Greedy Choke Puppy

Greedy Choke Puppy" is a short story that I wrote while attending the Clarion Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers' Workshop in 1995. The title comes from the proverb "craven choke puppy," which means that greedy puppies choke by gulping their food down too quickly. When we workshopped the story at Clarion, I remember Damien Filer saying that the title would make a good name for a punk band. Here's a snippet:

"I see a Lagahoo last night. In the back of the house, behind the pigeon peas."

"Yes, Granny." Sitting cross-legged on the floor, Jacky leaned back against her grandmother's knees and closed her eyes in bliss against the gentle tug of Granny's hands braiding her hair. Jacky still enjoyed this evening ritual, even though she was a big hard-back woman, 32 years next month.

The moon was shining in through the open jalousie windows, bringing the sweet smell of Ladies-of-the-Night flowers with it. The ceiling fan beat its soothing rhythm.

"How you mean, 'Yes, Granny?' You even know what a Lagahoo is?"

"Don't you been frightening me with jumbie story from since I small? Is a donkey with gold teeth, wearing a waistcoat with a pocket watch and two pair of tennis shoes on the hooves."

"Washekong, you mean. I never teach you to say 'tennis shoes.'" Jacky smiled. "Yes, Granny. So, what the Lagahoo was doing in the pigeon peas patch?"

"Just standing, looking at my window. Then he pull out he watch chain from out he waistcoat pocket, and he look at the time, and he put the watch back, and he bite off some pigeon peas from off one bush, and he walk away."

Jacky laughed, shaking so hard that her head pulled free of Granny's hands. "You mean to tell me that a Lagahoo come all the way to we little house in Diego Martin, just to sample we so-so pigeon peas?" Still chuckling, she settled back against Granny's knees.

Granny tugged at a hank of Jacky's hair, just a little harder than necessary. "Don't get fresh with me. You turn big woman now, PhD student and thing, but is still your old nen-nen who does plait up your hair every evening, oui?"

Jacky could hear the smile in the old woman's voice. "Yes, Granny. You know I does love to make mako 'pon you, to tease you a little."

"This ain't no joke, child. My Mammy used to say that a Lagahoo is God horse, and when you see one, somebody go dead. The last time I see one is just before your mother dead." The two women fell silent. The memory hung in the air between them of the badly burned body retrieved from the wreckage of the car that had gone off the road.