“Trinbago Was Nice”

Trinidad and Tobago used to be real kicksy. For those of you who don’t know; Kicksy means, funny, entertaining, laughable. I loved it. Those were happy days.

One thing I remember about the women of Point Fortin, especially Techier Village women, they used to dress real nice and they walked uppity… Even if they were going to the grocery or market.

I remember when I was very young, my mother sent me to the market. She told me to go to a particular vendor. When I got to his vegetable stand there were about four customers standing around checking out his vegetables. A well dressed woman asked him the price of the cabbage. He told her that it was 25 cents per pound. She took up one and handed it to him. He raised his hand up and down hefting it then he told her it was 50 cents.

“You robbing me. That little cabbage doesn’t weigh 2 pounds.”

He put it on the scale and it weighed 2 pounds 14 ounces.

“Your scale is rigged.” She took the cabbage and put it on another vendor’s scale. The cabbage weighed 2 pounds 14 ounces as she was about to put it on another vendor’s scale, the vendor said, “You better pay the 50 cents, before he charge you the full price.”

She walked back to the owner of the cabbage and said, “It’s too expensive, I will give you 45cents for it.” She handed him the money and he took it, but he shook his head.

A woman standing there since the raucous started said, “You keep back everybody with your bullshit. He gave you a discount because he did not charge you for the 14 ounces and you still want ah discount. Give him the damn 5 cents right now.”

“Not your damn business. Stay out of it,” She said.

The woman put down her market basket and she said, “I making it my business. Give him the money now!”

A lady held my hand and said, “Little Valentine move from here.” She pulled me away, but I was still watching.

The woman who wanted the discount, realized that the other woman was getting ready for a fight so she said, “Not me an’ you, nah.” She looked in her wallet, found the 5 cents, paid the vendor, as she said, “Some people damn farse… Oui.

“Yes I damn farse, because is my farseness that does  see you every Saturday morning dressed like a peacock, strutting around the market trying to rob somebody.”

People were laughing and commenting about how true it was about the woman. I was giggling. Oh God, Trinbago was nice…