AUDREY

Look here, Pusa! Open you ear them! Let me tell you something, you hear! I dont talk hard to you, so dont let nobody talk hard to you! I dont hit you, so dont let a mortal drunk and put they hand pan you! I dont ill treat you in no way, so dont allow a soul to walk over you! Stand up for yourself! If you got to, tell them what you have to say! You mouth aint cut and you have a tongue in you head. After all, they dont have six horns and you got two. Hmmm. Next time they see you, they will sure past straight or walk round. And if you have to tell them where you come from, tell them! I telling you, tell them and make sure you put in that they aint got to light no lamp to look for you, cause guinea horse dont bring ram goat! Always hold your head high and walk straight. Walk straight I tell you, because you is people! Look here! You a listen? Nothing in this world call cant! Whatever you heart desire, work for it! Look to the cross and ask Massa God for strength. Work hard and you will get it. Dont let a mortal discourage you or tell you otherwise. I know you!  You good man! You good! Hmmm! Girl you good! I hope you listening! Like a Sunday school recitation, I going pound that in your skull morning, noon and night! Till it stick! Always remember, no let nobody make you less than what you be! Dont let a mortal turn and twist you. You is people! Got respect and decency for youself and if for some reason you find youself in a stew, try hard and take you self out! Take youself out! I telling you all this now cause I aint going live forever. I aint going be with you all the time! I hope what me a tell you a stick! I raise you, not as a animal, but as people!

 

AFTER ALL MAN!

YOU AINT DROP OUT NO BREADFRUIT TREE!!

By Mutryce A. Williams (MP)  Master of Politics

 

AUDREY

Sadiiiieee! Sadiiieee! Where you? Well Sadie, how come the child a sit down out pan you front step so? Aint there I left she! I bring the child and park her in you house and went go make me message. Now me meet she with a long, long sour face, a sit down pan the cold, cold step. Suppose she catch a draft, man. You know she is a tender child! Pusa, pumpkin, tell me what happen? Come to Mammy, come for a hug and some kisssssses. That is my Pusa! Tell me what happen! Precious! Me lil soursop! Fix your face for me please. Dont spoil you lil beauty. We want the boys to watch you when you come big ent? That is my girl! That is me girl! Well Sadie Hawkins, the child say you bark after she. How that go now? Sadie, let me ask you a lil story there, no. You bark after she? Well, Sades me aint know that you is a bad dog, why you bark after she? Lord, Lord, you know me very touches when it comes to them things there and the pickney, very touches. Very touches indeed! The child aint a dog and me no teach she nor talk to she in dog language so why you got to bark after she? Well, Sadie, you no going answer me, what I do you, eh? Woman, a beg you take you face off the mountain. How you mean the child forward and she vex you? How you going let a child like that vex you. Okay, so you offer she a plate a food and she tell you ten times over that she belly full. Let me ask you a question or two or three she say it nice? Alright that said. Okay she say it nice. How you could still push the plate a food in front of she, eh Sadie, tell me ? How? You think I going send she a you place with she belly empty, after all man! So, after much paranguing the child finally tell you that she Mammy tell she not to eat from nobody. You call that forward? Is what I just tell she. What wrong in that? She only a follow orders, ent Puss Puss. Sadie, you going take that to heart and bark after the child? I cant have the child eating from any and any body, not that you is any and any body eh! Woman, I beg you behave yourself. Oh is so? Well Sadie, I beg you pardon three times over, because it really look like you taking this thing to heart. You see how things just happen! Is fast I been fast. I only drop she here because I was going Sandy Point to make a message or two or three. Anyway, since it look like things turn sour, let me tell you something, I dont bark after the child and if I dont bark after she, nobody going bark after she. I telling you. Me aint asking you. Is fast I did fast to leave the child here by you, in the first place. Lord, and a spirit really did tell me to walk with she you know.  I will know better next time. Again Sadie I beg you pardon ten times over you hear. Me aint going bring she back a you door again and I going make sure I lost me way, if something tell me to make a pass by you. But just so you know, me no take to kindly to you barking after me pickney, AFTER ALL MAN SHE NO DROP OUT A NO BREADFRUIT TREE!     

