Chapter 19: Saffa and Scooby

West African Vet?

Three days later a smartly dressed young Salonean man interrupted our plassas.

"Kushe, Dr. Joy. Dr. Jalloh from Freetown."

"Pleased to meet you Dr. Jalloh." I shook the outstretched hand. Who on earth was he?

"I am most grateful for your assistance with my patient."

"No problem." I smiled politely. "Um. Who are we talking about?"

"Scooby."

"Scooby." I glanced over to Nat who was raising his eyebrows as he put his flip-flopped feet on my table. "So you're the vet?"

"Indeed I am the only vet in Sierra Leone." Dr. Jalloh bowed. "U.S. trained."

"Congratulations. I obviously don't have your training, but Scooby seemed very sick to me." Had this man really made a seven-hour journey to discuss a fourteen-year-old dying dog?

"Yes, very sick," agreed Dr. Jalloh. "I wanted to know if Serabu, the best hospital in the country, can do angiograms?"

"Angiograms?!!" I spluttered.

"What's an angiogram?" Nat asked sweetly from the corner.

"An angiogram is a specialist X-Ray examination where radio-opaque dye is injected into the blood vessels to delineate the arteries," explained Dr Jalloh.

"I see," Nat nodded in mock understanding. "Can I ask how this test would help Scooby?"

"Scooby's mass is undoubtedly a cancerous growth. An angiogram would outline the extent of the lesion more effectively than a plain X-Ray."

"I see." Nat rubbed his chin and nodded. He was enjoying this.

"We scarcely have enough resources to perform even the most basic X-Rays on our own patients," I said with forced politeness. Why were we even discussing hugely expensive treatments for a dog when we didn't have the money to give rabies vaccines to children? "This is a dog we're talking about. And a very old dog at that."

"I wish only to formulate an accurate treatment schedule," said Dr Jalloh. "Scooby's owners are very upset."

And Scooby's white middle-class owners were rich enough to pay his juicy veterinary bills too, no doubt.

"Yes, of course." I folded my arms. "It must be hard to see a loved pet suffer so." Admittedly Scooby was a nice dog.

"Yes. So you no able help me?"

"No. Aw fo do."

"Aw fo do. I better get back to work." Dr. Jalloh shook my hand. "It's been nice to meet you, Dr. Joy."

"Good-bye."

"Nice to meet you too, Dr Jalloh." Nat waved from the sofa.

"Angiograms!" I snorted as soon as the door closed.

"Such is the advantage of a Western education!" Nat collapsed in a fit of helpless giggles.

Back to Extracts