It was Michael’s duty to feed the dog and water the plants in the garden at the side of his grandfather’s quarters. There was also the enclosed garden at the top of the yard, near to the fence, where his grandfather planted yam, gungo peas and callaloo. These were also to be watered every day, as per his grandfather’s instruction. Any dereliction in this duty could mean a reprimand in front of all the tenants in the yard as well as the next door neighbours. Not to mention the people that lived in the yard across the street. Michael did not want that to happen because there was a new girl next door and he would not want her to hear his grandfather talking to him like he was six years old! He connected the hose to the garden pipe, turned it on and began to water the plants. Suddenly
there was a loud noise coming from the street. Michael dropped the hose and ran to the fence to see what was the cause of all that noise. It was Robert, the bike mechanic, on his Honda CB 750 being chased by a Black Maria! When he reached near to the yard, Robert jumped off the bike, laid it down on the road, took the key from it and ran into a tenement yard which was nicknamed Belgium because of the number of noisy children that lived in it. The Black Maria stopped behind the bike and two policemen jumped out, with their guns drawn, and went running after Robert. By this time a crowd had gathered on the street. The women were screaming,“MURDER!”
The men were shouting,
“ ‘low de youth!!!”
After about thirty minutes the policemen came back out of the yard. They were angry and frustrated that they had not managed to find Robert despite having searched all of the rooms in the yard. The crowd of people began to laugh. What the policemen did not know was that Belgium was often used as a shortcut to go to the adjoining street. Only the persons who lived in Belgium and a few trusted folks on the road knew which of the rooms hid the entrance to the shortcut. The policemen tried lifting Robert’s bike to put it into the Black Maria but it was too heavy. They left it and went back into their vehicle and were jeered as they drove away. Shortly after, Robert came out of Belgium, he was laughing uncontrollably. When pressed as to why he was being chased by the police, he said,
“Mi nuh do nutten! All mi duh is overteck dem and dem start chase me! Mi say! A gi dem some dally yu see!”
The crowd roared with laughter. Robert continued,
“Me deh pon de housetop cross de street an a watch dem a search fe me! A laugh till me weak!”
The crowd laughed even more when they heard this. Robert picked up his bike and said he was leaving before the police came back with soldiers. He jumped on his bike and took off with a loud roar. A few of the children ran behind the bike for as long as they could but they were no match for the speed of Robert’s bike as he headed up the street.
Michael turned away from the fence and picked up the hose and resumed the watering of the plants. He heard footsteps coming up behind him. He turned around. It was his grandfather! He nearly had a heart attack! It was a good thing he had started to water the plants because with so many persons on the road what an embarrassment it would have been if his grandfather had ‘blasted’ him for not doing his chores! He only hoped that his grandfather had not seen him at the fence! Lord have mercy!
His grandfather asked him,
“Did you do everything that you were supposed to do today?”
Michael answered,
“Yes grandfather.”
His grandfather asked him,
“Did you feed the pigeons and the fowls and give the dog water?”
Once again Michael answered,
“Yes grandfather.”
His grandfather then took the hose from him and said,
“Go and read a book.”
Michael handed the hose to his grandfather, who took over the watering of the plants, and walked away with a sigh of relief. At least his grandfather didn’t ‘damn and blast’ him this time.
Marsue came through the gate, she was just coming home from school. She saw when her grandfather glance at his watch. She waved to him and said,
“Good evening grandfather!”
Her grandfather responded,
“Good evening.”
She passed Michael and whispered,
“Go and read a book.”
Laughing at his expression Marsue told him that she and the entire road heard when their grandfather told him that.
“Including the new girl!” She continued laughing.
Michael hissed his teeth and said,
“At least she nuh haffe wonder if me can read! Hurry up and guh cook de dinner! Man hungry!”
“Galang! Yu gwine dead fe hungry tonight!” said Marsue as she stomps off.
Michael laughs and says,
“Try nuh put too much salt in a de pot! As a matter of fact leave out de salt!”
Wheeling around Marsue snapped,
“But see yah! Koo pan you to! Gwaan wid yu fake rasta self!”
Michael retorted,
“Nutten fake bout me! JAH RASTAFARI!!!
“I bet yu nuh say dat meck Mama hear yu! She woulda teck har rosary bead dem strangle yu!” said Marsue.
Michael laughed and said,
“Just gwaan go cook de dinner!”
“Yu lucky grandfather just round de corner! A wudda tell yu suppen!” said Marsue.
Michael just continued laughing as he walked away leaving Marsue looking as if she wanted to hit him with her T-Square.
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