 

AUDREY

 Jones, how you mean to tell me that the child just pass you straight, straight every single morning and that she aint got NO, NO, NO manners! So, she dont even just spear you a lil howdy now and again? This nough to send up me pressure! That dont sound like she tall tall.  I telling you! It aint sound like she at all. Well, look me sin and trouble here now! It aint that I picking up for the child, is just that I know I raise she better than that. This, the first time somebody bringing them kinda charges gainst she too, me always get good reports, this what you telling me aint sound to right, so me got to make sure and ask a question or two or three. Wait let me sound me mouth and call she and ask she a story or two or three. Why you a watch me so and going ask why I calling she? I aint just tell you? You bring a charge against the child, so she gots to defend she self. This is a serious serious matter here you know the child got to get the chance to defend she self. Aint that I hauling she in big people story, this is between you and she, I wasnt there, so how I going know what happen? You just cant come in here and wash off you mouth on she so and expect me to take it as gospel. Especially when it aint in the child nature to behave so, it aint sound right! You expect me to just take what you say, because a what? I beg you pardon three times over you hear. Go ahead Pusa, I listening tell me what happen. Well, well, well, Papa, me belly! You brazen eh Jones! Going got the gall to come up in here and report the child when is you who does turn you head and dont answer when the child does tell you howdy. How is it that you gets so? You really expect me to gee she wrong, because a what, oh because  she is a child. Well me a tell you, you no think she got feelings to? If me call out to you and you no answer me, well me going keep me howdy and as far as me concern dog dead wid you!  Then the thing that does hurt me is, all you  going stop out a road and say that I dont give the child no wrong and I think that she is a Saint but it aint that, aint that at all. I just got to hear all sides a the story then I pass me judgment. Me just cant jump pan the child because you come here and tell me a thing or two or three, that aint how me operate. She is people to, me got to stand up for she and teach she how to stand up for she self man, cant let nobody feel like  they could just wash they mouth or walk all over she, Jones I beg you go where you going, you hear. HMM, After All Man, She No Drop Out No Breadfruit Tree!

 

AUDREY

Wait there, what happen to you? Why you bringing long water? Lord me poor Pusa. Look how you going make me bring long water to me eye now? What happen? I ask you! What happen? Who trouble you? Oh is so. I see! What he tell you? Come let we go down there, come I tell you! Show me where he be. Hey you let me tell you something you hear, when you see this child walking in the road, no trouble she, hold you mouth or look the other way, because you going sure to meet me. You want to tell me I going send the child down the road to buy a pound a flour in peace, in peace! You got to tell she all kinda a manner of evil, that she aint even suppose to hear. This is the first and last time I warning you, you hear! You dont take liberty with she, not with she, because you going sure to find me. You know what somebody got to put people like all you in they place. I going straight home and decent off me self, put you name cross the station and find Mr. Moore office and ask him a question or two or three. I hope you could read because I going ask him to put a letter in you hand. These things here aint to play with, so no tell me you aint going do it again. A putting a stop to this. After all man, people cant walk the road in peace without all you there telling them all kinda a manner a evil. She is a child at that. A child at that. What she going do with you, is a jail you want? You gone off? You head bad? Is what you eat? I going put a stop to it today, today, today. Not a mortal going take liberty with she as long as I got breath in my body, not a mortal I tell you, going take liberty with she, not under Massa God sun, After All Man She No Drop Out No Breadfruit Tree.

 

AUDREY
Oh me God, well child how you skin cut up so? Lord, lord, lord! Run bring the Vaseline, no let me run carry you a doctor, how you skin cut up so? The teacher give you licks, for what, for what I ask? She say you talk back to she. I know you mouth eh, but Lord, talking back warrant all this cutting up so?  Keep still! It burning? Let me see what I must do first, a trembling! I dont like these things, I dont like these things. I tell you! Massa God you know that I dont like these things. You know where the teacher live, put back on you shoes we going go find her. Oh is you, I cant believe is you! Why you must cut up the child skin so, papa eh? Why, mind me aint ask you yet why you hit her yet? That going come in a while. I ask why you must cut up she skin so. This call for a reporting.I going report you but  let me ask you a question or two or three. You have a man? Why you must watch me so, I look like I out me place?  When you cut up the child skin, man aint going want to watch her when she come big, you done clear the worst I want the child to clear the worst too. You aint have to tell me who the child be. She ask a lot of questions yes and she does challenge a lot a things but what wrong in that? Me no understand you, that aint why I does send she school? What the government paying you for, to cut up people pickney skin, eh? How you mean to tell me that the child just dream to much, what wrong in that? You bang she because she rudely let you to know that she aint care what you think because she Mammy tell she that she could be what she want to be. You going say she aint suppose to tell you that. I train the child to speak she mind, you may call it rude but that aint how I see it. She is a plain speaker. Well, how you could tell she that she cant be what she want to be?  How you mean to tell me that I should ground the child more, you aint find that you well, well out of your place and you going let me to know too that you cut up she skin because she tell you that she going be a fighter pilot, astronaut or going draw cartoon for Disney what wrong in that? Ms. I must say that I like you eh, because is either you pulk crazy or you aint know who you dealing with. I dont hit the child, so if I dont hit the child not a mortal going put they hand pan she, not a mortal.  I saying is something else the child do, cause I want to know how she could be getting out a hand so to warrant such cutting up not licks, cutting up. Is cut you cut up the chile. Let me tell you something, I have a number call it, I got time I will come and help you sorts out the matter and no bother tell me that if that is the case I should keep she home and teach she because I just might do it. Plus me dont limit she and nobody going limit she, if she want to be a pilot, cartoon drawer, Pusa is what the next story again that you want to be oh a space person she could do it, it all well and good, as long as she heart desire it and she willing to work for it, me believe in she and she could do it, what you think she is After All Man She Aint Drop Out No Breadfruit Tree.

