A question I never thought I'd ask

Some conversations just need to be written down.. this is one of them. This happened while we were at worship practice on Tues. night.

D- So Lydia did you use the coconut I brought you?
L- Well not yet, no. But I be cooking iguana tomorra and the coconut milk will be good.
D- Iguana eh? *Eyebrows raising*

I need to say that the islanders know that I am grossed out at the thought of eating iguana so I think sometimes they tell me iguana stories just to see me gag or threaten to walk away. Don't ask me why it really makes me ill to think about eating a reptile but it really does. Apparently they say it tastes like chicken with ALOT of tiny (reptile) bones in it! No thanks.


But for some reason last night I was really curious about the whole iguana thing so I asked alot of questions and today, my friends I am going to share it with you...

L - ya I got me an iguana today.
D - So where do you get it? Did someone go huntin' for it?
L - Nah, a man from the east side came by with it so I gots it from him.
D- You mean he just walked up to you and said "you wanna buy an iguana" (smiling!)
L- (serious) ya.
D- Okay, so where is this iguana? Is he dead in your fridge?
L- Dead? No he ain't dead.
D- Well where he is? In a cage somewhere?
L - No he be tied up in my yard!
D- (laughing) You tied him up?!!! I wanted to say: aren't you afraid someone will steal him but
I kept that to myself.. didn't want her worrying about an iguana thief!!
D- Okay Lydia tell me, what is gonna happen tomorrow? You gonna get your husband to kill it?
L- Nah, I be killin' it. My husband he don't like iguana, but me and my kids we be loving it. So
I be killin' it, cookin' it and eatin' it.

these are authentic iguana hunters.. possible iguana sellers

Then I proceed further than I ever thought I'd go in an iguana conversation. I asked her how she plans on killing it. I don't know why I asked her but before I could take it back, or walk away (well I couldn't walk away since we were at practice)

L- There is a little hole on the head on the iguana so I get me a straw and pull back the skin and put the straw in and he be dead in no time.
D- You what??!! (shocked) That's awful!
L - (laughing)

I am wondering if that is the little flap of skin that they pull back and insert the straw? EWW!

Before I could ask anymore questions it was time to sing again. She kept looking at me smiling. I kept looking at her shaking my head in disbelief.


Let me say that today I was visiting my West End friend Ivis and I asked her about killing an iguana and she looks me straight in the eye and says: "You just poke a straw in his head !!"

D- A straw? Wouldn't a plastic straw just bend?
I- (killing herself laughing) Not a plastic straw!!

She walked over to a palm tree and ripped off part of the leaf, pulled aside the green until there was just a thin but sturdy 'straw' of the palm there. Then she showed me again how to kill an iguana.

At this point I am saying.. Okay that's enough!!
She is amused and laughing at me. I am not amused and tell her I want to talk about something else. She is still laughing!!

They love to see me squirm and get upset. I guess it is kinda fun because I just realized I am doing it to you. Maybe you aren't grossed out by such things. I truthfully hope not. I just wanted to show yet another interesting island reality. It is times like this when I realize I am a gringo through and through. I can't imagine eating an iguana or , the egg sack (super gag!) or worse, killing it. BUT, if the day ever comes when I can handle actually trying to eat iguana you will be the first to know.. but don't hold your breath. :-)

this one be too small for eatin'. lucky little fella!