Kinshasa's Mystery Man of Adventure

I've had these pictures for years, but have never shown them, because "Luc" (his pseudonym in the book) liked to hover in the shadows of anonymity. In respect for his wishes, I have now used digital technology to mask his face.

Luc was an adrenaline junkie friend. One time he took the bonobo researcher Dr. Jo Thompson on a tour of Kinshasa as a favor. While on the road, he and Thompson came across an overturned beer truck with soldiers already at the accident scene. Of course, Luc had to stop to take pictures (he carried a "Press" card expressly for the purpose), probably because, the paranoia of the local politics made photographs expressly forbidden.

The next thing Thompson knew, Luc was wrestled to the ground with machine guns pointed at him. His film was confiscated, but somehow they managed to wiggle out of that predicament. Jo said that I had some wild crazy friend, and no thanks, she didn't need anymore Kinshasa tourism.

In 1993, Kinshasa erupted for the second time in civil disorder, with rampaging soldiers prowling the streets, looting stores, and looking for trouble. I should have learned from the first time, but still being somewhat of an adrenaline junkie myself, I got talked by Luc into going out in the foray.

Luc's truck broke down when the wiring burst into flames under the dash. We were surrounded by soldiers and forced to accompany them back to the institute. Fortunately, Luc got the wounded truck started, but it died permanently as soon as we arrived. I made Luc spend the night on my couch. From Grains of Golden Sand:

"In the light of day, we saw that a bullet had ricocheted off of an animalerie wall and smashed neatly through the exact center of Luc's windshield. We found the bullet nestled in the driver's seat. Luc was enormously proud of this keepsake and insisted that I take a photo of him and the grinning guards with his holed windshield. He also wanted one of the singed wires. He said that a headlight fuse had melted, the fault of a friend's limited electrical talents. Luc repaired his car by bypassing the frayed wiring and was able to cruise out, a smile on his face. He promised news and food. I couldn’t help but admire his guts and joie de vivre."

The three photos show Luc with the melted wiring, holding the spent bullet, and showing the bullet hole and the Press card in the windshield.

Photos by D. Messinger