January 5, 2004: Headlines: COS - Peru: Writing - Peru: Cafe Press: American poet Robert Roberg reflects back on his life and times in Peru in the 1960s

Peace Corps Online: Directory: Peru: Peace Corps Peru: The Peace Corps in Peru: January 5, 2004: Headlines: COS - Peru: Writing - Peru: Cafe Press: American poet Robert Roberg reflects back on his life and times in Peru in the 1960s

By Admin1 (admin) (pool-141-157-13-244.balt.east.verizon.net - 141.157.13.244) on Sunday, January 16, 2005 - 3:05 pm: Edit Post

American poet Robert Roberg reflects back on his life and times in Peru in the 1960s



American poet Robert Roberg reflects back on his life and times in Peru in the 1960s

I'm Running Through a Yard Trying to Catch a Turkey

Chapter 10

Up in the mountains I'm running through a yard trying to catch a turkey. I promised the Peace Corps volunteers that I would cook a turkey for Thanksgiving. The yard is filled with running squawking turkeys and turkey poop. I'm slipping. I'm falling. I'm drunk. I'm now covered with turkey poop. The Indians are laughing. The children with their red chubby cheeks and red stocking caps are splitting their sides with laughter as the drunken gringo keeps falling in the turkey poop.

"More Chicha? More Chicha? the farmer roars holding out another glass of the wicked moonshine to me.

Now I'm dancing the Huyano. I have a white handkerchief in my hand. A flute and two drums hold us in a trance. There are fifty of us whooping and dancing wildly "Hecha la" We are throwing white flour at each other and drinking the wicked Moonshine. The girls look so pretty. There's Toya and Gloria and Daisy. My head is banging like a drum as I stumble home in the dark. A clap of thunder and then bang someone hits me from behind and I sprawl forward. Who in the world.? I turn around and behind me is a goat standing in the trail rolling his head from side to side. Whoa is it Baphomet? I pick myself up and yell at the goat that stands as if he is ready to charge me again. All right all right calm down this is you path I'm going. Man my butt is sore. I look up at the sky and see Orion. My heart leaps. I don't feel so alone.

I come to the bridge but they are waiting, the rabid, skinny, cowardly mountain dogs. They only know courage in a pack. At first I see only two, or three, and I snarl at them and yell. They back up only to get recruits. Soon there are several and they are beginning to come alive into one snarling murderous pack. They attack. I pull off my light jacket and begin swirling it at them. They howl, they roar, they nip. They have me backed up against the bridge rail. I climb up onto the rail and they are biting at my feet. I leap down under the bridge to where I hope the bank will be. I land in the soft sand and try not to make a sound. They mill about the bridge whimpering, barking, and bragging how they had killed the gringo. After awhile they slink off and I quietly return to the bridge and tip toe home cursing them under my breath. "Perros demonicos"





When this story was posted in October 2004, this was on the front page of PCOL:

Kerry reaches out to Returned Volunteers Kerry reaches out to Returned Volunteers
The Kerry campaign wants the RPCV vote. Read our interview with Dave Magnani, Massachusetts State Senator and Founder of "RPCVs for Kerry," and his answers to our questions about Kerry's plan to triple the size of the Peace Corps, should the next PC Director be an RPCV, and Safety and Security issues. Then read the "RPCVs for Kerry" statement of support and statements by Dr. Robert Pastor, Ambassador Parker Borg, and Paul Oostburg Sanz made at the "RPCVs for Kerry" Press Conference.

RPCV Carl Pope says the key to winning this election is not swaying undecided voters, but persuading those already willing to vote for your candidate to actually go to the polls.

Take our poll and tell us what you are doing to support your candidate.

Finally read our wrap-up of the eight RPCVs in Senate and House races around the country and where the candidates are in their races.

Director Gaddi Vasquez:  The PCOL Interview Director Gaddi Vasquez: The PCOL Interview
PCOL sits down for an extended interview with Peace Corps Director Gaddi Vasquez. Read the entire interview from start to finish and we promise you will learn something about the Peace Corps you didn't know before.

Plus the debate continues over Safety and Security.
Schwarzenegger praises PC at Convention Schwarzenegger praises PC at Convention
Governor Schwarzenegger praised the Peace Corps at the Republican National Convention: "We're the America that sends out Peace Corps volunteers to teach village children." Schwarzenegger has previously acknowledged his debt to his father-in-law, Peace Corps Founding Director Sargent Shriver, for teaching him "the joy of public service" and Arnold is encouraging volunteerism by creating California Service Corps and tapping his wife, Maria Shriver, to lead it. Leave your comments and who can come up with the best Current Events Funny?
 Peace Corps: One of the Best Faces of America Peace Corps: One of the Best Faces of America
Teresa Heinz Kerry celebrates the Peace Corps Volunteer as one of the best faces America has ever projected in a speech to the Democratic Convention. The National Review disagreed and said that Heinz's celebration of the PCV was "truly offensive." What's your opinion and can you come up with a Political Funny?


Read the stories and leave your comments.






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Story Source: Cafe Press

This story has been posted in the following forums: : Headlines; COS - Peru; Writing - Peru

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