L’Adventure with crop duster airplane
By Elliott Brack
Editor and Publisher, GwinnettForum
FEB. 19, 2021 | A first-time Duluth resident has just published Grand Lure: Africa, an exciting 393 page novel set in West Central Africa. The action takes place in four countries, Ghana, Togo, Barandi and Burkina Faso.
The author’s name is Michel L’Aventure, but that’s a pen name. His real name is Michel Fraiz (“frake,” as pronounced in “brake”). He bases the book on his own real-life adventures in the West African countries.
The novel explains the unscrupulous ways business is often conducted there. While they are considered “democratic” countries, there is corruption everywhere, from people controlling neighborhoods to the state government. He says: “It’s routine to give crossing guards some gift.
It’s most helpful to have plenty of small-bill cash with you. You can never tell when someone from the lowest to the highest may need to have a hand crossed with money…for you to survive.”
The author still has French citizenship, though he has been living in the USA for 24 years. He came to the Atlanta area after meeting his future wife in 1993 when she, Jan Wroton, a Dekalb County fifth grade teacher, was on a tour to Europe. He was the tour director and bus driver. They have lived in Duluth since 1997.
His trip to Africa came in 2001. His business friend had Africans wanting to invest two million Euros with him, mainly to get the money out of Africa. But where did the money come from? Was it honest? He commissioned Michel to go to Africa to find out.
In many of these African nations a person must go through many people before transacting business. While often at the governmental level, sometimes it consists of working with several layers of private venturers, new-found friends, hangers-on, middlemen, and even goons, before business is transacted. Even when the business is completed, you may never know the real actors. Deception is prevalent, and watching your step is important.
Fraiz’ frustration grew over his inability to conduct business and to answer the question of the money’s origin.
In the novel, the main character has become a wanted person, and must flee the country. But he cannot fly from an airport, since he is a marked man, mainly for raising too many questions.
Then begins several harrowing experiences trying to get out of Africa. He makes this journey by conventionally leaving Togo for Ghana somewhat hidden (though the only white person) in a dilapidated bus. The older bus breaks down, delaying his escape. Then he hitches a ride by hanging onto a moped driver for an hour’s ride. The moped driver is also a pilot, so next he squeezes into a single-seat crop duster, for an hour’s flight (cost $180) across the border into Barandi. To cross the border into Burkina Faso, he must be a passenger in a transfer truck, hauling modern computer components.
This brings on the zaniest part of the trip, as a deserted part of the rough highway is a haven for truck hijackers. Soon the truck is set upon, with repeated gunshots being fired at the truck, and our hero injured from sprayed glass when the windshield is shot out. Finally, when another truck shows, the hijackers vamoose.
Shortly after, Catholic nuns, who are also doctors, offer a few days of medical treatment for our man. Then, amazingly, a jet airplane arrives to routinely re-supply the mission, and even has an empty seat for a trip back to France.
Whew!
The book is published by Mountain Arbor Press of Alpharetta, and is available at $16.99 from the web site, www.michellaventure.com or from Book Logix and Amazon.
- Have a comment? Send to: elliott@brack.net
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