Year go year come, ah keep complaining that de Independence Salt, because ah not getting de Feeling. And year after year ah would reminisce ’bout the Colonial days especially Empire Day. Ah still feel nothing could beat them days.

As kids we looked forward to the March from Wesley Hall School to Victoria Park, boys dress in Car-K Pants and white shirt, girls in Blue skirt and white bodice. We would stand in the burning hot sun, singing them Patriotic Songs like “I vow to Thee my Country”, ” Rule or Roll Britannia” and “God Save our Gracious King” (George VI). Then the Administrator would read the King’s Empire Day message, ah very short address, ah wish de Come-red did born earlier to be around in them days, only to know what length speech to give when sun hot! And then we uses to march back to School foh the real purpose ah Empire Day, the Bait! Man in those days Corn-Beef and aerated drinks (Fru-t, O-so and Ju-c) were a novelty, imagine me ah lickle boy with ah whole (penny) loaf lined with corn-beef, ah whole bottle ah Ju-c, plus ah paper bag with buns, sweets and sugar cakes, we need some kind ah Bait to indoctrinate our youths of today. {{more}}In the afternoon was athletics championship among the primary schools in town. E.G. King was telling me he looked forward to that Empire Day too, in addition to the feast, it was the only day that Tommy Saunders didn’t use “that leather strap”.

But strange enough this year ah feel de In-deep-and-dense, thanks to the children at Bagga and those at Richmond Hill Primary, my Alma Mater, ah prefer to say All-Me-Matter because ah all what Matters, ah owe it to that school, thanks to Teachers like Tommy Saunders, Charles Hercules, George Morris, Doris Adams-Mc Kie and Pam Anderson, ah believe that in the school life of every boy, there is one ah his female teachers that he loved in ah special way, even at that ain-no-saint age, ah think was in love with Pam, now don’t get jealous Elton. Lie-Za say she uses to feel that way bout her male teacher too, knowing Lie-Za she uses to feel that way in every class she went.

Mrs Bowens the new Principal at the School invited me to the In-de-pen-dance Program. Mrs. Bowens is young and attractive, she got ah nice singing voice and looks vibrant, ah believe if ah was ah lickle youth again ah would ah love she too. But ah didn’t go there foh that, neither did Minister Mike Browne ah past student as well, Mike gave them ah Pep Talk and ah played Monica foh them, ah have ah mouth organ ah call Her-Monica! And then it was the kids and teachers time to play back foh us. From Kinder-Garden up to the Seniors, dressed in the National Colours with dey Flags, they poured it on in Songs, Dance and Skit. Lovely Patriotic Songs, no Roll Britannia none-cents, all bout Sin-Vin-Sin ah Love yuh!

And then when ah was about to leave the lady at the Tuc-Shop presented me with ah platter ah Roast Breadfruit and Salt-fish, again no Corn-beef and penny bread non-cents. But guess what? ah was late foh another appointment, can yuh believe that? Me too late foh ah piece ah de National Dish. Ah left filled with ah new sense ah National Pride, ah feeling ah didn’t feel since Empire Day, thanks to me All-Me-Matter, Ah Get Back de Feelings.

TANTY LUCY YUH GREAT

Ah read all ’bout Tanty Lucy Miguel voted as this country’s “Unsung Hero” and wish to join Jules Ferdinand and say my teeny-weeny bit too. Ah met her by her niece Diana’s Store and Big Her Up! Ah even tried to get her to give me de names of ah couple of the children that she helped. “No way!” she said, “I will do no such thing”. Then ah asked if she would give me some yes or no answers to some questions. “Go on let me hear where you coming from” she said. “Is any ah yoh children ah doctor”? ah asked, no answer. “Is any ah them ah Nurse?” No answer. “Is any ah them ah teacher”? “She looked at Diane and asked her: “you could tell me what he harassing me for”? It was Diane who said “Bassy she produced all kind, Permanent Secretary, Priest, right down de ladder. Most ah them are now living abroad.”

Then ah noticed she had ah list of names and Diane was making out cheques. So ah asked her to give me ah lickle something out ah the six thousand dollars she got for de Award. It was then she began to talk, she said it was not even enough to cover the list she hope to mek donations, then Diane again tipped me off by reading out the names: ” Her Church, the Blind Association, Salvation Army, School for Special Need, a child with Cancer in Hospital in the USA and ah set ah other names”. Ah took ah good look at Tanty Lucy sitting there, calm, unassuming, without any sign of emotion, as ole people would say “humility knocking she down”. Her six thousand dollars prize money was not enough to meet her needs, and what are her needs? The needs of Needy! She was giving it all back from whence it came. Truly ah Great Soul, God Bless you Tanty Lucy. When yuh get to Heaven, please put in ah word with St Peter foh me, tell him ah behaving ah good boy. Oh and put in ah word foh yuh niece Diane too, she go need it!

And with that ah gone again, Oh look out foh plenty Tri Tri this weekend too.