WUH LAWS – SHE RUN ‘WAY!
It was Friday morning in the village and preparation day for the Williams family before church on Sabbath. As the sun rose slowly over Thorington’s gully, the breathtaking view, a mixture of rolling hills and a carpet of green foliage ended at the Atlantic Ocean. The abruptness of the green against the sparkling ocean made you want to stand and bathe in the glory of the day.
Just down the street from Thorington’s gully was a well-kept chattel house and a very prominent family in the village. The Williams’ family lived quietly and it would be very unusual to hear any local gossip about their family. The parents were very protective of their family, mostly girls, not allowing outside play with the other children. Instead, this family was very focused on education and remained strictly true to their values.
But there was a misfit in the family, Neva. She was different from the other children. A beautiful girl with some light freckles and a disarming smile, Neva was a free spirit. She did not like the strictness of the family and often broke the rules to go outside and play with her friends. Her defiance usually meant bare licks from her mummy and there always seemed to be tension between Mrs. Williams and Neva. Mrs. Williams was important and strict, a disciplinarian, and an outstanding member of the village. She also had strong Christian values and raised her children in the church. However, to prepare for church, Mrs Williams had to make a trip to Bridgetown to shop for groceries.
Before leaving for town, she gave Neva strict orders. “I gine into town today, and you b’az stay in de house till I get back. I en’ want we name in the street.
“Yes, mummy,” Neva replied, sheepishly.
Mrs Williams completed her shopping at the bustling super market in Bridgetown, just down the street from the Fairchild bus station. She dragged her bags all the way back over the careenage, and up to the bus station to make the one-hour bumpy, long drive to the country. Walking in Barbados in the midday sun is no easy task, but carrying bags on this day really tested Mrs Williams Christianity and she was not ready for any foolishness on the bus. But once she got settled on the bus, she noticed something different about how the other passengers were treating her. Normally, they were very respectful, but today they were snickering and pointing at her.
She listened intently over the sound of the diesel bus and overheard one of the lick-mouts saying, “wuh, hey…looka she! A’ways playing so uppity, and now, wuh laws – she dawtah run ‘way!”
Mrs Williams could barely contain herself and she wanted to get off the bus at every stop, to walk home and avoid the gossiping. Neva did it this time, she thought, draggin’ de family name in de mud. Mrs Williams nearly had a heart attack from the embarrassment on the bus ride home.
Now, Neva knew the time the bus would arrive at the bus stop and wanted to meet her mother to help with the groceries. She also knew about the gossip going on in the village and wanted to meet her mummy to reassure her the rumors were not true. As soon as Mrs Williams exited the bus, she piled the bags on Neva and started scolding her.
“You don know wha you put me tru’ today ‘pon de bus. All I cud hear is de people licking de mout ‘bout how you run ‘way. You en’ got no shame! Looka wha’ you do to we family now! Wait till we get home!”
Neva knew what this meant – bare licks – and tried to fix the story. Scared of the outcome and pleading, Neva told her mother, “but mummy, how I cyann run way an’ I still heh. I en’ run way! It was the Braffit monkey dat run way.”
“I don’ care bout no monkey running way, all I know is dat you en’ listen to wha’ I tell you to stay in de house when I gone, and now looka, we name all over the village,” Mrs Williams insisted.
“But mummy! Stephen catch a monkey and say it look like me, so he named de monkey after me.” Neva was near tears. “So the village boys went to play wid de monkey and it get loose an’ run way,” Neva kept pleading.
“Well, you shudda know better dan let dem name de monkey after you. Go get de belt,” Mrs Williams commanded Neva. As soon as she got in the house. Mrs Williams lambaste she tail!
The other children at home did not want to get involved, and waited for the commotion to die down between Neva and Ms. Williams. Finally, Ms Williams, exhausted from the heat, the trip to Bridgetown, and from beating on Neva, collapsed on a chair. The other children, in the aftermath, each took a bit of time to share their concerns about the unfair treatment of Neva. Mrs Williams acknowledged that she was not fair at times with Neva, perhaps a bit disappointed in her, and it caused Neva to get the brunt of all her anger. Neva also recognized that she was treated differently from the other children and this caused her to rebel. So she approached her mummy to let her know she was sorry about the whole thing with the monkey and how it caused the family name to get in the street.
Mrs. Williams was still upset, but after catching she wind, was hungry and thirsty and asked, “wha’ ‘pon the pot? I hungry ‘nuff. Sharin’ licks really tek it outta muh! Wunna got anything to eat?”
“Yes mummy,” Neva said, “I even cook for you, cuz I know’d you’d be hungry when you get home from town. I cook some stretch-out breadfruit and I kill a chicken fuh some stew.”
“Ok,” Mrs. Williams told her, “bring muh some, and some mauby, too – and pass the hotsauce.
Lesson learned: Sometimes it is easier to put on a face rather than admit that no family is perfect. Each child is different and unique and needs to be loved all the same.
Bajan hotsauce story: Writer Stan, edited by Jeanne