That morning we saw a host of wildlife: kudu, oryx, impala, warthogs, hyena, buffalo, all kinds of birds, and smaller creatures. Sam and Chris often spotted the animals before we did, with Chris narrating each scene with anecdotes, personal war stories, bits of trivia, and scientific facts. He had us all eating out of his hand. Here was a guy who faced down potential deadly encounters with wild animals on a daily basis while the rest of us worried about typos in our spreadsheets or whether we should have almond milk or dairy in our morning latte.
“What animal scares you the most?” someone asked.
“Black mamba,” Chris replied without hesitation. “Deadliest snake on Earth. And the fastest. They can jump out of the grass when you least expect it. One bite above the waist and you’re dead in l
