"I had a monkey" Sierra Leone Travelogue by daarth

Sierra Leone Travel Guide: 105 reviews and 172 photos

I had a monkey. Yes, a real monkey! You forget many things from when you’re 4 years old, but I won’t forget my monkey. Its name was Skippy. That was before the TV series about the kangaroo Skippy. I think we got the name from a brand of margarine. Maybe the kangaroo did too. I also had a dog at the time. For the dog, we had a very un-African name, Trickur. It’s a very common dog name in Iceland. I also had a tricycle, and we had a real long porch in front of the house. It was so long that I could really pick up a good speed from one end to the other. Needless to say, the dog had fun tagging along. The monkey however, got bored fast by pacing back and forth. Monkeys are smarter than dogs like that. Instead the monkey jumped onto my shoulders and hitched a ride. It was quite a trio that spent hours back and forth on that porch.

The monkey was real scared that the dog would steal its food. No wonder, because the dog did steal its food! The problem was solved when the monkey discovered that it could fit the whole meal into its cheeks. Then it would climb up high and clear of the dog. The problem now was that its cheeks were so full it couldn’t chew. Problem? Nah. It punched its cheeks with a fist just hard enough for a sizable amount of food to pass from the cheeks into the mouth. When that was chewed, a new punch....

The monkey occasionally bit me. It was simply jealous. If my mother had cuddled with me, it would be waiting for revenge, and when I least expected it, it would spring on me and bite!

I don’t remember the name of this type of monkey, but I do know that in nature, this type of monkeys get a regular spanking from their mothers when they don’t behave. My mother tried to make use of this method to get the monkey house-clean. When she caught the monkey making it’s business on the floor, she would come storming (she knew how to come storming), get hold of the paralysed monkey (it would freeze when she came storming), give it a good spanking, scoop up the business, throw it out the window and throw the monkey out after it.
This happened several times up till one day. The monkey had done its usual business and she came storming. The monkey froze for a moment. Then it started spanking itself! The next minute it scooped up the business, threw it out the window and jumped out after it. That was the last time it did any business indoors.

Page Updated Jan 27, 2004
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Comments (97)

wise23girl Feb 2, 2012 at 1:30 AM Report Abuse

Wondered where you were and why the pub was not open and realized it was still only Thursday...see you tomorrow. Oh read the monkey story again...it is so funny!
Marg
adema29 Jan 8, 2012 at 10:02 AM Report Abuse

Nice monkey story... I am still laughing... I hope it's not because I've got already a glass of Glenfiddish? Single malt too :)
I have also a lot of stories from my childhood, but to translate them in English could be difficult.
yumyum Apr 20, 2009 at 11:12 AM Report Abuse

Oh, what a brilliant travelogue story! Fantastic childhood memory :))
jethanand May 9, 2008 at 2:00 PM Report Abuse

Hi, LOL - Your monkey story ending was soooo funny, just toooo much like a human child
thedouglas Mar 29, 2007 at 5:04 AM Report Abuse

I love the monkey story - quite sobering really. Nice memories - thanks for sharing.
SLLiew Feb 23, 2007 at 5:35 AM Report Abuse

Hope Sierra Leone will be back in the tourist map soon. SL
Ekahau Feb 17, 2007 at 7:40 AM Report Abuse

Ok now you are one of my heroes living for a year where I grew up in Sierra Leone. nice page thanks. What year were you in Freetown David???? Ok I see 1964 yes we were there together I live on forebay hill near the college
ChristinaNest Dec 12, 2006 at 1:22 PM Report Abuse

Funny monkey story:)
canuck68 Sep 6, 2006 at 1:23 PM Report Abuse

That's a great monkey story. Diane
kucha Jul 20, 2006 at 5:34 PM Report Abuse

What a sweet story ?!?!