“No, I am forbidden,” Alphonse said. “Only when we retrieve or release, and only then with Dr. Edwards.”

“How do you get the extra food to the island?” Melanie asked.

“There is a small float,” Alphonse said. “I pull it across the water with a rope, then pull it back.”

“Are the bonobos aggressive with the food or do they share?” Melanie asked.

“Very aggressive,” Alphonse said. “They fight like crazy, especially for the fruit. I also saw one kill a monkey.”

“Why?” Kevin asked.

“I think to eat,” Alphonse said. “He carried it away after the food I brought was all gone.”

“That sounds more like a chimp,” Melanie said to Kevin.

Kevin nodded. “Where on the island have the retrievals taken place?” he asked.

“All have been on this side of the lake and stream,” Alphonse said.

“None have been over by the cliff?” Kevin asked.

“No, never,” Alphonse said.

“How do you get to the island for the retrieval?” Kevin asked. “Does everybody use the float?”

Alphonse laughed heartily. He had to dry his eyes with his knuckle. “The float is too small. We’d all be supper for the crocs. We use the bridge.”

“Why don’t you use the bridge for the food?” Melanie asked.

“Because Dr. Edwards has to make the bridge grow,” Alphonse said.

“Grow?” Melanie questioned.

“Yes,” Alphonse said.

The three guests exchanged glances. They were confused.

“Have you seen any fire on the island?” Kevin asked, changing the subject.

“No fire,” Alphonse said. “But I’ve seen smoke.”

“And what did you think?” Kevin asked.

“Me?” Alphonse questioned. “I didn’t think anything.”

“Have you ever seen one of the bonobos do this?” Candace asked. She opened and closed her fingers then swept her hand away from her body in imitation of the bonobo in the operating room.

“Yes,” Alphonse said. “Many do that when they finish dividing up the food.”

“How about noise?” Melanie asked. “Do they make a lot of sounds?”

“A lot,” Alphonse said.

“Like the bonobos back in Zaire?” Kevin asked.

“More,” Alphonse said. “But back in Zaire I don’t see the same bonobos so often as I do here, and I don’t feed them. Back home they get their own food in the jungle.”

“What kind of noise do they make?” Candace asked. “Can you give us an example.”

Alphonse laughed self-consciously. He glanced around at his wife to make sure she wasn’t listening. Then he softly vocalized: “Eeee, ba da, loo loo, tad tat.” He laughed again. He was embarrassed.

“Do they hoot like chimps?” Melanie asked.

“Some,” Alphonse said.

The guests looked at each other. They’d run out of questions for the moment. Kevin got up. The women did the same. They thanked Alphonse for his hospitality and handed back their unfinished drinks. If Alphonse was offended, he didn’t show it. His smile didn’t falter.

“There’s one other thing,” Alphonse said just before his guests departed. “The bonobos on the island like to show off. Whenever they come for the food, they make themselves stand up.”