Remembering Jack

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Early December of last year a small black and white pup was born. His mother was unable to give her babes milk so he ate popo (paw paw/ papaya). After one month of life I carried him, an hrs walk, to my village and named him Jack. It was here where Jack began to thrive. All his siblings eventually died from lack of a proper diet, but Jack's new mom spoiled him with lots of love and tin meat (and other sorts of human food). It took no time before he grew strong and at 4 mos he started to join the other dogs in the hunt for wild pig. Jack was the envy of all the dogs and he knew he was special. When I yelled out "JACK!" all the dogs knew it meant feeding time and would come running, too. Jack would always go to where there was food. One time there was a wedding in another village, which meant many cows and pigs would be killed. In the preparations he followed my mama to the village and wouldn't come back with her. The next day after the wedding I literally had to carry his fat 20 some odd pound body home because he was too full to stand more or less walk. Jack was also good at playing and looking after the other small pups in the village, one night I caught him sleeping with 4 pups on top snuggling him. That night I changed his name to papa Jack, he finally was becoming a full grown pup!! If only I was able to take a photo, it was so precious.

Tuesday 19 June 2007 Jack went on his last pig hunt. It was here he came upon a very large pig. Too young and too brave, he approached this pig. The pig attacked Jack breaking his jaw. Jack lived another few days moving about like a trooper, but in the end he was not strong enough to endure his injuries and he died on 21 June 2007, less than 7 mos of life lived.

My brothers had killed that pig and I ate him. And to always remember Jack I have the skull and tusk of the pig who killed my dog.

Here's to the memory of my little Jack, Jack Kerouac.

GOOD NEWS!!
Mrs. Robinson hatched 5 chicks
I now have a small pig (Sir Elton John) one which Jack helped capture in an earlier hunt
And Che of course remains well... although he's the reason I'm in Vila.. thinking he had a bone stuck in his throat I stuck my hand in he bit down and I got a serious infection... so it goes.

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