Him know ’bout Busta, but him ain’t know ’bout Mr Manley. Me always say English people got everything upside down. The wrong things catch they eye.
Are there any communists in Jamaica?
Not since Stalin lef’.
When was he there?
He born there.
Come to study?
Where do you chaps come from? You don’t mind me asking, do you. My sister’s a missionary in Africa, says it’s a nice place, and your people very good people. She adores the Africans. Says we haven’t been very nice always but things are changing. Your people are gradually getting to understand us, and the future promises to be brighter. That’s what I’ve always said, you know. Understanding. As soon as people get to understand one another life is easy.
Is it true what the papers say about unemployment?
Of course it is. Don’t you expect it. Wherever there’s an economic contradiction in the whole process of production and distribution you’ll find that. Wages dropping. Prices soaring. Finally slump. We haven’t got to that yet but I give us three years. This country is heading for an economic suicide, and all because they won’t face facts. There’s going to be hard times ahead, but all you’ve got to do is keep on the right side of the fence. Don’t listen to the lies you hear. People are so blinded by lies in this country that they see an enemy whenever a friend stands up to speak the truth. But history is an open book, and those who read and understand realize that their duty is to change. The key word is change. Before anything like peace and prosperity can come about in this country the whole economic structure of the society must be changed. They are people who lie and fight and would even die to keep the old order. They want to build a new house on old, tottering foundation. You must be careful. Keep on the right side of the fence and play your part in the struggle.
You speak excellent English for a foreigner. Much better than the French.
How nice of you to say that. ’F course the better classes get much the same standard of education as you do. I’m really from the middle class. Among us, that is my circles an’ my circles’ circles there isn’t an upper class. In a sense you might say we were the upper class.
Where is this may I ask?
Grenada. One of the islands. My father is a magistrate. Was educated here in England.
Where is Grenada? I don’t seem to recall the name.
Don’t you know? You’re kidding. Were you at university?
No, but here is a map of the world. We might look for it.
Excuse, old man, but how much you think I should give the baggage man.
W’at you talkin’ ’bout?
As a tip.
Tell him you hope de weather change.
WILL PASSENGERS TAKE THEIR SEATS PLEASE
You see dat chap over dere. Well he vex as hell to see we here on dis train. Long ago only he could come, an’ when he see dis he start to feel he not as rich as he should be. You know that fellow from Trinidad. Whole family solicitors. They spend six months here and six months at home. Every year. He got a young woman wid him.
‘Tis he wife. You doan’ know she … Chinese girl from Woodbrook. Come into prominence when the Yanks was at Point Cumana. When the Yanks went back home everybody say she days did come to a end. But only Gawd know how it happen, ol’ man, my friend pick it up, an’ who goin’ help him wid it now is anybody guess.
I wasn’t in Trinidad when the Yanks was there.
Well you miss something, ol’ man. The Yanks turn Trinidad upside down, an’ when they finish they let we see who was who. They is a great people, those Yankee people. It take a man like Lord Kitchener to put they fame in poetry.
WILL PASSENGERS KEEP THEIR HEADS WITHIN THE TRAIN
What him get drunk on so?
The limeys know how to get drunk on bitter. They make up they min’ before they take a sip. Doan’ pay him no mind.
Him turn real stupid but me no say for certain him ain’t better man than the one me see back down yonder who let coal pot in he mouth make dumb man outta him.
WILL PASSENGERS KEEP THEIR HEADS WITHIN THE TRAIN
England’s a pleasant place
For those that are rich and free
But England ain’t no place
For guys that look like ye.
Good night Irene, Good night,
Pam, pan paddan pam pam.
WILL PASSENGERS KEEP THEIR HEADS WITHIN THE TRAIN
On the hill beyond where the grass is, green, greener than the hedges here, in the sun, look, like a print of plaster made against plain, look a white horse. Did you see the white horse. If you look now you can see it, where the grass is, green, greener than the hedges here. And the sun makes it real like an animal in stride. It looks as if it had been set on the side so that one flank of ribs rests on the grass, and the sun seems brighter there, the grass green, greener, than the hedges here. Now. The horse. The buildings have come between us. You won’t see it for some time, that white horse like a plaster print on the grass. Look how the buildings slip past. And these, obviously these were destroyed. Destroyed by fire. Two, three, four of them, all in a row. These, oh, these were hit from above. Bombed. The War. Everything seemed so preserved nearer the sea that it didn’t register. The War. But there was a War. These buildings were bombed. That is, bombs fell on them, and they went up in flames, leaving as a memorial of their destruction what you see now. The War. It was fought here, and you read about it. Heard about it. Saw people who had seen it. And now the buildings. Of course they were bombed. And this is the first time you have been to a country that was bombed. Now you are in the war zone. England. Am I really in England. Remember the battles. England was always the place that fought battles, the country with some enemy, but England, it was Britain the books said, For Britain. It was Britons, Britons never never shall be slaves. This is England. Look you just missed it. Ah, there again, there it is, the white horse. Gone. There ah, there it is. White against the grass. Who put it there. Look. There again. Ah, it’s gone. Gone. All the buildings are solid here. These were not bombed. Or perhaps these were rebuilt. They have blocked out the white horse. Forever. The white horse is gone. Only the buildings now.
How long you been sleepin’?
WILL PASSENGERS KEEP THEIR HEADS WITHIN THE TRAIN
