Mar
8
“do you like mangos?”
“in Sierra Leone we have different types,” Sierra Leone said. “there is one kind, sheep tongue, that—“
In interrupted him there, “sheep tongue?” I made a face, “That doesn’t sound like anything I want to put in my mouth.”
“not tongue, tone. T.O.N.E.”
“oh, that’s better,” I smiled.
“see, in Creole tone is testicles.”
“so your favorite kind of mango is named for sheep balls?” laughter was rising up in my chest and I was barely containing hysterics.
“when I first heard the name I wondered, because tone is a very crude word in Creole. So I bought it out of curiosity and compared it to a sheep’s…you know…” he paused here, “it does look like sheep’s tone,” Sierra Leone smiled deviously and added, “and they are delicious.”