Its raining, its pouring ... and like it eh stoppin!!!
Is Friday nite ...... and real rain fallin ..... so I home watchin TV ..... Synergy ...... fuh those of you ...... who not yet clued in ...... forget Comedy Central ...... I strongly recommend ..... Synergy TV ...... channel 15 ...... shows to note are ..... Friday Nite Live with Shal ..... Synergy Nights with Jason ....... and mos def ...... season 4 of Soca Star ...... you will laugh your head off!!!
Anyway ...... as ah say ..... I was jus here chilling watchin Synergy ...... when ah vaps ketch meh ..... fuh some coconut water (and Scotch
) ..... so ah trow orn some rain gear ..... jump eeeen de car ...... and drive down tuh de gas station right down de road ...... hopin dat dey have coconut water ..... and they did .....
So ah reach by de Cashier now ..... an' ah hand her ah $10 ..... mind you .... is only $10 ah had anyway ...... so my gyul ring it up ..... take de $10 and hand meh back 25 cents ..... Huh!??
Ah say ''is $9.75 fuh dat???" ....... well de gyul watch meh wit one CNG face (like she had a serious Compressed Natural Gas she wanted tuh let out) ...... and bawl ..... "Yeaahhsss" ...... ah say "a'ight sistren, laterz" .....
So ah walkin back tuh meh car now ...... and a vagrant ...... come up tuh meh ....... my boy start off with ..... Merry Christmas ...... then he continued with ...... ah break meh hand, yuh could buy meh ah BREAD? ...... now I doh know if de man really break he hand eh ..... cuz it wrap up in plaster of Trini (cloth) ..... not plaster of Paris (a cast) .... nevertheless tho ..... it was in a sling ...... but break hand .... or no break hand ....... I couldn't believe is ah whole BREAD de man ask me for ..... ah say breds .... two ah we in de same boat yuh know .... cuz right now ..... I an all cyah even afford ah BREAD .....
Driving back home now ..... da whole scene jus keep rollin around in meh head ..... cuz I start tuh study .... dat not too long ago ..... man used tuh beg fuh shilling ..... and dat used tuh suffice ..... but now ..... in 2008 ..... what de hell a vagrant could really do wit ah shilling!?! ...... tuh buy ah white bread ....... at $11.00 ...... he woulda have tuh beg 44 people fuh shilling ...... and if he health conscious ..... and is whole wheat he does eat ....... he woulda have tuh beg 47 people ..... and even sadder dan dat ...... is even if I had de money tuh buy de bread ..... brutha woulda have tuh settle fuh half ah loaf ..... cuz I cyah afford tuh give away ah whole bread!! ..... and den ah start tuh study de coconut water ....... since when coconut water get so expensive ...... $9.75 fuh ah lil 500 ml Virgin Caribbean bottle of 100% pure coconut water ..... pure coconut water???? (does it come any other way?) ..... Virgin Caribbean???!! ..... look ..... look how small de bottle is ......
But in all seriousness ..... ah was real feelin ah how ...... when ah reach back home eh ...... cuz de man was obviously hungry ...... cuz he eh ask meh fuh money ..... he ask fuh food!!! ..... imagine ...... being hungry ..... with no money ...... and nobody tuh turn to ....... and nowhere to go ...... with a broken arm ..... it raining ..... and yuh soaked ..... and cold (oh ... and old)!!!
Last nite ..... again ..... similar story ..... ah was in Peakes ..... and ah man come tuh beg too ...... he didn't have de typical vagrant look tho ..... he was clean ..... well dressed ...... and very well spoken ...... with a rankin yankee accent ..... I doh know if de man is ah yankee ...... a Trini .... or a deportee ..... but he eh ask fuh food ...... he wanted money ...... he say he have a job in another gas station ..... but he lives nowhere ..... and he just wanted ah lil small change ..... now at first ..... we (ah was wit a friend) didn't want tuh give him eh ..... cuz yuh know vagrants does suffer de 'Peter payin fuh Paul' syndrome ...... cuz we does always feel dat all ah dem is pipers ...... and dey jus want money tuh get high ..... but ...... after tinkin it over ..... we call him back ...... and we give him ah $3.00 ..... cuz I was just so saddened ...... by how degrading it must be ....... for a human being ..... to reach the stage ..... of having to beg for money .... jus to continue breathing ...... altho not having anywhere to rest yuh head ..... or having any kind of real life ahead!!
