Iguana Story

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  Friendship, Guyana
Friday, September 29, 2006

Hi again from the Caribbean!

I'm actually going to take this time and space to tell a story that happened about a month ago, but that I haven't had time to write about until now. So it was around the end of August, and it was a pretty normal Saturday--I went running, showered, made coffee, etc. I then decided to tackle the feat of cleaning my science room. After 3 hours of hard work, including scrubbing, sweeping, disinfecting, organizing, and cleaning dead, crusty bats out of the sinks (with a pencil because I didn't have gloves), I was exhausted and just about to take a little nap when Keisha and Orlando (the children of one of the school guards that we've made friends with) and 4 other kids dropped by to play. So we played outside for a while and then Tiffany decided to put on a movie for them on her laptop...which was a great relief because by that time I was about to fall asleep in the middle of our game

Picture 1 -- Iguana Story

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So just as I was putting some things away in my room before taking a little nap, I hear Tiffany shout from her apartment, "Oh my God!! That's the biggest one I've ever seen!!!" Then, "Jaime! Be careful!!" So of course I'm thinking, 'what the hell?', and I step out of my room to see what's going on. Just as I walk out into my living area, I see a HUGE iguana, complete with giant claws and a giant slashing tail, lumbering into my apartment. Seriously, this thing was huge and scary and staring right at me (See Picture 1, Iguana Story). So of course I screamed bloody murder and jumped onto the chair. Then all 6 kids run over and get some sticks and try to whack at it repeatedly (????). So then it runs further into my house (everyone screams) and goes under the sink. The kids are all laughing, trying to get a better look at it, and can't stop talking about how they want to kill it and make Iguana Curry. Keisha was so excited about the "sweet and salty iguana curry" that I thought her head was going to pop off. (Meanwhile, I am still scared and freaking out on the top of the chair).

So while the kids are trying to get at the iguana under the sink (See Picture 2, Iguana Story), Tiffany screams to Mr. Williams (the school groundskeeper) across the yard, "Mr. Williams!! Giant Lizard! Jaime's apartment!!" He eventually toddles over (I don't think he was nearly as concerned as we were) with a machete and a long rope tied to a stick [friends, please insert appropriate movie quote here]. Mr. Williams goes right for the iguana under the sink, and the battle began. After a couple minutes of struggle, Mr. Williams snatches iguana's tail, and starts pulling. But this iguana is feisty, and just will not come out from under the sink (See Picture 3, Iguana Story)

Picture 2 -- Iguana Story

. After several more minutes, iguana finally begins to scurry out (everyone screams, except for Mr. Williams) and tries to run across the room. But Mr. Williams has his tail still, so when iguana goes to run, Mr. Williams pulls back on his tail, which tears off, and is still wiggling around on the floor as the iguana runs into the other corner (closer to us!). Mr. Williams chases iguana into the corner, machete in hand. (Meanwhile, one of the kids picks up the still wiggling tail and brings it over for me to hold--splendid). Mr. Williams then winds up to whack the thing with the machete about 10 times, and then ties him up with the rope. In the end, Mr. Williams was very proud of his victory (See Picture 4, Iguana Story), and the kids were still screaming for Iguana Curry. Bizarre.

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Picture 3 -- Iguana Story

Picture 4 -- Iguana Story

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