Whatever-This-Is!

I’m at the computer right now, and the adventure I’m about to write about took place just yesterday afternoon. I went to the market with a shopping list of items for some of the new trainees, who are now trapped in training village. “Trapped” isn’t quite the right word, but I took some poetic license because it alliterates so nicely with “training.” The only thing I needed for myself was some peanut butter. When it comes to Gambian markets, however, I am something of an impulse shopper. So in addition to rope, nails, dustpans and peanut butter, I returned with these:

I don't even know what half these things are!

The baggies contain sour milk and corn flour, I bought them from women sitting along the side of the road, along with the bundle of mysterious orange fruits. The spiky green fruit was bought from an old man on a street leading to the vegetable part of the market, where I was heading in an attempt to find peanut butter.

"Good afternoon." 

"Peace only."
"No trouble?"
"Peace only."
"How is the work?"
"Peace only. What do you want?"
"I don’t know this," I say, pointing to Whatever-This-Is.
"This is [whatever the name was in Pulaar]."
"It is sweet?"
"Yes! Very sweet."
"It is how much?"
"Twent—thirty dalasis."
"Thirty! Thirty is expensive."
"No, it is not expensive."
"Hmm. You do not have a small one? I don’t know if I will like it or not."
"You can have this one for ten dalasis," he says, handing me a smaller, squishier, less appetizing Whatever-This-Is.
"Hmm. But… hmm. And this one is not ripe?" I ask, pointing to a smaller, less squishy, more appetizing Whatever-This-Is.
"No, not ripe. This one also, not ripe."
"I’ll give you twenty-five."
"No, the price is thirty."
"… If I give you fifty, you will have change?" I ask, hoping he will not have change so I can get away with paying only twenty-five.
He hands me two tens. Bummer.

Before walking away, just to confirm, I ask, "If I want to eat this, I remove this and eat all that is inside?"
"Yes, and if you have some canned milk, it will be very sweet."

A man who walking past comments on the fact that I can speak Pulaar and that I’ve just bought a Whatever-This-Is.

I ask him, "This is sweet?"
"Yes! If you eat this, you will not lie down."
"You will not lie down?"
"Yes, you will not sleep."
"Okay, then I will wait until tomorrow."
"No, don’t wait, it is sweet!"
"But I like to sleep!"

Could not sleeping simply be an expression to describe something particularly delicious? You can't sleep for thinking about how delicious the Whatever-This-Is was? With canned milk?

P.S. I have learned a Whatever-This-Is is also known as a jackfruit. I ate some (mixed with condensed milk) for breakfast. It was delicious. I don't know how I'll sleep.