Lord I Want To Un-see This

     Have you ever stumbled across something so revolting, that the more you tried to forget it, the more firmly it became ingrained in your imagination?  Well it happened again tonight.  I was browsing a newspaper, circa 1943, from my hometown when this jumped out at me, (the article, not the opossum)--

     Arthur Worden was the product of my third great-grandfather Paul Worden's second marriage, born when G-pa Paul was nearly 50 years old.  I mention this only because Web MD notes it could help explain Arthur's peculiar dining habits.  Arthur was not a destitute person in need of a meal; he lived in upstate New York, worked for the Lehigh Valley Railroad, and also did some farming.  And he ate opossum...at least it was free range.

     Horrified, yet fascinated, I checked the net for roast possum recipes, and believe it or not there were plenty, like this one I found at cooks.com (I swear)--
     First catch the possum.  Dress it, (will business casual work?), and soak it in salt water for 6-12 hours depending on size and age of possum.  Drain, then parboil in salt water for half an hour.  Prepare stuffing and stuff possum, then place in baking pan with a little water and roast for 15 to 20 minutes. Pour off liquid and reserve, (I'm not making this up), for future use.  Lay sweet potatoes around possum.  Place bacon strips over and around possum and pour reserved liquid over all, let bake an hour longer.

     Nowhere does the recipe suggest killing the possum before you parboil it, but that seems the kindest course of action.