 

Look here, Pusa! Open you ear them! Let me tell you something, you hear! I dont talk hard to you, so dont let nobody talk hard to you! I dont hit you, so dont let a mortal drunk and put they hand pan you! I dont ill treat you in no way, so dont allow a soul to walk over you! Stand up for yourself! If you got to, tell them what you have to say! You mouth aint cut and you have a tongue in you head. After all, they dont have six horns and you got two. Hmmm. Next time they see you, they will sure past straight or walk round. And if you have to tell them where you come from, tell them! I telling you, tell them and make sure you put in that they aint got to light no lamp to look for you, cause guinea horse dont bring ram goat! Always hold your head high and walk straight. Walk straight I tell you, because you is people! Look here! You a listen? Nothing in this world call cant! Whatever you heart desire, work for it! Look to the cross and ask Massa God for strength. Work hard and you will get it. Dont let a mortal discourage you or tell you otherwise. I know you!  You good man! You good! Hmmm! Girl you good! I hope you listening! Like a Sunday school recitation, I going pound that in your skull morning, noon and night! Till it stick! Always remember, no let nobody make you less than what you be! Dont let a mortal turn and twist you. You is people! Got respect and decency for youself and if you find youself in a predicament, take you self out! Take youself out! I telling you all this now cause I aint going live forever. I aint going be with you all the time! I hope what me a tell you a stick! I raise you, not as a animal, but as people!

 

Parents/Guardians need to realize that children dont get confident or a high self-esteem by luck, chance or that it isnt something that grows overnight, that child gets a sense of who she or he is from his or her parent/guardian. We often wonder why some children are easily led and fall into snares or why some people are extremely passive and others are assertive. It could have possibly resulted in lack of reinforcement from a parental unit.  Children need reinforcement they need to know that they have someone in their corner who will stand up for them and teach them how to stand up for themselves. There are times that we reflect upon our lives and after being asked several questions repeatedly it sets one thinking, questions such as why are you the way you are?  Why are you such a plain or frank speaker? From where did you get your courage or confidence? Why are you fearless? Why are you so assertive? From where did you get such a strong sense of self? We often dont take the time to think on these things and many of us would like to say that these traits or characteristics are inherent, when really they arent. Who was it that helped us to grow our backbone or equipped us to take on the world? Who was it that taught us not to settle for mediocrity but strive for excellence? Many of us grew up with at least one person reassuring us, believing in us and cheering us on. Many of us grew up with someone who was our backbone, with someone who somehow told us repeatedly that we didnt drop out of a breadfruit tree or in some parts from a hollow tree. It might not have been a, Go Tryce Go or an out right I Believe in You! But whenever we hear or remember that phrase, it gives us the courage t o press on, believe in ourselves and it just gives us that sense of self, like an armour. It tells us that we are someone; of importance to another and that we have worth or value. It is surprising how those words means so much or the feeling that we get when we hear or remember them. Then, there are those times we find ourselves in less than favourable situations whether it be in our personal or professional lives and we become caught up without even knowing it, trapped or bogged down by these situations and we allow others to walk over us or turn and twist us, or make us less than what we are, situations that cause us to disrespect ourselves, we lose our sense of self and it is only when we are finally at our lowest, we realize that we deserve much better, at this point we knock ourselves over the head and ask what the hell could we could have been thinking but then we remember those words, After All Man You Aint Drop Out A No Breadfruit Tree! These words allow us to embrace our aura and soar like an eagle from the ashes. There are times we tend to dream the impossible and there are others telling us that we cant or that we are setting unrealistic goals but we look in the mirror, smile and tell ourselves, I Am Me! I Am Somebody! I Can Do It! After All Man I Aint Drop Out No Breadfruit Tree!