Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Interview with Dominic, prime minister of Haiti

"So, tell me about la vigne."

"La vigne was my gift from the gods.  I sang them a lullaby and told them my family was hungry.  They gave me a seed to plant."

"Just one seed for this giant plant?"

"Yes, just one."

"How fast did it grow?"

"Very fast.  Within two years it was the only vegetation on our island."

"The only?  What about the island's ecosystem?"

"You think I give a shit?  The Dominicans on the other half of the island bitch about la vigne, but for us Haitians it was a blessing."

"Do you worry about having an alien plant covering your island?  Are there risks?"

"It's not dangerous, it's nutritious.  Everyone has enough to eat now.  My family, we didn't always have food.  Sometimes we would mix dirt with shortening and salt, fry it, and eat it.  Now we eat all we want, and have plenty to export."

"Do other countries allow the import of such an exotic food?"

"Some don't.  Many do.  Have you had it?  There's nothing else that tastes quite like it."

"Still, don't you ever miss the birds, the insects, and the other animals that used to live in Haiti?"  

"Do I miss the songbirds?  I guess.  But it doesn't matter.  The gods took samples of every living thing.  They could recreate Haiti, as it was, in a day if they wanted to.  Besides, they're carrying all of that DNA in their databases, into eternity."

"So, for you, there is no significant downside of having your island overrun with one species other than humans."

"Correct.  We are doing much better than we were before.  We are the richest nation in the Caribbean.  Your country has a saying, 'Don't look a gift horse int he mouth.'  Well, this is better than a horse.  It has much better flavor."