| I
want to Vote where I does Party!
Dr.
Ram Dass Editorial Walking
down to de main road to catch a maxi Roger was immediately transposed back to
his youth. Maybe if he was on his GT BMX, he thought, it'd be like he never left?
He started to wonder where his bike was, he still referred to it as if he had
just chain it up behind de house yesterday... but dropped the idea when thoughts
of how so many of his other child and teen hood relics were discarded by his mother...
in batches, since his so called departure. Old jeans dat remembered wearing to
a Chub Rock concert, a friendship bracket with a torn knot, Party invitations
from Michelle in St. Augustine where he experienced his true first wine. He
smiled thinking about how inconceivable it is nowadays to wine on a smallie for
4 hours straight. Roger
left his mother's Maraval residence in Aug of '98 and although he's been back
to Trinidad several times since then his Trini experiences as a local studying
abroad has never been the same. Is like people could smell it on him jes like
de way dat mosquitoes in Store Bay could pick him out of a crowd to feast. It
still feels strange when friends introduce him as "diz meh partner from foreign"
but why argue? Roger
graduated from a small Liberal Arts College in Sewanee, Tennessee in 9 years ago
with an undergraduate degree in English. He now worked for a not so major company
1 1/2hrs north on de I-24 in Nashville as a technical writer. His latest project
was to outline (so that a 5 year old could understand, as the 8x11 on his cube
wall said) how to attach a paper towel rack to a kitchen wall. Real glamour wok.
But was comfortable with the idea that he could never get paid 60k/yr in Trinidad
doing the same or similar. He
didn't have to walk all de way into de village. Where Saddle Rd meet de North
coast Rd he site a yellow band maxi coming from up de hill. It didn’t have
no name on de front, which made him hesitate in his mind. Ah wonder if anybody
ga make me out in a bread van? But de blazing 30 degrees Celsius heat mek up his
mind for him
and soon he was in de second row next to what look like a form 2 yute from Trinity
College who decide dat a half day was in order. Jumping
out on Charlotte Street de driver stop blocking both lanes... typical, but when
you is de passenger is funny how little you does care for de man in de Honda Accord
who, by de way, look like he trying to prove dat look does kill. Eventually he
pull round to over take in de on coming traffic lane, but by then Roger was crossing
in front of the Maxi and de man in de Accord had was to slam de brakes and stare
again. Feeling de stare turn to a condescending gaze Roger put a little chip in
his step and skip out de way. Funny world, Roger thought to himself as he walked
across Oxford Street. He feeling so nice in his shirt an tie drivin in he big
Honda sedan with de tint. Watchin me like I is a gru gru bef! All dis time I leave
my v6 Accord Ex in de lot at Nashville International. The thought gave Roger a
sense of hidden pride, like putting ah 20 folded between a dollar in de collection
box, but once he realized that if dat man have a Accord in Trini, den his foreign
ride must be real dan business an he sure to have one. He cheups into de air as
he slipped a right at Frederick St. As
he read de building name he wondered what de chances are that de man in de Accord
owned this building? Trying to appear casual, he reached in his right pocket and
drew a piece of paper. He checked the folded yellow post-it, "134-138."
Thinking, just incase Scott have more dan one House on Frederick St. At the top
of the stairs was a metal table with a 40-something year old woman in a tan security
uniform behind it. Her shoulder patch said Guardian above a crest that involved
a sword, rifle and a gate. She hailed good morning in a manner that seemed
to be her routine tone, yet it carried a message dat "Allya young people
doh know how to say good morning no more." She waved her left hand directing
me to de wooden rectangle frame that looked like it should be a metal detector,
but on further investigation of the technologies integrated into de construction,
it could have only served to ensure that people entered 1 at a time.
The main room
was empty, not even a chair, hallways broke to the left, right and ahead. Roger
stepped forward to read a sign on the distant wall. Laveltille East, black font
on a white rectangular sign. Roger stretch his head thru the door to take a look.
Nothing unusual. A typical waiting room. Just one man at the window with his hands
all over the glass like Spiderman. He looked comfortable as de clerk pushed forms
out to him under the glass. I don't get the impression that he does clean glasses
here, Roger considered? Three steps to the left was another room. Similar shaped
sign read Diego Martin East. He made another step and then stopped when he realized
that Diego Martin East is Maraval. 5 people seated, 2 standing, one at each available
counter. He walked in and took his place behind the woman to the left. Her 2 year
old had her head changing directions between the counter and the floor enough
to make him think that de other line would be better... and it was. Before the
clerk could finish her spiel about what was required he opened the envelope that
he'd been logging around securely with his tiger grip and drew out his birth certificate
and passport. Ok, good... full out this form and get copies of both ids and bring
it back for me. She dismissed Roger in a way that gave him the impression that
she didn't expect to see him again. Back
in 1998 a National ID card was something people had just start to talk about.
Roger had a drivers license... so he never even bother to find out what de ID
card was for, and since he left and trade-in his T&T license for a Tennessee
one, it never seemed important. At least not until now, when he realize that voting
could be de most important thing that he could do as a citizen, and he needed
a ID card to do it. So after he come back from round de corner with his copies
de woman call him one time. It felt weird being attended to while de other 8,
by now, people jsut sitting and waiting. Is because de silence get break when
ah woman to his left start to open she mouth. "who is he? why I have to wait?
I is a da#n national! He look like he now come in on a pirogue! He stood looking
at the ground with de fascination of a man that never seen white tiles before.
Only when the clerk pushed the documents back to him and told him to take a seat
did he raise his head. The protester soon left, without apologizing to him he
noticed... wondering if he should have expected one or just be happy dat she ent
pelt a lash after him? The words "only in tri..." came to mind but he
stopped himself before he could finished the thought. He hated to make judgments
like that. On
his way home he wondered if arguing would have helped. He reflected on the woman
dat called him a FOB, and thought maybe this is what they had tell her to have
her so mad? At least he's getting an id he thought… maybe? He was told. If
his information on his ids check out (with what? or whom? he don't know), de turn
by turn directions that he give de woman on how to get to his house from KFC Maraval
is accurate and the Polaroid that they took is good, they can't tell because it's
part of a set, and until they develop all they won't know... then he will be mailed
a notice in about 2-4months that he can come and pick up the id card and he can
be put on the non-Electoral list. Apparently de fact that he is over 30 and
never had ah id card coupled with de scrapbook effects of his stamp riddled passport
set off alarms was his deduction. So now I’ll will hope that all the
If's come true... and then, find a way to prove that I’ve been residing in
Maraval for de 2 months prior come election day. Den an only den I could vote.
Last time I check, Maraval is de only place dat I ever called home… Driver
ah go take it on de corner! Dr.
Ram Dass
Trini Jungle Juice Team ^
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Advisor
WIN
A ISLAND ELITE COSTUME TO PLAY MAS FOR MIAMI CARNIVAL 2007
It's
official! Kees Dieffenthaller revealed that Kes the Band will be doing
a series of promotional events at a remote location down the islands with an entertainment
group in Los Angeles. When asked if this had anything to do with the Flavor of
Love series or any connections to friends of his in California like Shia La Beouf
or Tony Kanal (from No Doubt fame) he merely laughed and stated, "anything
is possible". No matter wat de scene, ya know Trini Jungle Juice will be
there to cover it!
