TECHNOLOGY IS A wonderful thing. When I was growing up and anybody did tell me dat one day in my lifetime every and anybody would have a phone walking ’bout wid it attached tuh dem evah where duh went, I would not even be able tuh comprehend dat.
The thing about dat is dat in dem days nuhbody ain’t even had phones in duh house; so ya couldn’t talk pon nuh phone. People used tuh communicate by getting together at different events like church, send a message by somebody, picnics, excursions, fairs, weddings and, of course, the beach; slamming tar (walking) or catching a bus tuh go by the person. If ya was fortunate to have family overseas, well then ya used tuh communicate by writing letters.
Now look, ya was happy tuh have a phone in ya house and if ya did, people used tuh pay tuh use it or, as we used tuh say, get a phone message. Then one time duh start putting down phone booths and ya would put in a ten cents then twenty-five cents tuh use it for a few minutes before it cut out. Ya used tuh use phones fuh the purpose dat they were made for: dat is, quick communication. But not nowadays. The more technology improves, the more wicked people like duh does become.
Listen: evah single day ya does look in ya phone and see dat somebody, even people dat ya ain’t know nutten whatsoevah ’bout, does take it upon demselves tuh send all kinds o’ foolishness tuh ya phone. Sometimes some o’ the most gross and outrageous things. Ya does have tuh delete dem as soon as ya see the different foolishness coming up.
But dat ain’t all, ya know. The other side tuh dat is this: if you mind some o’ the things dat people does be saying happening or happen tuh dem, you wouldn’t even open a window or a door when the days come. You would barely peep through a crack or a crease in the house ’cause ya would be too frighten tuh look outside in case the two men duh say in the white van out there calling.
Don’t talk ’bout if you got a li’l car, and happen tuh be pon the road when it getting dark. Now when you get by the UWI, you look back in the rear veiw mirror and see a certain car behind you. You look back and see the same car behind you when you get by Batts Rock and wonder if the body following you but ya keep driving ’cause ya gine home but now ya in Paynes Bay and it still behind you.
All of a sudden you in panic mode because you thinking dat the body following you. Next thing ya know the body turn off and gone long ’bout duh business and leff you catching a fit because of all the lot o’ things dat people putting pon Facebook and WhatsApp ’bout this body following ya or sticking on something pon ya car or touching ya hand and doing all kinds o’ foolishness.
Look, while the technology is good, duh got a lot o’ lawless, igrant people out there who decide tuh use it fuh all sorts o’ wickedness and if ya was tuh mind all the things dat ya hear people saying and doing, ya would guh mad as France, ’cause ya would look at evahbody as somebody who coming tuh harm ya.
• Mavis Beckles was born and raised in The Orleans. She has an opinion on everything.
