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Overview
Product Details
| ISBN-13: | 9781546240839 |
|---|---|
| Publisher: | AuthorHouse |
| Publication date: | 04/10/2019 |
| Sold by: | Barnes & Noble |
| Format: | eBook |
| Pages: | 256 |
| File size: | 1 MB |
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CHAPTER 1
Part One
The wind blew steady across the flat, The Hurricane was dissipating in the gulf. The western tip of Cuba had experience Ivan's strength. It was September 13th a good day out to sea cam for the next few weeks according to the weather report there were some big swells all the same. Jah had made everything perfect with the Hurricane had came its rewards. Life is full of surprises he thought it time to go he say as he entered the house.
One year earlier. BY 2003 Cayman had finished it transient into a heathen nation a vampire state a Babylonian jewel from my point of view. We had become like the gentles at a higher sophisticated level. The homosexual law was reality which was attached to the white paper earlier. Laws were handed down by the king to be accepted or Cayman would have to walk the line and remove the union jack. The blind was starting to see and the cripple was running. And the uneducated in the ways of god's words became wonderers and you couldn't burn a yard fire in peace. It had been a while since the man had lifted a hammer and the chronic workaholic wasn't taking it too well, he was just living on the mercy of god to tell you the truth. He had done some small game fishing that morning in the bight then some hunting for whatever he could find. He was down to one square meal a day, how long would it last this time he thought. I have to find something another job to do soon. He was going crazy again, no woman wants a brake ass man I need money. Love is a different thing altogether, those old people would say put love on the table. He was a humble man all the same and thanked God daily for all things, but over the years he had changed. He didn't have a dollar to his name and barely a window to throw a piss pot through but he was still alive and kicking. It was unemployment that made him this way and it would make many countries fall, intelligent people became activist poor or criminals.
My island Cayman what have you become he thought a soldier that takes no prisoners like the rest of the world were greed corruption and money takes over. A promise land but only for the chosen few. The man had seen unemployment years at a time and never gotten use to it. IT was hard to explain which he had stop doing and the criticizing didn't end. HE had ran up down the whole week all over the place looking for any little thing to do. IT wasn't no one's fault nobody was compelled to give you work there was either no work or too much workers on the job site the boss would say. Some of them wouldn't give you a job period or the man chose not to work for them because he had his reasons. There was the new player who would not hirer locals and the fly by nighters you worked with them only if you were on the merge of dying, and even then it was a gamble you could die quicker. I Na dropping down yet he said neither am I ready to. I got to make something happen for myself soon. If the devil wants me he said he ga come better than this. Even him a normal man took those long sad hard Cayman unemployment days in pain. He would cook porridge in the morning and if any was left he would eat the rest at sunset. He knew what they were saying about him round town but it didn't get to him after all these years. The people were confused and didn't know what was going on. BIG hard ass man doing nothing laying down home all day listening to the radio watching TV sleeping was the talk. As far as he was concern it was another day in paradise he had woken up to a fresh crisp clear Cayman morning, blue skies and green grass and the fresh smell of herbs blowing in the wind. IT would almost make anyone feel content that was in his situation. AS he lay there in his hammock hiding from the sun a small pot was boiling over a outside fire, Two concrete blocks and a grill on top balanced it. HE wasn't worried about the worries of his life god knew what he was doing. Laziness wasn't in his blood ambition was all he left more than ever. AS bad as it was he always accepted the problem was all his fault not god's or anyone else. JAH was telling him something by all this and I better learn the lesson he would often say.
BY 2003 there was a global warming crisis going on scientist and conspiracy theories all around the world were agreeing Ice was melting faster than ever oceans were rising and the UB ray of the sun was getting hotter. The ozone had a hole in it, Crops were getting harder to grow and genetic scientists were cloning meats and chicken directly which contained no blood. The rich were getting richer and the poor poorer, the poor man had no chance or say. IT's like that all over I guess we are the slaves of Babylon, Forced to warship their Idols and lifestyle and to live under modern colonialism believe it or not.
