Roadkill — Juba Style.

The other day I was escorting a small group of USAID people to meet with the Minister of Telecommunications and Postal Services. The reason why doesn’t really matter; rather, what we found happening in the parking lot was really more of interest. Spying a group of about 15 men that were all circled around something, I decided to wander over and become part of the grouping.

I have long since discovered it’s not really useful to pre-suppose I know what is going on — so often my Western sensibilities are wrong here (after all, I still can quite figure out how one is supposed to determine how many cows one needs for a wife).  What I found was a lot of excitement surrounding the butchering of… well… a giant lizard.  I recognized the beast from my days of volunteering at the National Zoo.  This was a Nile monitor – and not the “alligator” that I was told it was (though, to be fair, how many Sudanese have to translate that word?!)  I was a little sad since I had cared for these creatures at various points in my life, and my good friend Sheri was particularly fond of these beasts.  But, since this guy (I was told) was roadkill, these men were just taking advantage of the situation.

While it may not be a possum, the fact the butchering of this roadkill was taking place on a back panel of a truck was something that reminded me of the good ole boys back home in Virgina.

The funny part was that I was told that if I ate the meat of this poor beast, I would suddenly attract ladies by the dozens.  Well, if you know me, that wouldn’t be something I would have wanted.  So, I did politely decline saying I had plenty of ladies in my life — this earned a knowing nod and laughter from all the guys hanging around.

Then, I went to see the Minister about some Telecommunications. Just another day in Juba.