It was ah year to give thanks

De Christmas was peaceful. No mad rush on de streets wid people spending on things dey don’t need; actually it seems like dey was no money to bad spend; ah sign ah maturity. De Police reported dat crime was down and justified it all by ah heavy presence ah police on de streets.{{more}}

Dat is how de Police sees it. But de records will prove dat since 1993, when El Grupo Amistad took de street reveling and rum drinking out ah de Nine Mornings, and replaced it wid side-walk concerts, using as its theme “Christmas is Christ Mas,” dat foh those last eighteen years, dey has been ah remarkable record of lickle or no incidences of criminal activities throughout SVG during Christmas. And ah was disappointed dat Inspector Nicholls in his summary of de criminal activities during de 2011 season, failed to give credit to de Nine Mornings Committee who over de years, has insisted dat thru-out SVG, de festivity must project an environment of Peace, proclaiming de message dat “Christ is de reason foh de season.”

Dat message has worked and we must not be ashamed to give God Thanks and Praises. Ah think de Committee needs to revisit de Kingstown package; time to spread out de activities.

MY GREAT YEAR

Having said de above, 2011 was ah great year foh me. Maybe ah should say, great things happened to me in 2011. Ah prayed foh November to meet me in good health so ah could celebrate my three score and ten but, as early as June, wid just six months to reach dat milestone, ah almost got my three stumps knocked down, clean-bowled! Ah was diagnosed wid Pass-straight Cancer.

My Urologist, Dr De Shong sat me down wid de wife and gave us ah blow by blow, round after round, detailed account of events dat will occur during my upcoming battle. From day one, De Shong assured me dat dey was no need to panic, just get de machinery foh treatment in motion as soon as possible. But as is customary, ah never do nothing till ah hear from Dr Garraway, ah Gynecologist but never-the-less my family doctor and friend foh donkey years.

Ah belong to de ole school; any part ah my body dat hurting me, ah going to Garraway first; he would pass me onto de next best doctor; but when dat doctor finish ah going back to Garraway foh his take. Somebody told Dr. Ballantyne, our Gov. Gen. about my predicament, and he arranged for me to see ah Urologist, Dr Kent Rollins from Virginia. Rollins comes hey twice ah year wid ah team ah Surgeons to do Pass-straight surgery foh free.

Dr Rollins looked at my records and like Garraway, agreed wid De Shong’s findings, and assured me dat dey was no need to panic.

So in September, wid ah bill almost as big as de national death to face, ah left me wife and two young teenage kids to fathom de next twelve weeks, wid no man-tenants from me.

Toronto ah coming! Wid Prayer support coming from all quarters and my Faith in God, ah was bursting wid confidence, ah knew ah was on to ah great thing!

Ah was telling Lie-Za dat de Canadian Specialists were quite pleased wid Dr. De Shong’s report and his recommendations.

Ah felt proud ah De Shong and foh SVG way we have good Doctors but no proper medical facility. On November 9th, my seventieth birthday, de day when ah had planned to celebrate wid ah big bashment; instead, dat morning at 6:30 a.m. in freezing temperature, ah was on my way foh one ah my 39 treatments. Ah humbled me-self and thank de Lord foh sending me His rescue mission, and beg Him foh ah lickle overtime.

Treatment however, did not prevent me from enjoying ah sumptuous “Red” Lobster lunch. Why it had to be “Red” and not “Yellow” Lobster.

Ah was happy to be home foh de Christmas, but as ah write dis column ah realize ah must say thanks to so many people, ah fraid to go calling names, because my senior moments will not allow me to remember everybody: Dey’s my blood family, two good nurses in my sister, Judy and my daughter, Cindy who abandoned she husband Floyd foh twelve weeks to tek care of me.

Ah guess Floyd didn’t realize all de time dat ah was part ah de wedding package. My two older sons Collin and Bert, my brothers Len and Don; Andrew Cummings family, Dr Camille Nicholls; Sam Commissiong,

De Searchlight family, my Mespo Gospel Hall Church family, de Canadian Cancer Society and its volunteer drivers; ah long list ah friends. Dennis Joyette and his brother David Joyette, David was my next door near-bar growing up, he drove me around in his Mercedes Benz. We joke about our boy-days riding four wheel cart.

Yes de list just stretching out and ah ain’t mention de Wife and Lie-Za, watch foh trouble. It was ah great year, Mr Adversity landed some heavy punches and had me teking cover in de corner ah de ring, but is like God gave me ah peace ah Samson’s strength to land ah surprise knock-out punch, ah know de War not over, but ah ready foh de next battle.

Ah can’t wait foh 2011 go; ah pray dat 2012 will be de antidote foh dat 011. Mek 2012 ah year of Prayers and Thanks.

And wid dat is gone ah gone again.

One Love Bassy

Bassy Alexander is a land surveyor, folklorist and social commentator.