IT had been several years now since he had found any real employment. He had only done construction for most of his life this was all he did as a professional. HE had already made up his mind on a career change he wasn't going to sit around and wait on the great white hope. But for now it was the same happy life a lot of things still had to be done in his life, but he lived in hope and knew it was just a matter of time before god turned the page. HE become closer to god during these times. Crime was plaguing the island these days people had disappeared and bodies were found mutilated. Just a few days ago a man was shot dead in his home word on the street someone had paid a hit man. Every man was holding his own corner friends and brethrens could be found in their yards sitting chilling under a mango tree in his case burning a yard fire. Mediating and absorbing the surroundings. Coming up with ways to deal with the devil's philosophy. TO have wisdom is to fear god, of course they were those out there in a rougher boat and they were not handling it as well as him. And instead of finding JAH some got closer to evil. Poverty can make people do things they never even dream of turn sensible people into fools and make some unreasonable. Some days he had no sugar for his porridge and could not buy a can of beans, many days he ate pain and became full. Nothing surprised him any more now a days; he was still at the bottom of the pit but on top of the muck. The war in Iraq was over for the time being. The weak was becoming stronger and the biggest losers were going to haven money could buy anything. IT was a sin to be poor and seemed to be a crime, if you had an open mind you kept it to yourself.
STATUSES were continuing to be issued by Cabinet and Immigration more and more people would be able to vote in the coming election. Slowly the Island that time forgot was disappearing IT had grown up and was becoming a metropolitan. Houses were being built in the most remote areas, Cliff land and on Iron shore in the swamps and ocean. The price of land sky rocked. WE were eating the food on the king's table, what happen in the night came to day. What happen to the big passed onto the small, and space was limited. The world was slowly becoming a living hell. Even paradise is another reflection of big city chaos greed and grudge-fullness. This one got more than me mentality, and I want his share one way or another. HE thought about the mindset of the wicked on a daily bases. Smoke came from his mouth as he rolled in his hammock trying to take a nap. HE knew the road all too well often he found himself in that same place riding that same old donkey. BE it willing or mistake faith by god or punishment one can't question 2003 and the months that followed. IN Cayman more and more eyes were starting to open up.
IT was a still afternoon a few days later. The man sat under a tree on a picnic table contemplating his situation. HE just finish building a boat shade in town, can you imagine that one week's work him and a friend of his. IT wasn't anything going on work wise and the four hundred dollars he made was already chopped up into sections, of everyday living in Cayman. HE had been living from hand to mouth for a while, way to long if you asked him. And things didn't look good on the horizon. They were a couple of jobs going on down on the bay all the same big hotels and condominium projects. First thing Monday morning I'LL find myself down there and ask for a job. Come cross round four and get your money he said to someone over the phone. Bring me something different if you got anything.
Kingdon found him outside in the same spot he had been all morning. The two men bounced fist together and greeted each other. You got papers kingdon asked as he took out a sandwich bag from his waist line. MR bill gave us fifty dollars extra says he more than happy with the work, he's a good hearted old man you see him the. If everybody were like the Patterson's everything would be alright Sam said the man to kingdon. IT getting harder and harder to make a honest living, Sam I would give it up myself but then what will I do replied kingdon. Yah a new career would be the same shit.
THE men spoke in the third person and called each other Sam, IT was just a figure of speech Sam and a habit and style in the way they talked. IT's the way of things, the nature of the world for people to take advantage of one another. Kingdon took a paper from the pack they men said nothing for a minute or two, then puffs of smoke blew in the air. I know what you mean old boy we got family wife and children to support. IT either living like this of crumbs or hit a bank or something, northward prison na that bad we can take a chance up there and the food pretty good too I hear. I'LL miss my gypsy girl but that's how it goes said Kindon. YAH and it Na no more buried treasure in Cayman to find so only JAH knows. They laugh Kingdon rested the lighter on the table the two men continued to talk all evening until sunset. I going cross the bar little bit said Kingdon see if I can get some sale or see somebody bout a job you never know. Yah man cool I'll check you out Monday we'll go long the bay see if we get lucky, plan our next move we can't go on like this king. Later Sam yah later Sam they said to each other.
