeymoon, possibly because he had better things to do than talking to American tourists - like run the camp. On our last day at this particular camp, I asked Jack if he wanted to play scrabble with me. I always bring my portable scrabble game with me everywhere I go. And I always force Jack to play. And he always loses and when he starts losing he gets a little whiny and he sabotages the game so he will lose faster. It's kind of a game within a game. We play. Jack gets bored. Loses big time. Starts with the abbreviations (FAA is not a word, honey).

Sooooo I mention to Jack that we have to play scrabble and Tony the aloof camp manager overhears and says "scramble? I love scramble". Jack volunteers him to play with me. OK before dinner TOny and I will play scramble (I love scramble. so much a more appropriate name for the game, don't you think?).....So we get changed for dinner and Tony and I play scramble. Tony is good. And takes it seriously. There is no scramble dictionary so we make some new rules. No Swahili. English only, please. And if someone challenges a word and the other player can't use it in a sentence and give a definition it goes off the board. This makes up for a slight language and culture (Kenyans are schooled in the British way and spelling is British rules) difference.

Anyway, we play. And Tony is good. But I am winning. By now, there are about a dozen Maasai warriors around the game. And the chef is yelling that the soup is burning. Doesn't matter - what matters is the game. I finally found someone who takes this seriously and he's in Kenya....go figure. Well, I'm thinking is it OK for the camp manager to get beaten by an American woman? Will the Maasai give him respect? Hell with that - I'm winning! So I win. TOny shakes my hand and asks for a rematch. I'd love to, I explain, but our flight out of Amboselli is at like 10 am and it's a 2 hour trip to the airstrip and so sad, too bad, maybe next time. So Tony says, I will wake you up at 4am so we can play. Sure, buddy. Go for it I say.


Four AM. Jack and I see a lantern in our sleep traveling toward the tent. "That's your wake up call", Jack says. Oh damn - this guy was serious. I throw on some shorts and my glasses, stumble out of the nice warm tent and into the night trailing a Maasai warrior with a lantern and a spear. There is a fire burning, strong hot coffee waiting and a table with.....the scrabble board all set up. Tony is there with his sport jacket - how the hell does he look dapper at 4am in the middle of Kenya?

We play and to make it more interesting we make a bet. If he wins he gets the scrabble (ahem, scramble) board. We play. Again more Maasai show up. Jack shows up to watch. This is an epic battle - wars were fought over less - woman vs. man. US vs. Kenya. City vs. Savannah. Some words are challenged (apoem is not a word, Tony. yes it is - I wrote apoem. Nooooo)...

As the sun starts to rise, the birds join the tournament. Thousands of birds, millions of birds. Singing and waking. Chattering and flying. As we play scrabble by the fire, the firey sun rises over the African plain. And as I play, I am aware that this incredible and surreal moment in my life will certainly never come again. I am in Africa. I am playing scrabble by the firelight as the sun rises over the land I have dreamed about all my life. I am losing this game that is being watched by Maasai - the most beautiful and majestic people I have ever seen.

I wind up losing. And shaking Tony's hand. And presenting him with the game. He is a formidable opponent and a new friend. We promise each other a rematch. I will make good. Someday.

July 2009 - Just received a message from Wilson, our guide at Amboselli Porini Camp in Kenya. He was playing scrabble. I smiled.