How many people go in for dis thing, the pool.
De whole country. Is a sort of legal racket, an’ dese people’ll do anything you only got to tell dem it legal. So long as the law give the signal to go ahead, they doan’ ask where, when, or why, they go ahead. They like to know what they can do an’ what they can’t do, an’ since they know the pools is alright they all take to it like fish to water. De whole country, an’ a next reason, ’course, ’tis ’cause it give them another reason for buying the evening news. You have no idea what newspaper mean to dese people.
We got train back home but ah never see train that big. It big for so. There was train in Barbados too but not for the same sort o’ purpose at all. The train we had at home was more a excursion thing. They use to use it to take the Sunday School children to Batsheba, and the Rocks. But when the war come along they scrap everything. Train days come to an’ end there an’ then.
This big alright but they say in the States these things bigger. They had to make a law dat no man should build a train more than a mile long. ’Cause they use to be a lot o’ fightin’ when the train arrive. People in the back carriage was more than a mile where they goin’ long after the front carriage folks get out.
I never thought ah would have set eyes on England.
If you’d tell me that ten years ago, ol’ man, I would have say you tryin’ to poke fun at my head.
But the worl’ get small, small, ol’ man.
An’ also too somethin’ happen between people an’ people. As soon as people get to handlin’ money, they get a new sort o’ insight ’bout things. If you an’ me ever go back folks goin’ start lookin’ at we in a different way. Till every Tom, Dick an’ Harry start to come, an’ it get so common that it won’t mean nothin’ no more to go to England. Would be like goin’ from Trinidad to Tobago.
Feel vaguely that have been here before just as after four years in the other island felt had always lived there. For a moment seemed had forgotten where I was. Stretch of land over yonder reminds so much of home. Every inch cultivated. Earth has colour of clay, and every row even and distinct as though they had measured them. Only light is different. Wish it wouldn’t rain for haven’t got any rain clothes and heavy coat. They say rain in England is fatal. Put your head in brief case if it comes. Once your head is covered, remember, you’re alright.
Tornado de ground feel harder than back home. Wat dat mean.
You on strange ground, partner. Yuh foot got to get acclimatized.
Take off thy shoes from off thy feet for the place thou standest is holy ground.
People doan’ go barefoot here, partner, so you better tell yuh toes to make peace wid yer boots.
Do you know if there were any stowaways on the ship?
Why do you ask me?
Come on. If you know anything speak up. There’s nothing to be afraid of.
I don’t know. But the chaps standing around here didn’t stowaway.
Why do you people come here. Can’t you get work at home?
Have a cigarette?
How many o’ these did you bring?
Look I want a drink. Sorry but you’ll have to find
out all this later.
Do you chaps know if there were any stowaways on the ship?
What you take me for the Almighty Gawd.
Just a question. You know of the Metropolitan Police.
There ain’t nothing in dis country Ah don’t know ’bout. Ah also know dere’s one thing ’bout the English people. They doan’ interfere in nobody business.
No stowaways I take it.
If you want to know I’ll tell you. Dere’s one but they catch him an’ they goin’ take him back to France for trial. Two months in a French jail an’ after back where he come from.
You don’t know what a French jail is like?
Listen partner, police or no police if you ask me the wrong question I’ll tell you where to get off. There’s more in the mortar than the pestle. All you in dis country got more for me than I got for you.
Is work scarce at home?
For some people. If you go down there they’ll make you inspector o’ police. Before the sun hit you twice you won’t know who you is. ’Cause the power you’ll command after that will simply take possession o’ you. Ol’ man you’ll get in de spirit.
Know what that mean. You’ll become one wid Gawd.
In the land of the blind …
’Tis the other way round. In the land o’ de one eye the blind is king.
You see, partner, if you can’t see, we’ll all start thinkin’ that’s w’at we got eyes for, not to see.
You know Bustamante?
Ask him. He come from Jamaica.
Me take to Mr Manley more.
Who’s Manley?
