King David last days

One ah de Psalms in de Bible dat is attributed to Moses is Psalm 90. In it Moses wrote: “De days of our years may come to three score and ten years (seventy years), or four scores (eighty years) if our strength endures; yet the best of them are but trouble and sorrow, for dey quickly pass, and we fly away.” Moses however could ah bin speaking from his life experience as he lived to six score years or one hundred and twenty years.

In present day Polly-ticks however, de pull-it-tickle Moses’ remain firm on dey theory of four consecutive (five years) terms foh any Go-venom-mint. Sir James’ NDP was into its fourth term before it was raped and placed in Rehab. De ULP has easily made it past four terms and is now on a record boasting Five in ah Row!

And early signs suggest dat de PM intends to rubbish any truth in dis “four term limit” and survive dis fifth term.

To dis end he is doing all kind ah stunts dat borders Pull-litter-call Repentance. Nurses who under de ULP Administration had retired widout Pen-shun, will now have dat rectified. But he did promise to pay Marcus De Freitas foh lands Go-venom-mint had acquired, dat is still ah promise. After spitting out so much of what he calls “Bile” pon dem former Teachers, Elvis Daniel, Bash Thomas and Kenroy Johnson who reapplied foh dey jobs, he is now doing “de Pilate washing his hands” from all blame, and is inviting his PSC to open die-or-log wid intent-shun of having de teachers reinstated.

But what is significant about dis Fifth Term is dat dey’s ah desperate effort to recruit or refurbish de party wid Young Fresh Blood, Senators, Par-liar-mint-array Secretaries, Speaker and deputy Speaker – young people in de 30’s an’ 40’s.

So ah sought Lie-Za for her opinion; immediately, she asked me if ah ever read about King David’s “Death Bed Appeal.”
De story is dat King David was very old, he could not keep warm even when they put covers over him. So his attendants said to him, “Let us look for a young virgin (fresh blood, warm and new) to serve our lord de King and take care and help restore him. She can lie beside him so that the King may keep warm (maybe warm was an expression used back den).” Then they searched throughout Israel for a beautiful young Shunammite woman, and brought her to the King. She took care of the King and waited on him, but the King had already “gone thru” and froze up like an Eskimo. She gave me one ah dem Lie-Za miss-shift smile and asked me if ah think de PM is up to one of his ole Pull-it-to-kill tricks.

And den she reminded me of de Aesop Fable wid Brer Lion and Brer Fox. Dat story tells about how de Lion had grown tired and too weak to hold on as King, so he sent out an SOS to all de animals in de jungle whom he, Brer Lion had done great harm and wickedness. In his letter he told dem dat he was very sick and about to die, he wanted to see each and every one to beg for forgiveness. Happy to know de Ole Lion was going at last, dem poor innocent animals went to hear Brer Lion plead foh forgiveness. Brer Fox was de only animal dat did not budge. So Brer Lion took out pen and paper and wrote Bre Fox ah very touching letter begging him to come visit and pardon him before he dies.

Brer Fox quickly replied, short and to de point. He wrote: “Greetings Brer Lion, take comfort dat I done forgive you long ago. Actually I am at your gate every day, looking and counting everyone who came to look for you. My greatest concern Brer Lion, is dat not one of dem have come back out! Have no fear Brer Lion, after all, you claim to be ‘The Duppy Conqueror an’ you hard fe dead! From yuh frenemy, Brer Fox! And wid dat is gone ah gone again.

One Love Bassy

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