Dear Nesta,
I got some news fuh yuh today dat mekkin’ muh feel mo’ upbeat dan nusual! Chile, from wuh I see in de papers, de Prime Minister come back home las’ week, an’ tek up de reins right away! I glad ‘e pon de men’ an’ I wanta tek dis chance to say “Welcome back, Mr Prime Minister!”
It appear all dem prayers an’ “beseechments” wasn’ in vain. De good Lord hear Bajans, an’ I sure ‘E realize all din gine too well in de lan’ an’ dat we would need de han’ o’ Mr Thompson to guide we in de right direction an’ put we back ‘pon track! Anyway, wuhevuh de reason, it good, ‘cause I was beginnin’ to feel I was in a ship dat did run agroun’ an’ get stick in de sands, jes’ liss’in’ from side to side!
But Ness, durin’ dese las’ couple monfs, I had a good chance to see how we Bajans could gi’e we mout’s liberty ‘pon t’ings we know neffin ‘bout! I know de serpent does wuk non-stop ‘pon dis islan’ when it come to gossip an’ rumour, but Lord have ‘Is mercy! Recently, ‘e mussee get some good overtime money!
Evuh night when Philomena daughter come from wuk, she had somet’ing diff’rent to tell yuh ‘bout dis guessin’ game. It woulda mek yuh hair curl! An’ de joke was, nobody – all dem self-app’int “know-alls” – din had a clue wuh duh was talkin’ ‘bout! People like to gi’e de impression dem got de inside track ‘pon t’ings an’ know exackly wuh gine on, so when yuh hear it from dem, it is Gospel! Mos’ times, it c’n be furthuh from de troof!
You been off dis islan’ so long dat mebbe yuh fuhget how yuh words could get twis’ up, so leh muh gi’e yuh a example! Yuh might mention to somebody dat yuh eyes gi’in yuh some trouble an’ yuh believe yuh should change yuh glasses. When yuh hear dah remark agen, it mek yuh head spin. Yuh now hear yuh was in a fight an’ get cuff summuch all ‘bout yuh eyes, yuh might not see agen, an’ even glasses en gine help yuh! Of course, de body dat now tellin’ de story know wuh happen “fuh a fact”!
I keep wonderin’ why people like to spread news, ‘specially bad news, when duh en know wuh de France duh talkin’ ‘bout! Years ago, I don’ t’ink it was as bad as dis, but in dese recent times, yuh friten to open yuh mout’, even to yawn, in case dah action get misrepresent! Times hard an’ I would t’ink we en got time to dwell ‘pon ethuh people bizness, as we too bizzy tryin’ to survive, but it don’ seem so!
I don’ know ef it is to tek we min’s offa we own problems, but gossip an’ rumour seem to be one o’ de chief pastimes nowadays! Now, we got mo’ churches ‘pon dis li’l rock dan John read ‘bout, an’ de teachin’s we get, should help mek we lovin’, God-fearin’ people dat should be lookin’ out to help, not pull down, we nighbers, whenevuh we could!
Dah is why, I tell muh gran’son, ef evuh it turn out I got a serious problem dat need horsepittle attention, try an’ get muh outta range o’ dese pi’sin arrows dat would be sure to tek wings de minute de ambulance draw up to muh door. I cyahn save much money nowadays, but I still tryin’ to mek up enuff to get muh outta sight – an’ so, outta min’! Lord, an’ to t’ink we en even got Pelican Islan’ no mo’ fuh muh to skip cross!
Tek care o’ yuhself Yuh frien’ Babsie
