Chapter 15 Chapter fifteen

Well, that's it, we grow cotton.Acre after acre of cotton fields, rising and falling along the mountain, there are as many as the entire universe.If there's one thing that's certain in my life, it's this: If we get out of this place, I'll never be a cotton farmer. A lot has indeed happened since the first day we encountered Big Sam and the cannibals in the jungle.First, Major Fritch and I talked Big Sam out of making us send poor Sue to his people to cook and eat.We said it would do a lot more good to have Sue grow us cotton than to beat him to the teeth.So, Su now wears a straw hat and carries a sack every day, and grows cotton with us.

Also, the third or fourth week we were there, Big Sam came into our hut and said, "Hey, Forrest Gump, can you play chess?" I said, "No." He said, "Well, you're a Harvard guy, and you might like to learn." I nodded, and that's how I learned to play chess. Every evening when we came back from farming, Big Sam would take out the chessboard, and we would play chess around the fire until late at night.He taught me all kinds of moves, and for the first few days he taught me strategy.But then he stopped teaching because I beat him by a set or two. After some time, the chess game became longer and longer.Sometimes it lasts for days.Because Big Sam is indecisive about his next move.He studied the chessboard for a long time before he moved a piece, but I always beat him.Sometimes he gets mad at himself and hits his own feet with a stick, or hits his head against a rock or something.

"You're a pretty good chess player for a Harvard guy," he'd say, or he'd say, "Uh, Gump—why did you just make that move?" I wouldn't say anything, or just Shrugging, making Big Sam always rage. One day, he said: "You know, Forrest Gump, I'm so glad you came here, I have a chess opponent, and I'm glad I saved you and didn't cook you up. There is only one regret, I I really want to beat you." Saying that, Big Sam licked his tongue, so he didn't have to be an idiot to know: If I let him win a game, he'd be satisfied, and he'd cook me for dinner on the spot.It's scary, my friend, you know what I mean?

Meanwhile, a very strange thing happened to Major Fritch. One day when she came back from the cotton fields with Sue and me, a big black arm came out of a bunch of bushes and beckoned her over.Sue and I stopped, and Major Fritch went up to the bushes and said, "Who's in there?" All of a sudden, big arms went out and grabbed her and pulled her into the bushes.Sue and I looked at each other and ran right up to her.Sue got there first and I was about to jump into the bushes when Sue stopped me.It shook its head and waved me to go away, we stepped aside and waited.All kinds of noises came from the bushes, and the branches and leaves shook violently.I finally understood what was the matter, but from Major Fritch's voice she didn't sound like she was in any danger, so Sue and I kept on going back to the village.

About an hour later Major Fritch came back with a big guy.The guy smiled, and she took his hand.She took him into the hut and said to me, "Forrest Gump, I introduce you to Gurlock." "Hi!" I said.I've seen this guy around the village.Gurlock grinned and nodded, and I nodded too.Sue was scratching his crotch. "Gurlock wants me to move in with him," she said. "I think I'll move in, because it's a little crowded here for the three of us, don't you think?" I nod. "Gump, you won't tell anyone about this, will you?" she asked.Uh, who does she think I'm gonna tell?I would like to know.But I just shook my head, and Major Fritch took her bits and pieces and went with Gurlock to his place.That's the way it is.

Day by day, month by month, and finally year by year.Every day me and Sue and Major Fritch were working in the cotton fields, and I started to feel like Uncle Remus in Roman mythology who was raised on a wolf's milk or something.At night, after I beat Big Sam at the chessboard, Sue and Sue would go in the hut and sit down and talk.We've gotten to the point where we can sign, make emojis, and mutter and chat.After a while I was able to piece together its life story, which turned out to be as miserable as mine. When Sue was a little ape, his papa and mama were walking in the jungle one day, and some guys caught them with a net.It managed to live with its uncle and aunt for a while, but was kicked out because it ate too much, and it was left to fend for itself.

It got by; wandering among the big trees all day, eating bananas, until one day it became curious about the outside world, so it swung from tree to tree to a village on the edge of the jungle.He was thirsty, so he was sitting by a creek drinking water, when a guy came by in a canoe.Sue had never seen a canoe before, so he just stared at it and the guy paddled the canoe to him.He thought the guy was going to give him a ride, but instead the guy hit Sue on the head with a paddle and tied him up like a pig, and all he knew was he was sold to another guy and sent to Paris displayed at an exhibition.

There is another great ape with rubbery brown hair in the exhibition, named Doris, who has never seen such a beautiful female ape.After a while, they fell in love.The guy who put on the show took them all over the world, and everywhere they went, the thing that got the audience the most was putting Doris and Sue in a cage and watching them make love--that kind of show.Anyway, Sue was embarrassed, but it was the only chance they had for life. They were exhibited in Japan once, and a guy made an offer to buy them.He was gone, Sue didn't know where he was, and he was all alone again. This incident completely changed Sue's attitude towards the world.It gets angry and angry, it barks its teeth and growls in the exhibition, and finally it shits, and then.Throw the shit out of the cage on the people who pay to see it.

