Poop makes the world go 'round... or so it seems. (Parental alert: This blog contains a little potty humor... not unlike TV's Charmin commercials. )

Let's get one thing straight right upfront... we all poop. 

But I suppose what distinguishes us humans is our sophistication. We are the only animal that uses toilet paper. Oh, and we don't eat ours as is common of the 'lesser species.' Woohoo! We are on the top rung on the ladder of life which we regularly prove once or twice every day.

There is more to say of course, but first, a little story to showcase my expertise on the matter so you know you are hearing from a pro: A number of  years ago, my wife and I were walking our dogs with our son and his dogs. Along the way, two of the dogs pooped at the same time. As our son dug for the plastic sack every good pet owner carries, my wife held him back saying, "Jerry's got it. He is the King of Poop."

Of course! At that moment it dawned on me that I had found my true self and was justifiably proud. I did my thing with a flourish (high fives, etc.) Then I thought, wait  a second. King of Poop. What is better than that? I guess I could go for my brown belt and become the Ace of Poop. And with a little hard work and lot of practice, maybe the ultimate.... the mustard-yellow belt. I could become the Joker of Poop... or am I already there?

Yes, many animals eat their own and others' poop with relish (not the condiment but the emotion.) Why? Because it tastes good to them. What dog doesn't love deer poop? It tastes sweet, I was told, though I have no personal experience in the matter. Makes me wonder how 'they' know. 

Must have been something he ate.

Gorillas have been seen catching other gorillas in the act and whisking it into their mouths before it hit the ground and got all 'germy' and cold. (True!) People expert in the field say they seem to savor every chew.

The Koster Site 

Way back in my working life I helped an archeologist publishing a magazine that served his field. In return I was invited to come with him to the Koster Dig, a prehistoric archeologist site on the U.S. national register of historic places, at the confluence of the Illinois and Mississippi river near St. Louis. 

There I saw dozens of working archeologists and college volunteers, patiently and with dedication, using small brushes to help sift through and examine every inch earth from many different shallow and deeper depressions, in search for answers. Who once lived there and what was that like? At the Koster site, their meticulous work has uncovered 25 'horizons' or strata of civilization that occupied that fertile valley, amazingly going back to the archaic period, BC 7500!

They find human and animal bones, shards of clay pots, arrowheads and other early tools, evidence of housing and some of everything used by its prehistoric occupants. They were able to track migration and much more by looking at long-dried feces and noted eating habits. They found fruit pits, digested seeds and remnants of anything that may have come from different parts of the continent and elsewhere in the world. They used every clue and indicator the earth left for them. When all was put together in context, they could understand who these people were, where they came from, how they got there, wars they fought, how they lived and how they died.

From what they continue to find they are building a comprehensive history of past civilizations in that area.

It was all totally amazing... and poop was one of the primary indicators. "It talked to us," I was told. Imagine, history written in talking poop? I can only imagine. 

So what do you think of poop now? 

I feel like Rocky atop the steps of the Philadelphia Museum of Art as I raise my arms in triumph and proudly proclaim, I AM THE JOKER OF POOP! (Has anyone heard when the statue goes up?)