Dead Bird Number 5

[a picture of Momodou and F.O.]

Just a quick note… today was much like yesterday, although I went on trek with Ebrima, the new CHN nurse here in Kuraw. It was fun! I’m going back on Thursday for the clinic at Momadie Ceesay, a village about 8 or 9 km away.

I was just outside in my compound when Momodou [formerly known as the compound crazy] discovered a dead chicken on the side of the kitchen hut. As he picked it up and said, “Isa! A jiibe!” [Look!], all I could think was, ‘that thing better not have had the bird flu.’ Noticing Senne [age 2], Lamin [age 4], and Sirra [also age 4], Momodou decided to have fun and began chasing them with the dead bird. I was horrified. The body was stiff and yet its’ head was still bobbing around. Around and around they all went, the younger children screaming and Momodou drooling/laughing. I began to get nauseated with the sight and told him to stop. What does he do? He begins chasing a sheep, flinging out the chicken to hit the poor thing with it. I tell him to throw the bird… and he does, directly at the sheep. Mid-air, one wing and the head flies off. I was so appalled I started laughing and couldn’t stop… in fact, I am still laughing now. It was grotesque and morbid and hilarious all at the same time. Oh, Africa… you are too wonderful.