The Monkey Experiment

Please accept by most sincere apologies for being the last blogger.
But I am totally new to the blogging community and this will be my first blog ever. Aren’t we excited?? Anyway, the weeks are passing quickly as the memories of the China trip filter, settle and sometimes fade. On more than one occasion I pulled out the pictures taken and bored someone to tears over the near 1000 images of the trip. The one image I continue to say prior to viewing ‘this one is my favorite picture” does not come from my collection of photos shot. The day we were in PinYao and after lunch, Brett and I along with a few others walked down the rows of shops headed to our next destination. There was a crowd gathering and a woman with a monkey on her shoulder. I walked on past while Brett snapped a shot of the activity. Stopping to wait for him, I began to get a wild hair. I approached the monkey handler to ask for a price. (Of course Prof. Zhang did all the translating). 5YUAN!!! That was a price I couldn’t pass up. The money paid promptly allowed me to receive a hairless bare monkey b*tt on my outstretched hand.

The adventure didn’t stop there. Next the handler placed the monkey on my shoulder. (Yes I removed the hat) While I stood there with a grin gawking at the cameras the handler approached again and the crowd reacted at the same time the handler backed away. Of course, I am thinking what the animal control person may say next, ‘monkey’s only bite with quick frightening movements’. There was no blood or gnawing of Logan’s ear. Apparently he just didn’t want to leave my shoulder. Maybe I could have smuggled him home.

The whole event left my mind and memory rather quickly as we continued on our China tour. After a week of high fever sickness, I finally went back to work with the living. (Two visits to the doctor proves the illness wasn’t SARS, Bird Flu, or Monkey Pox) The people at my job love pictures from vacation so I provide more China photos including the monkey picture. That one I only sent to a close friend who proceeded to forward to the recognition director. Every week pictures are posted for Humpday to inspire and give everyone a smile for the day. Long story short, coworkers asked about the trip and commented on the photo. “Got that monkey on your back” was the winner. But one real funny guy in IT decided to treat me with special gift. I am now making plans for a sweat revenge one day.

At least the legs are shaved in this picture. And no this is not me for those unsure about the picture.