De Almighty keepin’ yuh safe from trouble an’ strife? You jes’ keep close to ‘E side an’ all gine go well for yuh! As fuh me, I cool, sittin’ ’pon de sidelines an’ watchin’ de res’ pushin’ an’ shovin’ one anethuh outta de way as duh rush’ by, tryin’ to grab at de “brass ring”!
I en know wuh wrong wid my frien’ Philomena! Dese days, she always in a acid mood! Firs’ t’ing dat frettin’ she, is wuh happenin’ or, better to say, wuh en happenin’, wid CLICO! She, an’ dah group o’ policyholders still waitin’ to hear wuh gine on, an’ not hearin’ neffin, gettin’ mo’ an’ mo’ nerviss as time goin’ by, as to when any money comin’ back to duh.
It en a good feelin’ to t’ink dat after wukkin’ hard as France fuh umpteen ’ears, tryin’ to mek sure yuh would got li’l somet’ing put by fuh yuh ole age, now to fin’ dat it all seem to be disappearin’, an’ while you sufferin’, de “Big Maguffies” in de Comp’ny livin’ like kings!
She say she see de CLICO big shot in Trinidad facin’ a lawsuit an’ ef dah could happen to he, well………! So, evuh day, Philomena eatin’ up sheself wid rage at de unfairness o’ life an’ wonderin’ when she gine hear somet’ing positive ‘bout she money! I warn she dat a stroke headin’ she way, an’ when she gone, dah is one less fuh de pay-out, but my words fallin’ ’pon deaf ears!
But dah en de onlies’ t’ing dat got she in a bad mood! She got a cousin dat been ressin’ she weary head at she sence September las’ year, an’ it seem as ef she startin’ to put down roots ‘stead o’ headin’ fuh de door!
Dis en pleasin’ Philomena one li’l bit, ’cause she is one ‘oman dat like she own space, but dis mess come ‘bout when de cousin apply fuh one o’ dem guvment houses in Country Road las’ September, an’ axe ef she could stop at Philomena fuh couple weeks.
Well, upwards to now, aldoh she get de all-clear dat de keys woulda been in she han’s in a short while, she still waitin’! As nusual, whenevuh she axe, nobody never know wuh goin’ on, so she jes’ got to keep waitin’ an’ hopin’ anethuh September – dat almos’ hey agen – don’ come ‘roun’ an’ ketch she still tryin’ to get dem elusive keys!
Ef guvment en careful, duh gine get some tenants, but not de ones duh want, ‘cause vagrants gine soon move in an’ tek up residence, watch an’ see!
I been tryin’ to lighten Philomena mood by axin’ ef she hear de good news ‘bout we “home girl”, Rihanna! She comin’ to Buhbayduss, not ‘pon a holider dis time, but as a bigtime international star – ef yuh please – to perform fuh de local fans an’ all de ethuhs dat I sure gine fin’ duhselves ‘pon we shores fuh dis event.
As soon as my gran’son an’ ‘e frien’s hear dis news, dem start all like now, to save duh money fuh tickets. Wuhevuh de cos’, dem inten’ to be up front an’ centre! A frien’ axe muh ef I gine, but I tekkin’ a back seat dah night, pop music o’ today en fuh me!
I like muh jazz! I read one music critic describe de new “pop culture” as “borderin’ on pornography” – de words, de gyrations ‘pon stage, de costumes – an’ ‘e got a p’int! But all dis jes’ show how de worl’ changin’, an’ I wish Rihanna all de bes’! Regardless to wuh people say, dat girl jes’ gine from strengf to strengf!
Tek care o’ yuhself
Yuh frien’ Babsie
