The "Da Flamingo Is Not Eaten As Da Turkey" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Carol and I were visiting with friends Jere and Sue who live in State College, Pennsylvania.  It was Grange Fair Week and we made a trip to the fair on the final day to view the displays, check out the livestock and have a good meal.  

Carol's flamingo top!

Nothing new for us since we have done much the same thing about a half-dozen other times.  As we were wandering around the fairgrounds, a young woman walked up to Carol and told her how much she loved her top she was wearing.  Now, how many times has someone stopped you and complimented you on the attire you are wearing.  Perhaps the same amount of times as me; NONE!  And, it hasn't been the first time that someone has walked up to her and told her they loved her top, for you see, it really is neat.  She bought her flamingo top a few years ago at a department store in Lancaster, PA and ever since has been receiving comments.  

The beautiful flamingo.

If you are not familiar with the flamingo, it is a type of wading bird that is so-named due to its "flame color."  Flamingos usually stand on one leg with the other tucked beneath their bodies.  Why?  No one really knows, but it is thought that by standing on one leg, it reduces the energy expenditure for producing muscular effort to stand and balance on one leg.  

Carol dancing with the flamingos.

Carol has always enjoyed watching flamingos and a few years ago had the chance to walk around with a few when the four of us visited the zoo in the Bahamas.  During a show at the zoo, the ringmaster asked for volunteers to walk, or dance, with the flamingos.  We all pointed to Carol, so she had to walk with them as they walked around the display area.  She even had to stand on one foot as the flamingos did.  A few years later we visited the English islands known as the Turks and Caicos where we stayed on the island known as Provienciales.  One day we took a day-trip to North Caicos with the intent of seeing all the flamingos that were said to inhabit the waters around the island.  

Joshua and Douglas in North Caicos.

To our disappointment we picked the wrong end of the island and saw just a few.  But that particular day we did get to meet a pair of gentlemen named Joshua and Douglas.  The two owned an island grill which was bright lime green and yellow in color.  We stopped to grab a bite to eat, but the place was closed for the day. We stopped to talk with them and asked what happened to all the flamingos.  As we talked with Josh we found he was born on North Caicos, but moved to Bahama and then to the US to study to be a chef.  Returned to North Caicos where he opened the restaurant.  I asked him if he ever ate a flamingo.  Laughter broke out and he finally said, "Used to eat them all the time until you white boys came around and asked how we could eat our National Bird.  

The cartoon which caused all the furor!

Thought we better stop, since it may be bad for business.  After a bit more conver- sation with Joshua and Douglas, we headed down the road to "Miss B's" which was Joshua's recommen- dation.  We have never forgotten our experience on North Caicos and our visit to see the flamingoes.  But, Carol now has a new top as well as a pair of earrings that sport the flamingo and still draw stares.  

The beautiful flamingo.

Recently Sue posted a cartoon on Facebook that shows a turkey dressed as a flamingo to keep it from being Thanks- giving dinner.  In return, Carol sent a note to Sue which said, "Except in Caicos....remember!"  Sue returned the note with...A direct quote from Joshua MacIntosh: "Years ago us islanders used to eat da flamingo.  But when da white man come, dey say it shameful dat we eat da national bird.  No more do we eat da flamingo."  Yes, I remember.  To which Sue's son Tony replied: "OMG, Really!"  To which Carol replied: "IT'S IN THE BOOK! meaning that has been typed and written in Sue's scrap book from our visit to Turks and Caicos.  To which Tony replied:  "Oh crap, that's too funny!"  End of Story.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

Neat photograph I got when visiting in the Bahamas.

Carol has added another flamingo top,

and a pair of sandals,

and a pair of ear rings.