After recently reading Coffee Wallah's post ..... on this same topic ..... and then coincidentally ..... having these two back-tuh-back encounters ...... I can't help but wonder ...... where all of them are tonight .... in all this rain ..... and I can't help but feel totally helpless!
PS: allyuh see T&TEC admit dat some bills wrong eh ..... so go check yuh bills!!!
Anyway ...... as ah say ..... I was jus here chilling watchin Synergy ...... when ah vaps ketch meh ..... fuh some coconut water (and Scotch
) ..... so ah trow orn some rain gear ..... jump eeeen de car ...... and drive down tuh de gas station right down de road ...... hopin dat dey have coconut water ..... and they did .....So ah reach by de Cashier now ..... an' ah hand her ah $10 ..... mind you .... is only $10 ah had anyway ...... so my gyul ring it up ..... take de $10 and hand meh back 25 cents ..... Huh!??
Ah say ''is $9.75 fuh dat???" ....... well de gyul watch meh wit one CNG face (like she had a serious Compressed Natural Gas she wanted tuh let out) ...... and bawl ..... "Yeaahhsss" ...... ah say "a'ight sistren, laterz" .....
So ah walkin back tuh meh car now ...... and a vagrant ...... come up tuh meh ....... my boy start off with ..... Merry Christmas ...... then he continued with ...... ah break meh hand, yuh could buy meh ah BREAD? ...... now I doh know if de man really break he hand eh ..... cuz it wrap up in plaster of Trini (cloth) ..... not plaster of Paris (a cast) .... nevertheless tho ..... it was in a sling ...... but break hand .... or no break hand ....... I couldn't believe is ah whole BREAD de man ask me for ..... ah say breds .... two ah we in de same boat yuh know .... cuz right now ..... I an all cyah even afford ah BREAD .....
Driving back home now ..... da whole scene jus keep rollin around in meh head ..... cuz I start tuh study .... dat not too long ago ..... man used tuh beg fuh shilling ..... and dat used tuh suffice ..... but now ..... in 2008 ..... what de hell a vagrant could really do wit ah shilling!?! ...... tuh buy ah white bread ....... at $11.00 ...... he woulda have tuh beg 44 people fuh shilling ...... and if he health conscious ..... and is whole wheat he does eat ....... he woulda have tuh beg 47 people ..... and even sadder dan dat ...... is even if I had de money tuh buy de bread ..... brutha woulda have tuh settle fuh half ah loaf ..... cuz I cyah afford tuh give away ah whole bread!! ..... and den ah start tuh study de coconut water ....... since when coconut water get so expensive ...... $9.75 fuh ah lil 500 ml Virgin Caribbean bottle of 100% pure coconut water ..... pure coconut water???? (does it come any other way?) ..... Virgin Caribbean???!! ..... look ..... look how small de bottle is ......
But in all seriousness ..... ah was real feelin ah how ...... when ah reach back home eh ...... cuz de man was obviously hungry ...... cuz he eh ask meh fuh money ..... he ask fuh food!!! ..... imagine ...... being hungry ..... with no money ...... and nobody tuh turn to ....... and nowhere to go ...... with a broken arm ..... it raining ..... and yuh soaked ..... and cold (oh ... and old)!!!
Last nite ..... again ..... similar story ..... ah was in Peakes ..... and ah man come tuh beg too ...... he didn't have de typical vagrant look tho ..... he was clean ..... well dressed ...... and very well spoken ...... with a rankin yankee accent ..... I doh know if de man is ah yankee ...... a Trini .... or a deportee ..... but he eh ask fuh food ...... he wanted money ...... he say he have a job in another gas station ..... but he lives nowhere ..... and he just wanted ah lil small change ..... now at first ..... we (ah was wit a friend) didn't want tuh give him eh ..... cuz yuh know vagrants does suffer de 'Peter payin fuh Paul' syndrome ...... cuz we does always feel dat all ah dem is pipers ...... and dey jus want money tuh get high ..... but ...... after tinkin it over ..... we call him back ...... and we give him ah $3.00 ..... cuz I was just so saddened ...... by how degrading it must be ....... for a human being ..... to reach the stage ..... of having to beg for money .... jus to continue breathing ...... altho not having anywhere to rest yuh head ..... or having any kind of real life ahead!!
