What is really going on wid some o’ the people in this place all of a sudden?
Only this week I was talking tuh a fella and he was saying dat everybody like duh gine mad as hell. He say dat he cahn remember living like this evah in his life.
He say dat one time when ya get a lil extra piece o’ money in ya hand, ya could go in tuh a jewellery store in town and buy ya’self a nice chain or a bracelet, a expensive pair o’ earrings or a ring, depending on what you like.
But ya cahn do nothing so nowadays because from the time ya put ya chain ’round ya neck, somebody does like it more than you and does got duh two eyes clap on ’pon it, just waiting fuh the right moment tuh drag it off ya neck and take off.
The man say dat ya does have tuh watch ya belongings like a hawk, ’cause the foolishness dat going on all ovah the island got ya living wid the fear dat anything could happen tuh you or ya family at anytime.
He say, evahbody tiefing, evahbody borrowing or begging. He say ya cahn miss and step pon nuhbody toes or duh brand-name shoes by accident, and then say sorry because dat doan cut it at all.
Evahbody getting angry at the slightest things. He say dat one time if something like dat happen, you would say sorry and the other body would say, “no problem, man” and ya gone long ’bout ya business. But not so nowadays – evahbody want tuh fight like duh foolish.
I am not the kind o’ peson who does think negative. I try tuh see the positive in every situation but I really had tuh agree wid the fella because I myself think dat some people like duh does be only waiting fuh any li’l thing tuh happen so dat dem could get on a kinda way.
Fuh example, the other day I was buying some produce in the market and when the lady told me the amount o’ money it was, I ain’t had enough, so I had tuh go back tuh my car fuh some extra change.
Now a woman who was there at the time was watching me and holler out, “girl you looking big and thick enough, look at you”. Now remember, I ain’t know this woman, nevah see she in my life, so as I start tuh walk back wid the money, I ask she if I ain’t look healthy?
Well, she didn’t like dat response at all and start tuh wash me off, talking ’bout wha’ wrong wid me, how ya cahn say nutten tuh some people before duh doan take offence.
Nuhbody ain’t take she on, niether did I. I ain’t say another word tuh her. I got in my li’l puma and drive ’long bout muh business. I realise dat I made her day. she wanted tuh vent and I give her dat opportunity.
There is something dat I want tuh ask the police though. Now why is it necessary for vehicles tuh drive wid duh bright lights blaring along wid fog lights? So some roads might not be as bright as Spring Garden but my Lord man, recently some motorists have been making it difficult fuh others tuh drive pon the roads at night. It look like evabody like duh decide dat dem is rally drivers and cahn wait fuh night tuh come, tuh show off duh pretty lights.
Now cud’dear, it is bad enough tuh come ’round a corner at night and butt up pon a car coming at you wid bright lights on so ya cahn see nothing. But when it is a big vehicle like a minibus or one o’ dem big SUVs wid not only the bright lights on but fog lights as well, ya lost. Duh doan show you nuh kinda o’ mercy at all! So, ya either stop or run off the road. Dat is what I mean by foolishness. why one set o’ people gotta enjoy it all at evahbody else expense? Something definitely have tuh be done ’bout this sort o’ thing soon.
• Mavis Beckles was born and raised in The Orleans. She has an opinon on everything.
