Following society PR Liz Brewer’s recent revelations, in the Sunday
Telegraph, of a near death experience involving her favourite boots and
a hippopotamus, news reaches me of another industry figure having a bad
hippo day.
Sheldon Communications managing director Peter Sheldon Green was having
a quiet canoe on the Zambesi when a hippo surfaced under his vessel,
momentarily balanced it on its head like a seal with a ball, then
pitched its surprised occupants into the croc-invested waters.
Sheldon Green, his wife Nadine and their guide, struck out for dry land.
Fortunately, the hippo was more interested in the canoe than them and
their 50-metre dash to the banks was too snappy for the crocodiles.
Sheldon Green, now safely back in the marginally calmer waters of London
PR, tells me he followed his own best advice: never freeze in a crisis.
‘It’s what happens in the first few seconds that affects the outcome,’
he says with conviction. ‘The hippopotamus was attacking the canoe and
so, by swimming like hell, we managed to avoid it attacking us.’ A tip
worth remembering.