Monday morning the man needed his 91 Toyota Corolla jump started she didn't looked too good but it was pretty reliable. IT only needed a battery and maybe an alternator to begin with, and the license coupon was expired years ago. There was no Insurance on the thing in fact every company on the island had refused to insure the thing. The car was a piece of junk frankly the tires were worn and the young man had repainted it himself with one can of spray paint. After getting a jump start from a passerby he was on his way. IT was 6.45 AM sharp when he stop and picked up his friend the two men set out on the highway headed west. They needed to beat the traffic because the stop and go would have impaired the mission. The car ran hot too it over heated while running along, he left the hood line open slightly too let the cool air past through the radiator when driving. The radiator was cracked open and the fan was busted and unrepairable. A half an hour later they had reached their destination safely. The car pulled into the beach club parking lot, a small hotel one of the oldest on the 7 mile beach strip. They would leave the car there for a few hours and go by foot to the various sites asking for a job. WE na going be picky they said one to the other we'll take anything that comes along. There were at least three major Construction projects going on hotels from fancy chains and world class franchised. There was a man standing at the gate of the first job site they came to. He had on a hard hat and a black support strap. THE man was smoking a cigarette and shouting at a man operating a lifter, HE asked them bluntly what is it, he spoke American. WE looking for a job said the driver of the car, can we please talk to the boss. The man had a tan and you could have smell the sun screen there was frothy saliva at the corner of his mouth. You got to talk to me and I say there's no job here so be along on your way. He was rude to the boys but they just walked off. The second site brought them no luck likewise so did the third. AT the second site they had manage to get cross the gate keeper a Cayman guy and spoke to someone in the office. A gentleman project manager who smiled a lot and gave them some double talk, I needed guys last week but we worked it out with the subcontractor. You can check us out again in about three month's time when we start the next phase of the hotel. I can't even take your resume at this point but to be honest I like what I see you guys Caymanians he asked. YES SIR. Umm well thank you for coming I know how it is being unemployed been there myself. The office was a 20 foot container of some sort with a window and a small AC unit attached to it was parted into various sections two office and a bathroom a storage area but only for office stuff. The man opened the door and told them good buy with a cold face as they left. That another foreigner sounds like an English man to me the taking over the place Sam. THE third stop was more of the same kind of chat, run around beat around the bush thing. YOU boys did any prison time asked the Caymanian foreman who you all for. Get the police record and all that personal information together and drop it off at the main office in town. WE take random urine test here just so you know. Fill out an application we'll keep it on file. AS they left the site a Jamaican worker yelled go way Unna na fuh come ya we run things.
IT was 3.20 PM they had beaten the evening rush hour traffic. Further east out of town they stop to asked about work at the smaller sites on the way home. IT was a waste of time they knew the residential projects were worst and they were insulted by bosses workers and owners.
THE men sat underneath a tree in the yard talking and meditating into the late evening. They had not eaten breakfast, lunch, and there was no supper. Their all political jobs one of them said, YEAH this been going on for years. A piece of log wood was threw on the small fire they had made, smoke was all around. BY now a few more boys had joined them around the fire they were in session. IT was 12 AM when the small camp fire went out, the boys had been reasoning for hours. They were in their Trans like high said their good bye clashing fist together and holding two finger in the form of the peace sign then touching their chest with the hand. They were all red up. IT had been a long day see you later Samm Kingdon said to the Indian man yeah Samm later. INDIAN the driver of the Toyota didn't get much sleep he spent the night twisting and turning.
Time rod on time past and nothing changed for him he was haunted by something and he would soon have to soon comprehend it or die in confusion.
THERE he was a 30 year old man sitting under the mango tree all day burning yard fires people were starting to envy him. HE too was sick of the situation living on carrots cassava peanuts and dreams. But it was not his fault god had spoken or was it the devil that had him cursed. What had hit these shore of his beloved Cayman he wondered one thing for sure he had to survive one way or another. CAYMANIANS were smiling less these days they were isolated and forgotten democracy was helping itself. ALL hope had left him he was a failure and not afraid of dying any more a hard core original grass root Caymanian lion like him was eating straw. ONE thing for sure poverty wasn't no place to be happy about this ain't no place to want to die in. FOR REAL god had not forgotten Cayman yet he was just occupied right now. With all this stuff going on in the world today with bin laden and nuclear bombs and shit. The Indian man trusted few and those whom he trusted in he watched out for them.
The days and months went by slowly Cayman wasn't getting any better this was a failed democracy. WE had been listening to the wrong mouth and seeing incorrect visions you see the human race not really smart unless JAH guides us. WE are living in revelation times the Sunday law in affect and was instigated hundreds of years ago by the Roman Empire and Implemented by Columbus in the so call new world. The devil himself down here putting obstacles in the path of the righteous, the greatest thing is to know. Greed is an idol and corruption is a disease a slavish mentality is still in the land, the poor could be bought for a pair of shoe now a days. That great city that rules over the kings of the earth won't be so great any more. EVERY thing is linked to the anti - Christ. THE man burnt yard fires more than ever.
This was his deck of cards. Little work around the yard kept him going and odd jobs once and a while. HE built garbage pan holders from scrap lumber and sold them. HE did whatever he could to make do if you what I mean. HE sold fruits and vegetables that were grown right there on his place. INDIAN had even applied to work on a garbage truck but was turn down because he was over qualified.
(Continues…)
Excerpted from "Hard-Luck Story"
by .
Copyright © 2019 Dean Chollette.
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