After recently reading Coffee Wallah's post ..... on this same topic ..... and then coincidentally ..... having these two back-tuh-back encounters ...... I can't help but wonder ...... where all of them are tonight .... in all this rain ..... and I can't help but feel totally helpless!
PS: allyuh see T&TEC admit dat some bills wrong eh ..... so go check yuh bills!!!
Wey, tings like it hard dey. dat frige looking like it need refilling!
I didn even know dey selling coconut water in bottle like that - wha happen to pulling up by the coconut man wid yuh empty jaliter? Or dey stop dat?
Is human nature to feel for people gyul. I occasionally does lapse too, so doh feel a how. but i learn the hard way that it have plenty people more willing to beg than to wuk.
I know, you eh go believe meh, but I have plenty experience of that when ah use to wuk social welfare, and then when ah visit Trinidad ah does get hit on a lot. You see it happening more and more; dey will even use chirren to pull yuh heart strings thru yuh wallet.
I stop doing that shit, if peter have to pay for Paul, so be it. I just send them to ah Social Welfare office - the typical man on the street have no idea how many grants the government have nah. People could get plenty help in a more dignified way if they wat. But 'begging' have plenty money, even since days long gone.
I remember a vagarnt in Sando use to lie on the pavement in front Chungs studio, and beg, with flie rong he legs, yuh go swear the man leg sick and rottening.
When de man dead, and he gone for autopsy, is over $80,000 tie up in he legs to make them look swell up. But yuh eh go believe de scam - de man first wrap plastic rong he leg, put de money, more plastic, and then tie saltfish to rot to fool people to thinking de foot rottening.
Gyul, drinkyuh scotch and water, enjoy de rain falling on de roof and worry how yuh go put gas in yuh car (glad tuh hear yuh get it back) and lock yuh door tight, tight. if is not bandit, is people coming fuh dey share ah yuh lotto win.
Ooops, is a long post. Ah hope yuh have room.
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Jumbie boy .... ah glad yuh see is not shit ah was talkin ..... when ah say I an' all cyah afford ah bread ..... cuz yes .... my fridge is VERY empty ..... and de piece ah sandwich loaf dat yuh seein in de pic ..... well it only have bout 4 more slice in it .... including de two ends ..... so yuh know ..... after I done eat dat fuh lunch today ...... is CRIX next ...... cuz even tho ah might run outta odda ting (very frequently) ..... dat is one 'vital supply' ...... I always have!
And dey sellin coconut water in plastic bottle long time now ...... I doh really buy it ...... cuz it does only last bout two days ..... and I also kinda like de whole ..... goin by de coconut vendor round de Savannah vibe ..... and eatin meh jelly (love, love, love) with meh lil coconut shell spoon ..... but even dat scene ...... upgrade too ..... cuz now yuh cud get ah COLD nut ..... with a STRAW ...... and you enjoy it while viewing the new and improved coconut trucks ...... wit dey big plastic pictures or ads or whatever they are ..... stick up on either side ...... makin dem look like ah Cinderella carriage ...... instead of ah down-tuh-earth, rootsy, ole, rackatang, true Trini coconut truck ..... de next time ah by de Savannah ...... I'll take some pics ..... so yuh could see what ah talkin bout .....
But ..... give me a real coconut ...... ANY DAY!!!!
And the scenarios you pointed out ...... are all very famililr ...... cuz yes ..... I DO know that a lot of them prefer to beg ...... rather than get a job ...... but then on the flip side ..... I'm sure it must be pretty difficult to find a job ..... once you've become a vagrant ...... cuz nobody gonna trust a vagrant ...... or a homeless man ...... tuh do work fuh dem ...... so is kinda like a vicious cycle ..... and then those who use their children ....... well that is just disgusting ...... you see it all the time ..... I even experienced it some time ah went tuh dat jokey joint in Grand Bazaar ......
