It is nice tuh be important, but it is more important tuh be nice. Ya see this statement? I come from a big family and I was blessed wid a wonderful mother and father who used tuh take the time tuh sit we down and tell we all kinds o’ things dat all like now so, dem dead and gone ’long and the things dat dem two sweet people instil in my brothers sisters and myself does still live wid me all like now so.
Yes, of course, it is nice and one thing tuh be important or think ya important and duh got a lot o’ people out there who think dat duh real flipping important because of a number o’ reasons.
Duh got a lot o’ people, especially some o’ the ones who holding down certain big jobs who think dat because you ain’t in a similar position as dem or because you ain’t look a certain way does want tuh carry you on like a grater or carry you on scruffy, as duh say.
Duh got some Government offices you would go in tuh and try tuh get some answers or information from the attendants and because you might look a li’l lowly at the time, some o’ these people does treat you like you ain’t belong there or dem doing you a great big favour.
Some o’ dem doan even leh you and dem eyes make four. While dem looking at your documents, you might want tuh ask a question or two and would open ya mouth tuh ask it and because the body you sitting down in front of look suh cold and stand-offish, it does make you recoil.
Duh got another set who does only answer the questions you ask them. Nothing more, nothing less! Duh doan volunteer nuh more information; as far as they are concerned you din want tuh know ’cause you ain’t ask.
Then because of their piggishness you does guh ’long ’bout your business thinking dat evahthing is in place and all right, next thing ya know you does have tuh find you self right back in the same office another time going through the same thing all ovah again when it could’ve been done it before.
It ain’t only in some o’ the Government offices dat ya does find this sort o’ thing. Duh got cashiers in some supermarkets who does get on like you do dem something when you walk up tuh dem wid a li’l trolley o’ items dat cost you a pong and a crown.
Some o’ dem doan even look in ya face; from the time the customer ahead o’ you done pay and pick up duh things, she does reach fuh yours and start checking dem, not once looking in you face. It could be Godzilla standing up there in front o’ she. It is the items and the money; move on now.
The other day I was real hungry and decide tuh get something tuh eat at a very popular fast food place in the Skyway Mall as I was in there. When it was my turn to go tuh the cashier I went up tuh her and ordered my food. The girl ain’t look at me once.
She eyes was pon the cash register all the time and she mout’ was long and push up like I do she something. Wid-out looking at me she ask me what drink I want it wid and I ask her what I could get. She still ain’t look at me yet but give me ’bout four options. Well, I chose one and get from before she quick. I was itching tuh ask she if I or somebody do she something and tell she dat she in the wrong job.
Nowadays it like it is a big thing when somebody is nice tuh somebody else. Well, THE NATION does highlight it in dat column Naughty Or Nise. I like tuh read it and does feel real good tuh know dat duh still got a lot o’ genuinely nice people around. But I does have tuh ask myself if ya ain’t supposed tuh be nice. Wha’ it doan take nothing offa ya when ya nice, when ya smile wid somebody, when ya say good morning, when ya apologise tuh the people waiting in a long line fuh ovah a half-hour fuh having tuh wait dah long.
Nutten ain’t wrong wid getting in a elevator or walking in tuh a room or passing somebody pon the street and saying hello or good morning. It doan take one thing off o’ ya.
This is something dat was special tuh Barbados and I really hope we doan lose it like all the good values we had.
• Mavis Beckles was born and raised in The Orleans. She has an opinion on everything.
