I begin Tour 6 with a salute to one of our frequent flyers.
We regularly transport fighting cocks to/from the
highlands along with their owners, attending matches which form part of
religious ceremonies (never gambling) - yet often a prize fighter is worth more
than the rest of the cargo combined.
On most flights we carry poultry in one form or another (frozen, live, loose, as pets, unintentionally - what is that sound ?).
They are usually entered on the load sheet simply as ‘ajam’ - and it is left up to the pilot, if interested, to enquire after the exact physical state of the ‘ajam’.
Fighting cocks, due no doubt to their value as a ceremonial sacrifice,
are often listed on a separate line but still as ‘ajam’.
Our Ground Crew did not know the English words for ‘fighting cock’ so I was told it was a ‘Battle Chicken’ ….one of whom rose to become regional champion.
He flew with us so often that I dubbed him BattleChicken Galactica.
Two days ago I saw the owner again but BCG was not with him.
BCG had retired undefeated and had been put out to stud.
Unfortunately, his enthusiasm in the henhouse did not match his prowess in the ring.
Instead he was slow-cooked in a tomato, spinach and chilli sauce which the owner assured me was delicious.
Inuictus
est, sapidum et.