“Gotcha,” Adam says, and then he turns in the chair to look at Zach over me. “So, tell me… what’s it like… really… where you live? What’s a typical day like in the wild?”

Zach stands up briefly and turns his chair to face Adam. I can see absolute pleasure on his face that someone has asked about his home, and he’s clearly eager to share it.

“First… it’s the most beautiful place you can imagine,” Zach says with reverence in his voice. “Green as far as the eye can see. The air is heavy… like a soft blanket… and sometimes smells like perfume because of the wild flowers. Brilliant-colored birds fly overhead. The jungle can be mysteriously quiet, although it can be very noisy when all the animals are chattering. But there’s also danger, and I live every moment on the edge… always aware that a small misstep could have grave consequences. It’s hard to describe… but, when you are always cognizant of how fragile life is in that environment, you feel more alive… more exhilarated.”

Adam’s eyes are wide and almost glazed in a hypnotized fashion as he listens to Zach paint a pretty picture of his life. But I know it’s much harder than what Zach is portraying. I know every day is a struggle to keep their society whole and free from harm.

“What do you do every day there?”

“The man’s main job is to protect the tribe.”

“From wild animals?” Adam asks with intrigue.

“Sometimes,” Zach says. “But also from other tribes that attempt to raid us.”

“Seriously? That happens?”

“Absolutely,” Zach says. “There are a few tribes that we are constantly at war with.”

I hope Adam doesn’t push for more information because I absolutely don’t want Zach telling him that those raids and wars result in loss of life. I don’t want him knowing that Zach has killed, because while I understand it based on my education and background and the way I’ve come to know Zach on a deeper level, it’s not an easy thing for many to digest.

Instead, Adam asks, “So, you stay close to your village to protect it?”

“No, we have to hunt almost daily to provide protein. We go out in large hunting parties but will leave a few men back for some modest protection.”

“And what do you hunt?” Adam asks, fascinated by the concept. Such a man.

“Tapir, wild pigs, and alligator. That’s some of the bigger prey, but we also hunt monkey and snakes. Although we fish as well, and that’s actually something the women help us do.”

I didn’t know that and I perk up in interest at this concept—that the women would actually be counted on to help in the providing of the food. I mean, they tend the crops but the men do that as well.

“So you all go out with fishing poles and have a day at the river or something?” I ask Zach.

“No, far more interesting than that. The women make up palm-frond baskets, and we fill it with a plant that has a toxin in it. We then find small pools and submerge the baskets in the water. The toxin temporarily stuns the fish but doesn’t cause permanent damage or poison them. When they float to the top, we shoot them with small bows and arrows. It’s actually one of the ways the boys in the tribe learn how to use their own bows. It’s more of a tribal bonding experience when we do that.”

My heart sighs at the same time it sinks. I can’t mistake the fondness in Zach’s words, and I even recognize longing within them. He comes from a society that has mastered the idea of community living. It’s something that we have long lost in this country.

“This is all so fascinating,” Adam says with a smile. “I’d totally starve to death if I were lost in the Amazon.”

“Just like I’d probably starve to death here,” Zach says, and my head jerks toward his when I hear a slight hint of bitterness.

His eyes come to mine, and I see something in there I’ve never seen before. Uncertainty, fear, and low self-esteem.

“No way, dude,” Adam says with a laugh. “There’s a grocery store on every corner.”

Such a simple answer for a terribly complex problem.

Sure… there’s food everywhere, but what Zach means is that he truly has no way to earn it. He has no transferrable skills, no education, and no work experience. He’s virtually unemployable except for maybe manual labor and, even then, you have to have skills or experience.

Is that why Zach wants to return to Caraica? Because there at least he’s needed? He’s important and he can survive? Whereas here… it would be such a struggle to catch up to this society that left him behind so long ago?

I know, without a doubt, that Randall would gladly have Zach stay with him and would provide for every comfort he could ever wish for. I also know Zach will never… ever accept something like that. He’d rather be homeless and starving before he accepted that type of lifestyle. He has too much pride to ever submit to that.

But on the flip side, I know Randall would never let Zach just take his charity. Randall has all but made a formal offer of employment at Cannon’s if Zach were interested in that. I’m betting Randall would also want Zach to complete his education and would help him obtain that.

Interesting things to consider, and maybe I need to broach this more with Zach. Maybe if he saw a way to survive and flourish here, he wouldn’t want to go back.

Maybe he’d want to stay here with me and build a life.