Afta Esta walk in mi hear Tunky a call to me from in a di house. Tunky,
did a one ole lady weh did in charge a everyting we do weh involve Mass Xerxes,
an any a him poeple dem.
"Cum outa d leaf dem, clean off yuh han an go roun a di
back!" she did halla out, so is dat me did hurry up an do.
After Esta walked in
I heard Tunky shouting inside the house. Tunky, was an old lady who was
in charge of all that was done by us, for Lord Xerxes and his people.
"Esta leave the
leaves, clean your hands and go around the back!" she shouted, I quickly did as she said.
Inna di garden roun a
di back, whole a di ooman dem did a sidung an a drink tea. Di one wah look like
she did a guh one funeral a gi everybody bad eye an mek up har face. Mi nuh kno
a wah she did fava.
When me did a walk an a fill up back di people tea, mi hear
di ooman weh did wrap up inna d sheet a whispa to anodda ooman.
"Why on earth is
Lord Xerxes thinking of marrying that black one?" Di ooman inna di sheet
seh
"This is utter rubbish. Who does she
think she is, does she not know of her colour" di odda ooman did seh.
Hmm.. A suh nuff a dem did stay man;
tink dem betta dan people. Did bun me fi dem.
All the women were
seated on the backyard furniture drinking tea. The one who was dressed as
though she was to going to funeral was giving everyone the side eye coupled with a look
of distaste. I dont even know what to say she looked like. A dammed fool. As I
was walking around refilling the women's cups of tea; as I was expected to. I
heard the woman who looked like she was wrapped up in a sheet whispering to
another woman.
"Why on earth is
Lord Xerxes thinking of marrying dat black one?"
"Who does she think she is, does she not
know of her colour? " said the other woman. That's how they thought back
then, thinking they were better than people. Boy, sometimes people are so
foolish.
"Mas Xerxes seh
now dat everyone is here, we goin start". Tunky did seh as she walk
out. All di ooman dem start grin an a
fix up demself. *Hmt* Mi nuh know weh sum a dem did a fix up seh.
"Alright, Mass
Xerxes seh him will call uno one one; an yuh will talk to him fi one likkle
while fi get to know uno betta. Miss Tamas, him waan yuh come now" Tunky
did seh to di lady inna di sheet looking ting. She grin an run inna house leff
har escart. What a way she did excited!
Tunky walked out the
house and stood just outside the door way.
"Lord Xerxes said now that everyone is
here, we are going to start" she said. Instantly many of the women faces
lit up grinning while they looking over their dresses. Stupid, I thought to
myself as I looked at them checking their appearance. It wasnt as though that
was going to make a difference; they already looked... how they looked.
"Alright, Lord Xerxes said he will call
on you one by one and you will have a conversation where he can get to know you
a little better. Misss Thomas, he wants to see you now." Tunky said to the
lady in the sheet looking thing. She ran off grinning leaving her escort
behind. Man she was excited!
Afta Miss Tamas gone
inside mi jus tun roun look pan di ress a di ooman dem an shake mi head. A wen
mi did look up mi see Esta by harself a luk a look pan di red Christmas flowas
dem. Suh mi did walk up to har an ask har if she waan more tea
but in trut mi
really did waan si if she did alright.
" No thanks I'm
quite alright" shi seh when mi did ask har.
"Alright
Miss" mi did seh an ready fi walk
aff
"Yuh know me
feel outa place" she seh an tun an look pan me, mi tek one step an stop
walk. Mi did frighten, mi neva did hear har chat patwa yet before! Mi did jus
tun roun an look pan di flowas dem side a har head.
"Mi know yuh can
do it Miss Esta afta none a dem nuh betta dan yuh" Me seh me eye dem still
pan di flowas.
After Miss Thomas
went inside,I looked at all the other women and shook my head. Then I saw
Esther standing alone off to the side looking at the red Poinsettias. So I
walked up and asked her if she wanted more tea, but I really wanted to see if
was ok.
"No thanks I'm
quite alright" she responded.
"Alright Miss" I said beginning to
walk off
"You know I feel out of place", she
said in Patwa. I've never heard her speak in Patwa before shocked, I froze mid
step. I turned and look at the flowers
to the left of her head.
"I know you can
do it Miss Esta, no one here is more important than you are" I replied
still looking at the red flowers.
"Miss Esta is fi
yuh tun now" Tunky seh fram di door way, wen me look roun me realise two
odda ooman did guh already.
"Yuh will be
alright Miss Esta, God is wit yuh. Jus smile be nice, be wise an mek sure yuh talk bout music, him love music yuh hear.
Yuh will be alright man." Me did seh a look inna har eye now an tell fi
gwaan.
"Tanks" she
seh an smile den she walk aff to guh si Mass Xerxes.
Mi did walk up to Tunky and we dis watch har walk inna Maas Xerxes room.
"Mi hope she do good" Tunky seh, a fret.
"God a watch ova har, she alright. Fi him will, will be dun." mi tell har.
Tunky nod had head an look pan di door Esta jus shut.
"Miss Esta it's
your turn now" Tunkey said from the door way. I looked around and realised
two women were missing, they already went to see Lord Xerxes.
"God is with you Miss Esta, you will be
alright. be friendly, smart and be sure to mention music alright. He loves music. You will be ok
man." I said motioning for her to go quickly. "Thanks"
she said smiling as she walked off to speak with Mr. Xerxes.
I walked up to Tunky and we watched her enter Lord Xerxes room.
"I hope she does well", Tunky said.
"She will be fine God is with her. His will will be done" I replied.
Tunky nodded and continued staring at the door Esta just closed.
Thanks for reading :)
Thanks for reading :)
What ya think?
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