Sorry everyone - I completely forgot I was supposed to be doing this!
Here is my Lit Clue - hope it's not too easy (or too difficult!) It's from a short story called "The Fool", and no, the answer is not The Fool
As William crouched to secure the hems with white handkerchiefs, Mmbabu lifted a dark hand and stroked his cheek (which minutes before had been hidden beneath an inch of beard), causing William to stop what he was doing and look up at the boy’s face, at his broad grin and dark shining eyes, and for the first time since their paths had crossed, he briefly considered the boy’s future, and the possibility of keeping Mmbabu for himself rather than submitting him for research as he had planned (which was, of course, the right thing to do for science); since, as his finder, he was the closest thing to a father Mmbabu would have (and Mmbabu was probably the closest thing to a son he would ever have, based on his history with women – or rather lack of it).
Then the moment passed and William tilted back to appraise his work, which, with the boy’s strangled locks and grubby skin, seemed to have merely amplified the strangeness of his appearance; however, he supposed it would serve at least to safeguard the sensibilities of the female passengers (although it did little to diminish the smell which was the product of a lifetime sharing living quarters with primates; he could only hope that Mmbabu’s appearance would preclude any desire for closer investigation).
“Shall we go to dinner then?” William said, standing and straightening his tie.
Mmbabu nodded, straightening his own, imaginary, tie, and William couldn’t help but smile. Of course, as he had explained to Cedric the day before, it was difficult to tell whether the boy was actually learning or merely imitating like a parrot; either way, it generated in William a feeling not unlike pride at being the source of Mmbabu’s development. Later that evening, documenting the dining room incident in his journal, he would write, “Despite all that, I can’t help feeling a certain fondness for the boy. He reminds me rather of the dog I had as a child.”
Happy guessing!
Pip
