Many of the villagers including the children anticipated Fridays because of the fun activities, like dominoes competitions at Mr. Branch rum shop, lots of rum and beer drinking, and of course the food. The food included, pickled chicken necks and feet, fried big fish with rice and peas, macaroni pie, baked chicken with breadfruit cou-cou, garden vegetables and macaroni salads.
The rum shop sat at the highest part of the village overlooking the verdant green, lush hills that flowed from Chimborazo downhill to the azure blue Atlantic Ocean. The scene was bookended by Bissex Hill to the left and stretched all the way to the right terminating at Hackleton’s Cliff to the right. The location was perfect for gathering since the shop sat in the middle of the village on the highest peak.
The children loved to visit Mr. Branch rum shop on Friday evenings because it was the start of the weekend, and they could stay up late hanging around the shop hoping to get something to eat. The children were never disappointed; Mr. Branch was a very generous man and took care of the children. Mr. Branch was a rough man with a kind spirit. He would often call the children in his gruff voice: “boy bring ya scrawny tail ova hey and get something to eat. Ya look like ya starve out”. “Wunna come and get some a dis mauby to wash down de food too”. The children loved the sweet mauby with its bitter after tase. They ate and drank until filled, then they stood around and rubbed their bellies and licked their lips.
They played with whatever homemade toys they had, ran around the adults keeping as much noise as they could. There was nothing unusual about these gatherings. But the highlight for the children was story time when Uncle Stan showed up. “Hey look!” Uncle Stan coming! We gine get another gud story!” The children got excited as Uncle Stan strolled into the rum shop and requested a Banks Beer. “Gimme a Banks Mr. Branch. Wuh I tirsty anuff dis evening.” Mr. Branch opened the icebox, grabbed a cold Banks, popped the cork as he shoved it across the counter. “Hey ya go, Uncle Stan. Dem picknies been hey waiting pun you all evening.” “Well, boy, dem gine have to wait fuh anuddah minute till I take a few sips off dis bottle.” Uncle Stan seemed like he sucked all the contents from the bottle in two gulps.
“Ok, boys and girls” Uncle Stan started as he tried to get the attention of the children. They gathered around on the ground in front of the shop as each one jostled for position closest to Uncle Stan. Soon they settled down and waited for Uncle Stan to tell them a nice entertaining story. “Now wunna gine have to listen quietly and behave wunna selves; can you do dat?” He asked. The children gleefully and in unison shouted, “yes Uncle Stan!” Uncle Stan was ready for story time.
“Well boys and girls, dis is really going to be a sad story; but effin wunna listen carefully, wunna might learn how to handle wunna self if ya evah feeling down.” Uncle Stan warned. “The story goes like this… There was a strange breeze blowing across the village. We en had a low side wind like dat in a long time. Ya know what dey say bout a low side wind? It gine bring bad weather and rain. But when de winds and weather start changing, de animals also get a bit restless, cause dey know something coming. But not only de animals, some people can also feel de weather change too. Marke was one of dem people who had mood swings when de weather changed.”
Marke was a vagrant, drank a lot of rum, and sometimes he would layout in the middle of de road when he drunk even if traffic coming. The cars and trucks would have to drive round he. Marke would curse everyone he could when he get drunk. But when he was sober, he was everybody’s friend. But it seemed like de changing weather turn he head.
Marke started drinking some white rum with he fellows from early in the morning. By midday, Marke was two sheets to the wind. He was wobbling when he walked, he pounded on he chest, and he was cussing anyone near where he was. Marke also seemed distressed. He was mumbling that he just got he Guvment check yesterday and someone tek all he money. Marke was in a bad way. He depended on a friend to cash he check and bring de money. Instead, she gave him back a few dollars and kept most of the money fuh she self.
Well boys and girls, Marke was so sad, he felt like he had lost all hope, so he thought he would do away wid heself. Marke climb up a coconut tree with a rope tie round he waist, and when he got to the first limb he tied the rope on the limb and slid back down the tree. Marke climb back into the old house where he was living khaing de other end of de rope. Next thing Marke tied de rope round he neck, yelled out and jumped out de window. SPLAT!! Marke landed flat pun he face and knock heself out. He thought he was going to kill heself; but de rope was too long and he landed flat pun de ground and knock heself out.
Marke buddies heard de yell and ran round de house to see wha happen. Marke was still lying pun de ground face down an he in moving, and de rope was still round he neck. He buddies tried to wake he, but they couldn’t. Marke was too drunk, and he hit the ground real hard. The other buddies were scared Marke dun kill heself and some of dem went running to Mr. Branch house yelling, “come quick, come quick, Marke try to kill heself and he en moving atall. Come quick Mr. Branch!”
Mr. Branch run back with he buddies to the spot where Marke was lying pun de ground. Marke was still out. Mr. Branch lean down next to Marke and check for a pulse on he neck. “Blasted jackass, he gine live!” Mr. Branch said disgustedly. “Bring me a bucket of ice water.” Mr. Branch told the boys. Mr. Branch open Marke shirt and poured the ice water down he back. Marke jumped up as sober as a judge. “Wait, whey wunna come from? Wunna dead too?” Marke still seemed confused. He thought he had killed himself and he was in the other world with his buddies. Mr. Branch said to him, “ya blasted idiot, yuh en dead, get up and come to the house and get something to eat.” Marke stumbled to his feet and the boys helped him get to Mr. Branch’s shop. Mr. Branch called to he wife, “Una, get these children something to eat and pass de Hotsauce!”.
“Well children”, Uncle Stan started, “sometimes you might feel sad and lonely especially if someone you trust let you down. If you ever feel real, real bad like that, talk to an adult and let them know how you is feeling. You should never try to hurt ya self. Ok, y’all run along and play now.”