After a while, the guy who put on the show got fed up and sold Sue to NASA, and that's how he ended up in the jungles of New Guinea.I kind of know how it feels.For it was still alone with Doris, and I was alone with Jenny, and there was not a single day that I did not miss her.However, we both suffer from the same disease, and we are both stuck in this shitty place right now. Big Sam's cotton harvest is beyond imagination.We harvested bale after bale of cotton and let them organize it in the new hayloft.Finally one day.Big Sam said they were going to build a big ship--a barge--to carry the cotton, and then fight their way through the little black person territory, and sell the cotton in town for a fortune.

"I figured it all out," said Big Sam. "First we auction off the cotton and get the money. Then we use the money to buy some things my people need." I asked him what it was, and he said, "Oh, you know, buddy, pearls, trinkets, maybe a mirror, and a portable radio, a box of fine Cuban cigars, and two cases of wine." I see. Anyway, a few months later, we harvested the last cotton of the season. Big Sam's barge was nearly finished, and so, the night before they set out, they held a great ceremony and drove away the evil spirits. All the clansmen who fell gathered around the fire and sang "Pula pula" and beat the drums.They also dragged out the huge pot and set it on fire to cook, but Big Sam said it was just a "symbolic ceremony."

We sat next to each other and played chess.I'm telling you, friend - I'm going to explode!As soon as we get near town we'll run away and Sue knows the plan, too, because, too, he's sitting there scratching his armpits and grinning so happily. We've played a game or two and we're about to finish another game when all of a sudden I look down and I'm like, damn it, Big Sam's going to checkmate me!He was smiling so smugly that I could see his teeth in the dark, so I thought: I need to get out of this dying situation. The problem is, I can't get out of it.Because I have been thinking about wishful thinking in my heart, I have trapped myself on the chessboard unconsciously.There is no way out. I studied the chessboard for a long time, and the firelight shone on Big Sam's smiling teeth, clearly reflecting my frown.So I said, "Ah, uh—I'm going to pee." Big Sam nodded, still grinning; and let me tell you, that's the first time I can remember getting out of trouble by saying that instead of getting into trouble . I went to the back of the hut to pee, and after that, instead of going back to play chess, I got into the hut and explained the situation to Su.Then I snuck up to Gurlock's thatched hut, called Major Fritch out in a low voice, and told her the story too, and said I'd better get away before they were cooked. So, we all decided to give it a go.Gurlock said he'd go with him, because he was in love with Major Fritch -- or so he meant it anyway.In short, the four of us sneaked out of the village immediately and came to the river. On the day when we were about to board the native canoe, I suddenly looked up and saw Big Sam standing in front of me with about a thousand natives, with a stern look on his face. Disappointed again. "Don't worry, boy," he said, "do you really think you can fool us old fox?" I told him, "Oh, we just want to go boating in the moonlight - you know what I mean?" "Alas," he said, making himself clear, before his men grabbed us and dragged us back to the village.The cauldron was bubbling and boiling, and they tied us to stakes, and it didn't look too good. "Well, boy," said Big Sam, "it's unfortunate that things have turned this way. But look at it this way, at least you can take comfort in knowing you've fed a hungry stomach or two. And, I must Let me tell you—you are without a doubt the strongest chess player I have ever met, and I won the chess championship three out of four years at Yale." "As for you, ma'am," said Big Sam to Major Fritch, "I'm sorry to have to end your love affair with this old Gurlock, but you understand my plight. " "No, I don't understand, you crafty savage," said Major Fritch. "What benefits will you get? You should be ashamed!" "Maybe we can serve you and Gurlock on the same plate," Big Sam chuckled. "Own meat with dark meat - I'll have a thigh, myself, or maybe a breast - well, that's pretty good." "You vicious, utterly wicked bastard!" said Major Fritch. "Say what you want," said Big Sam. "Alright, the feast begins!" They untied us, and then a bunch of natives dragged us to the cauldron.They got poor Sue first because Big Sam said it would be a "delicacy" and they held him up on the big pot and were about to throw it in when an arrow fell from the sky and hit Sue of a guy.The guy went down and Sue fell on top of him.Then arrows rained down on us from the edge of the jungle, and everyone panicked. "It's a black person!" Big Sam cut back. "Get your weapons!" Everyone ran to get their spears and knives. The four of us had neither spears nor knives, so we ran towards the river again, but we hadn't run more than ten feet, and we were suddenly caught upside down in the air by a snare set among the bushes. We were hanging there like bats, with blood pouring into our foreheads, when a little guy came out of the bushes and laughed at us.All sorts of savage sounds came from the village, but after a while all the sounds fell silent.Then a group of little blacks appeared, cut off our nets, bound our hands and feet, and took us back to the village. oops!They had captured Big Sam and his people, and bound their hands and feet too.It seems that the little black man is going to throw them all into the big pot. "Well, boy," said Big Sam, "seems like you got away with it?" I nodded, but I'm not sure if we change the soup or not the medicine, we will die after all. "Well," said Big Sam, "it looks like it's over for me and my people, but maybe you've got a chance. If you could get your harmonica and play a tune or two, it might save your life.The little black chief loves American music. "Thanks," I said. "You're welcome, boy," said Big Sam.They hoisted him high above the cauldron, and suddenly he yelled to me, "Knight to bishop three—and pawn ten to king seven—that's how I beat you!" Two splashes of water, and then Big Sam's bound tribe began singing "Bool Boo La" again.Things are very bad for all of us.