And the story about the Sando vagrant ...... while it is absolutely gross ..... and a bit far out ..... it proves ...... that they are capable ...... cuz some of them are some smart MOFOs ...... so yeah ...... Peter WILL continue to pay for PAUL ...... cuz while some of them really are genuine ...... some of dem are just plain ole con artists who out tuh jus scheme people ......
But yeah boy ...... de scotch went down good ..... and it seemed even better wit de rain ...... which at 2:00 am ..... was still fallin ...... an' I eh get back de car ...... da'is ah nex car ..... mine comin back some time next week ...... was supposed tuh be Tuesday ...... but wit all dis rain ....... ah doh know ......
Ahhhh yes ...... off tuh read some papers now ...... tuh check out Rowley and Manning and dey foolishness!!!
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nice post 'scene. good follow on to the coffeewallah's post.
Is that a can of cafe espresso in the back of the pic? You holding out on us 'scene? lol
coffeedude
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LOL .... boy your eye real long .... yes it is ..... I do indulge in ah lil espresso every now and den
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Ah friend tell me one time he geh cuss when he offer tuh take ah man tuh de gas station tuh buy gas as de man had dis whole story about chirren in car and far tuh go and was begging fuh money tuh buy gas. Ah tink de man even had a gas can in he hand tuh help make he story more authentic buh ah could be embellishing and making up dat part, ah doh remember.
Ah next time annuder friend buy a McDonalds meal fuh a beggar who turn arong and cuss him out because de meal had ah small fries and not ah big one.
I used tuh parse dis homeless man every morning early when ah was going tuh work so ah start tuh stop (start to stop? Only ah Trini does talk so eh) and take him tuh ah fast food place and let him order ah hot meal buh ah also start changing mih route twice ah week or even walking on de udder pavement so he go go tink is ah free meal whenever he see me coming. Ah want tuh help buh ah eh want tuh get scammed at de same time. Like dem people who tink ah dotish and go send dem mih bank account and routing number. (Damn, ah like how ah tie dem two tuhgedder!!)
Still it sad so many people have tuh beg tuh stay alive. I eh know if ah could beg nah, especially strangers... Friends? Hell yes.
meal.
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LOL .... dat Mc Donalds story is hilarious ..... and yes ...... only a Trini will understand "start tuh stop" ..... ah love it
.... but that's the thing .... you never know who is genuine ...... and who just want tuh scam yuh ...... so sometimes ..... yuh just have tuh say tuh yuhself ...... dat maybe if yuh do some good ..... hopefully some good will come back tuh yuh ......
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only $9.75?? you lucky! in school that SAME bottle of coconut water costs $12.00!! i have never given in to buying it even when i'm craving for some coconut water...
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OMG .... that's even crazier!!!!!
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Scene, re the TTEC bills - do you know the procedure to claim the rebate? Because I have a feeling my present bill wrong bad - it was almost twice the previous bill, and my consumption habits haven't changed at all since the last billing cycle.
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I doh know nah gyul ...... yuh notice they were very vague bout dat (de procedure)!!!
My last bill IS double what it normally is ..... so ah want tuh believe ..... dat I am one who was 'overbilled' ....
There are telephone numbers at the back of the bill ..... I'm gonna just call one .... and make some enquiries ..... and if dat doh work ....... I guess I'll have tuh go in to them (ughhhhh) ......
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I think you are right that people do beg for food instead of money to buy food because they are hungry. I think we feel less guilty when we don't give someone who is begging even a quarter because we tell ourselves these people are on drugs. But being on drugs don't make them any less human or less in need of survival. Begging is the symptom and giving people money is only a plaster. The cure is in the priorities of society.
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you ain't easy
leaving home just for coconut water..... and in de rain too,lol
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nah gyul ..... is only cuz ah know ah coulda get it rite down de road .......
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