Welcome Bishop Jah-Rod

Well de Cat-licks have ah “New Kid on de Block,” Bishop County. Lie-Za say he is ah Youth-man so ah went looking foh ah youngster, only to find out dat he is 55 years young, and loves wuking wid Youths. His full name is Father Gerard (pronounced Jah-rod) Maximim (mek dat Maximum) County (yes ah whole County). De “Jah-rod” is significant: “Jah as in Jesus and Rod as in whip,” so plenty licks foh dem Cat-licks Scribes, Far-ah-sees and Sad-yuh-sees. Ah believe ah would ah bin ah Catholic if dey didn’t have so much si-me-di-me.{{more}} Ah strongly believe in de Virgin Mary, mother of God, I actually had ah spiritual encounter wid Her late one night. Anyhow ah went to meet Father Jah-rod, ah had to get to him before Come-Red, de Cat-lick boy who is overdue his regular trip to Mount Coke to go pon Re-cheat oops Retreat.

Ah didn’t need more dan de two minutes chat ah had wid de good Bishop to know he is ah Humble Man of God! Ah beg him hard to stay miles from dat Christian Council; and extra miles from dem polly-trick-hands, some of whom are prominent Cat-licks. Is like he bin doing his home-wuk, he smiled as if to say: “Ah bin dey, done dat;” Ah think dat Lie-Za jealous me, she planning to visit Bishop. She got issues wid Morality in all de Churches, to many silent people who think dat Wrong could be made Right thru de Law. Among these people are Christians in fellowship, taking Communion, but dey cant tek Confess-shun.

When ah told Lie-Za dat ah asked de Bishop to Bless me and he did, she said : “Very Good foh yuh, ley Ralph tek dat, yuh did him exactly way Jacob did Esau, yuh teef he blessings!”

MY HEART ACHES FOH SIR LOUIS

Ah overs dat Lie-Za ran off wid Lie-Owe who wanted to spend Valentine to-get-her. Since Sat-dey ah have not seen her; she is my Literature Teacher who knows de book, Animal Farm from cover to cover. Any sit-yuh-hear-shun dat pops up in Vin-see polly-ticks, Lie-Za could tell me way to look in Animal Farm foh comparison.

She loves Sir Louis and bemoans de unwarranted her-ass-mint he getting lately. Sir Louis is de good and faithful Boxer, de horse, ah character in Animal Farm dat wuk he-self to death foh Com-red Nah-pull-he-on de chief Pig. She reminds me how de Come-red left de meeting at Bagga, gone over to Layou, walk in de 7th Day Adventist church, met Sir Louis way he was “preying,” pull him off his knees (out ah retirement) carry him back to de meeting and mek dem select him to run foh Central Leeward. When de character, Boxer couldn’t produce no more he was sold to de butchers foh meat. Sir Louis is not sick, says Lie-Za, he is on Vacate-shun, making come-forth-able space foh de lickle pussy cat who, in de book finds itself de warmest place between Boxer and Clover. Get well Sir Louis opps, ah forget yuh ain’t sick!

MOTALITY WILL PREVAIL

Jomo Thomas, Barrister-at-Law and Speaker of de House of Assembly, is de most popular man among de NDP supporters. He has spoken out like ah man on ah matter of Prince-apple and Morality. But how well dis will go down wid de Prime Minister and de ULP executives is left to be seen. Jomo’s frank and open comment on behalf of his clients, de three victim-eyes Teachers, is de second person in as many weeks, to stand up to de PM and his wicked ULP Regime in defense of Prince-apple and Morality. Many are asking how much longer does Jomo have before he gets fired by Ralph.

Foh those of us who don’t know Jomo, he grew up as ah lickle youth-man across de street from way I lived in Murray Village. Eight siblings, Ken who was older dan Jomo died young. Jomo got dis political blood from his dad Bony Jack, ah stalwart in de days of Joshua and Cato. But his Mom, Miss Molly was only poor in pocket but pure in Spirit. She taught her children by her own example, “manners and behavior, honesty and respect for us seniors. Murray Village children had fruits in abundance so dey was no hunger, no need to steal. Early as ah teen Jomo got into Radical Politics and was among Mentors like Renwick Rose and Justice Saunders, men known foh Principle and Morality. So Jomo has no choice but to be honest and forthright as Lawyer, Politician Speaker or Man. Jomo in his short stint in Representative Politics has shown dat he is among de brightest ah de young crop, he is honest and fearless and can be trusted. And De Love Vine is proud to recognize him as ah former Villager, and suggest he forget South Leeward, dah’s ah trap dat ULP set to keep him out ah winners row, come back to East Kingstown, and tek over from Arm-In, as I once told him. And wid dat is gone ah gone again.

One Love Bassy

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