Monday, February 8, 2021

Trinbagonians talk. (106) If you say you leaving, the dead will follow you home.

One full moon night, we was sittin’ in de yard. It had a lot of twinklin’ stars in de sky. Meh fadder was talkin’ about he life as a young boy. He said dat his cousin died an’ he went to de wake. De place used to get very dark in de night, buh after a while, yuh eyes does get accustom to de dark. Before he left home, he mudder did tell he dat after he paid he respects, he must not tell anybody dat he was leavin’ de wake. He did ask she why he had to do dat an’ she say dat he cousin spirit is lurkin’ around an’ it go follow anybody who say dat dey leavin’ de wake. Doh come home tonight if yuh tell dem yuh leavin’. Stay at de dead house for de nite then come home in de mornin’.”         He left home at five thirty dat evenin’. De place was dark, buh he was accustom ridin’ he bike in de nite so it was not hard to do. Many of he relatives an’ friens was at de wake an’ he talk wit dem. He did stay for a bit, then he told he aunt an’ he uncle dat he was goin’ home. A little while after he did leave, he suddenly hear somet’ing movin’ through de bush. It did sound like a animal was clawin’ through. He started to ride real fast. When he got near to he home, he shouted, “Mamma! Open de door, quick! Open de door!” As he got close, he see de door was still close, so he shout harder for she to open de door. He got off he bike, drop it in de yard an’ he ran up de step. As he was about to bang on de door, he mudder open it and he fall inside. She closed de door an’ de t’ing was now clawin’ at de front door.          “Yuh tell dem yuh was leavin’?” He mudder ask he.     He tell she yes.     “Ah tell yuh not to say dat yuh leavin’. Now yuh cousin follow yuh home. Yuh hav’ to go back.”          Meh fadder say dat he was to frighten to go back. All night yuh could hear de front door rattlin’ as though some body was tryin’ to come in.

One full moon night, we were sitting in the yard. The sky was full of twinkling stars. My father was talking about his life as a young boy. He said that his cousin died and he went to the wake. At nights, the area they lived gets pitch black, but after a while, your eyes adapt to the dark. Before he left home, his mother told him after he paid his respect, he must not tell anyone that he was leaving the wake.    “Why?” he asked.   “Your cousin’s spirit is still around his home, so it will follow anyone who says that they are leaving the wake. Don’t come home tonight if you did. Stay at the house for the night then come home in the morning.”        He left home at five thirty that evening. The area was dark, but he was used to riding his bicycle at nights, so it was not a difficult journey. Many of his relatives and friends were at the wake and he conversed with them. He stayed for a while, then he told his aunt and uncle that he was going home. About twenty minutes after he left, he suddenly heard something moving through the trees. It sounded like an animal was clawing through the bushes. He rode his bicycle as fast as he could. When he got near to his home, he shouted, “Mamma! Open the door! Open the door!” As he got closer, he saw the door was still closed, so he continued shouting for her to open the door. He got off his bicycle, dropped it in the yard and ran up the steps. As he was about to bang on the door, his mother opened it and he fell inside. After she closed the door, the thing started clawing at the front door.          “You told them that you were leaving?” His mother asked him.    He told her yes.      “I told you not to say that you were leaving. Now your cousin followed you home. You have to go back.” He said he was scared, so he did not go back. All night you could hear the front door rattling as though someone was trying to come in.

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