Ah wonder if them Storms and Hurry-Cane this year not sending us ah message? Two Hurry-Cane hit America one after the other in three weeks, leaving the state ah Florida in as much distress as the bombed out citizens of Iraq and Afghanistan. {{more}}
We down here in the Caribbean been doing we own thing too. Look at the number ah murders taking place in Jamaica, almost 1000 deaths foh the year already, roughly four murders ah day. Trinidad has given cause foh alarm too, they specialize in Adult and Kid napping. And here at home, tings not any better; the rapid decline in morals and thing, 14 murders foh the year. Incest and child molestation much higher than the very modest figures disclosed, we got blood on we hands! Some real brutal killings gone unsolved, and there are eye witnesses who prefer to stay silent, and can sleep at nights, can they really? We into the Cowboy style shooting too, people come-plain of serious beatings while in Police custody; not to mention some very questionable sloppy wuk at times by the same Police. Our investigators seem out ah league as ah number ah cold blooded murderers getting off without ah full trial. All these killings that we take lightly, and say nothing, do cause agonizing pain and suffering to the surviving relatives. No doubt ah lot ah Prayers that cry out foh justice finally reaching God. He answers Prayers in his own time, the only thing is that God always deals with the just as well as the unjust. In other words Peter pay foh Paul.

HITTING THE
PANIC BUTTON
Well on Tuesday we got our first real taste ah what is yet to come. Ah was so taken up with the onslaught that Hurricane Julian, sorry, Francis was inflicting on the USA, that ah didn’t realize that ah Storm name I-Fan was blowing in our direction. The truth is, no matter way the Storm is located, or how far away it is, ah does behave like every body and say: “St. Vincent Bless, Storm ain’t coming here”! Late last week ah remember hearing that ah Storm was hundreds ah miles off Bo-bathe-us, but then, the location was eight degrees north Latitude and 34 degrees west Longitude, way out ah reach, no need to worry. Things began to smell funny, when the morning news on Monday say de Come-red put off his trip to the UK because ah the pending Storm I-Fan. Ah was even tempted to phone and ask him who he trying to fool; he stay back to watch the Soccer. But by mid-day when the wife phone to tell me pick up the kids, school close half-day, Storm coming, instantly ah get ah rolling up in me belly like when yoh want to go!! And then she said : “ Pick up some extra groceries just in case”.
Ah couldn’t stick ah pin at the Supermarket. No Christmas was ever as busy; shoppers in ah state ah panic, dey scrambling up every thing that come to hand. Needless to say ah join the line and start ah scramble up too. Ah hear ah lady ask foh ah tin ah biscuits, ah ask foh one too. Ah see she pick up six tins ah sardine ah pick up six tins too, and is so ah bad shop. Then ah heard her say she got to remember to pass by Courts and buy ah portable florescence lamp. Ah mek sure ah reach by Courts before she did and got me ah lantern. At Courts Laverne asked me if ah done board up, that reminded me that ah had to get some nails from Layne’s next door.
When ah got home ah decided to put on me Mr. Most Cool Macho face, but the wife tek one look at me and asked: “how yuh look so, like I-Fan got yoh scared man”? Ah dey trying me best to keep calm, no panic until ah heard de Come-red address, and he used the frightening line: “ Remain calm, there is no need to panic”! The last time ah heard that statement was when Soufriere erupted, ashes all over the place, people scattered all over, and P.M. Cato on the Radio begging the nation to stay calm: “ Don’t Panic”! Foh me that means thing really bad.
Monday afternoon ah cook ah big pot ah food to last two days. Granny had experienced two storms in her life, and ah always her she say yoh can’t light fire or study food when Hurry-Cane come, so ah remember to mek sure and eat early Monday evening and later, ah get up and eat again. At least if the worst was to come, ah dying with me belly full.
Ah set up all Monday night tracking I-Fan, ah wake up late Tuesday morning and tek one look at the ocean, the place calm like my girl Calma self. Ah choops me teeth and smile, and then ah say to me-self: “ Storm what, we get fool again”. Who tell me say that, same time ah feel ah puff ah wind, the house shake and ah coconut tree below the house, mek ah sway like ah shot-putter. “Eh hey!” ah call out , “ I-Fan is here!”

AH SCOOP FROM DE COME-RED
Full marks to the Radio Stations and their staff and our telephone service, the announcers were full of encouragement and inspiration, Their contribution all of Monday night thru Tuesday was second to none.. Ah switched from station to station like ah D.J. At one time during the peak ah the weather, they announced that Minister Francis and Glen Jackson touring the country. What crazy non-cents. No wonder when ah phone me helper to find out how she going, she complained how the place too quiet, she going down the road to see way going on. More non-cents during the storm when ah man called from Calliaqua way ah house roof blew off, he wanted his Representer Burgin to be present immediately.
And just when ah thought the Storm had passed, based on my calculations, de Come-red called to find out how things were in my Village. Then he gave me ah scoop: “between the both of us “ he said, “ I think the worse is yet to come!” Incidentally, things got better thereafter, that shows that was not only me alone who was panicking and sitting near the toilet, de Come-red in his Mr. Cool as Cucumber scoop, like he was panicking and sitting close to the toilet too!
Ah could smile and mek jokes now, but only God knows that ah was frightened and very concerned about this country if I-Fan were to blow ah real blow. My job carries me all over and ah know the country, the houses, the kind ah terrain. What happen to Grenada is joke to what is likely to happen here if we ever get ah good sorry, bad Storm. Thank God I-Fan Blow Elsewhere.
And with that ah gone again.
One Love Bassy.