May 2, 2004
Pupgullion
I've told you about my short-lived experience as a prison guard, right? I took a year off between college and law school, and in desperation for funds I took a job as a prison guard at the Chatham County Jail for 3 or 4 months. Figured I'd drum up some future clients, but Good God, man.
It is a cliched truism, I know, but my coworkers were infinitely more fearsome than my wards, except for the few mass-murdering rapists I encountered. By and large, though, jail is filled with the wanton miscreant, with only a few hard cores passing through on appeal.
Here's a story: one of my coworkers was a triple tour Nam vet. Kojak, the detained called him, due to his shaved head. Kojak swore when in Vietnam the locals would string up a pregnant dog and beat her belly with bamboo canes until the aborted effluvia would pour out. Then they would eat it, after some cooking. They called it pupgullion, as best as I can interpret/recollect.
Google has no reference to this. But I swear this story is true. Not the fact that it happened, but the fact that it was told to me by someone I have no reason to disbelieve.
Too radical. Perhaps Uncle Ho was not the peaceful grandfather we were led to believe he was.
Why am I sharing this story? I have no idea, unless it is to share this burden with you, and somehow mitigate it.