“Lorna, you sih Poser las’night?” Feetee asked.
“Wuh he din come home all night las’night en I dohn know weh he is.” Lorna was quite puzzled at this interrogation and wondered effin Feetee heard something ’bout she.
“Alright then” Feetee said, “I will see he when evah he come back.”
Several of the people in the village seemed a little on edge dis Sa’r’day morning. The sun come up early and was bright; but many of the people seemed a bit anxious. There was lots of gossiping, but no one was really sharing information outside of their own little circles. No one had invited either Feetee or Lorna inside any of the gossip circles.
Lorna was a nice-looking, light skin woman with five nice-looking children all under the age of ten. Lorna was good friends with Feetee and regularly visited her house where they made cane-lily crafts together. They made a number of woven baskets with raffia decorations. The baskets sold well and the two women made a nice profit. But Feetee often wondered why Lorna came only during the day when Poser was gone and she never brought her children to play with her own seven young children. Lorna often made excuses that the children would get in the way when they were working.
On the previous day, lickrish Shoes made it he business to visit Feetee at she house when Poser went to work. “My mout’ seal, so you en hear dis from me.” Shoes started the conversation.
“En hear wha? Boy dohn make nuh mocksport.” Feetee demanded. “Wuh ya tryin to tell me? Is dis wuh de people gossipin’ ’bout?” She asked Shoes.
“Well, I en saying so, but some o’ de people does be saying that Poser living wid Lorna and dem five children she got is his.” Shoes continued, “dis en comin from me mout, but dah is wuh I hearing. I does mind me bizness.”
Feetee asked Shoes to leave and pondered how she would approach Poser about this story. It was around 7:00 PM when Poser dragged himself into the house. In his usual gruff manner, he said to Feetee, “woman, get me a cup a tea, you en see I tired?”
“Yes Poser,” she replied in her usual submissive voice and manner. Feetee made a nice cup of cocoa tea and bakes and set it down in front of Poser. “Eat,” she said. “when ya dun, I got a bone to pick wid ya”. Poser looked confused because he had never seen Feetee so assertive and resilient. He finished the cocoa tea and bakes quickly and waited for Feetee to talk.
“I hear you does be living wid Lorna and all dem five chil’ren is yours.” She calmly addressed Poser. Poser looked for an escape from the conversation, but he had nowhere to run. Feetee had bolted the backdoor and made sure she was sitting between him and the door.
Realizing he was in a bit of a predicament, Poser raised his voice in defiance. “Me? Not me, bosey!” he tried to defend himself.
Very slowly and calmly, she said to Poser, “you iz a liah. You mek me face shame. Shoes tell me all de people in de village talking behind me back, now I kahn even show me face outside.” Feetee responded in defeat.
Feetee already had a plan in place. Earlier in the day, she packed a small suitcase for herself, draw de money from de bank, and packed up a few things for the children. Feetee got up from the table, grabbed she suitcase and pocketbook, huddled the children together with their belongings and told them to come. Feetee marched the kids down to Lorna’s house, and knocked on the door.
“Hey Feetee, wha happen?” Lorna asked as if she was unaware of the gossip. Previously, Shoes had also visited Lorna and she knew it was only a matter of time before there was going to be a showdown with Feetee.
“Kahn I come in?” Feetee asked.
“Sure Feetee.” Lorna responded as she stepped out of the way to let she and the children in.
“Wunna hungry?” Lorna asked. “I jus finish frying some flying fish an I stir some breadfruit cou-cou for the children. Wunna khin have some.”
“Thanks Lorna, we could eat.” Feetee told her. Once the children finished eating, Feetee stood up, collected she suitcase and pocket book, walked to the door and said to Lorna, “Ya wanted children, ya khin add dese to de ones ya already got from dah bad fuh nuttin Poser.” Feetee walked out and was never seen again.
The next day, Poser made a trip to Ms Husbands rum shop to get a drink. He pretended as though nothing wrong was happening in his life. He ordered a flask bottle of Mount Gay and some sardines for he boys. Shoes was there too and was sure he was going to get some good gossip going about Poser. “Wait!”, Shoes said, “wuh I taut you wuz going to be real upset Feetee lef wid you children.”
Poser leaned back in he chair, took a long breath, then said, “Me? Not me bosey! I crush muh stones riding muh bike as a boy and de doctor said I cud never have children.” “gimme de sardines and pass de hotsauce.”
Story by: Stan Brook
Edited by Jeanne Brooks