Read Online A Cupboard Full of Coats by Yvvette Edwards - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Yvvette Edwards
Ads: Link
the man believe.
‘We was raggedy. All the kids was raggedy then. Had but the two pair of trouser, one for church and one for school. You never wear you church trouser to school ’less you want you arse cut, and you school pants you take off soon as you reach home in case you wear those out before time and have to go school with you arse outta door. Must be only a handful had shoes and them what did was lucky if they fit. I remember Orlando Weekes, schoolteacher son. Boy used to bawl fire because the shoes be biting him all day and his mother make him keep them on. Boy used to limp like a dog with a crab on him paw. Girl, we were raggedy then. Raggedy. Times was rough and all of us together was poor.
‘But it come like Berris was worse off. Don’t know if it was the hair or what. We used to go down by Mas’ Cook. Mas’ Cook was a handicap. Had short legs but might as wella had no legs and done ’cos they never work. Used to pull hisself ’long on him backside with the hands. Come like after a while you hardly even notice ’cos he move so fast. He’s the one person I know them times make a good living. Man used to make mat and basket from reed and they was always by the gate for people to see and buy. And he used to cut hair. He cut all our hair. Would chap you in the head if you move once he start cut. Most times you get a skiffle you hadda lump on you head you never start out with.
‘But Berris never have his hair cut. Or even plait. Used to look nasty. Kids being kids they take the piss outta him bad. Must be that why he learn to fight so hard. Got so no one tease him any more ’cos when he fight you, it’s like say he wanna kill you, even the girls…’specially the girls. Always had to be someone there to stop him, ’cos from when we was boys till we come men, I never once seen him stop hisself.
‘All of us was living with family, the grandparents, or an auntie or some such. I live with my father’s sister then, and girl let me tell you that woman was a devil. But she was nothing next to Mistress Jolly. Berris’ mum family never want no truck with her bastard pickney, so she had to leave him with Mistress Jolly, never had no choice the way I see it, though to hear Berris talk you’d swear she had ’nough. Mistress Jolly take in a whole heapa kids, ’nough jingbang, collect a whole heapa money, but she keep near ’nough every dollar for sheself.
‘That woman was always vex for something. You might as well say “switch live in her hand”, ’cos it was there from sunrise till sunfall. Only time she put it by was Sunday morning when she go church and odd time the parents come. Barring that, them kids get some licks you see. ’Nough licks, man, ’nough licks.
‘None of us had much food then. Was mostly vegetarian but not from choice. If there was piece a meat in you house and you lucky, you peas might catch little the flavour, but the only time you had a solid chance of meat on you plate was Christmas Day and Easter, and even then was no guarantee.
‘Mistress Jolly was always walking and talking ’bout how the orphans was eating her out of house and home, but they must have been some serious slow eaters, ’cos the house was always being fix: new roof, extension, big old comfy chair. And that woman was fat! She was fat till fat roll when she walk. To look at her you would never say she was someone who live far from the kitchen.
‘But Berris was small. All Mistress Jolly pickney was small. We never have much but I still save a dumpling for Berris from my soup, or little dasheen, small piece of yam. Up to now don’t know why. ’Cept I seen him cry. Something pitiful. When he thought was no one there to see, I saw. See him put down some piece of bawling, never seen nothing like it in my life. Guess I felt sorry for him or something. Anyways I did it, give him a little food regular like. According to him was that little something save his life. Think that’s how we growed up to be so
‘We was raggedy. All the kids was raggedy then. Had but the two pair of trouser, one for church and one for school. You never wear you church trouser to school ’less you want you arse cut, and you school pants you take off soon as you reach home in case you wear those out before time and have to go school with you arse outta door. Must be only a handful had shoes and them what did was lucky if they fit. I remember Orlando Weekes, schoolteacher son. Boy used to bawl fire because the shoes be biting him all day and his mother make him keep them on. Boy used to limp like a dog with a crab on him paw. Girl, we were raggedy then. Raggedy. Times was rough and all of us together was poor.
‘But it come like Berris was worse off. Don’t know if it was the hair or what. We used to go down by Mas’ Cook. Mas’ Cook was a handicap. Had short legs but might as wella had no legs and done ’cos they never work. Used to pull hisself ’long on him backside with the hands. Come like after a while you hardly even notice ’cos he move so fast. He’s the one person I know them times make a good living. Man used to make mat and basket from reed and they was always by the gate for people to see and buy. And he used to cut hair. He cut all our hair. Would chap you in the head if you move once he start cut. Most times you get a skiffle you hadda lump on you head you never start out with.
‘But Berris never have his hair cut. Or even plait. Used to look nasty. Kids being kids they take the piss outta him bad. Must be that why he learn to fight so hard. Got so no one tease him any more ’cos when he fight you, it’s like say he wanna kill you, even the girls…’specially the girls. Always had to be someone there to stop him, ’cos from when we was boys till we come men, I never once seen him stop hisself.
‘All of us was living with family, the grandparents, or an auntie or some such. I live with my father’s sister then, and girl let me tell you that woman was a devil. But she was nothing next to Mistress Jolly. Berris’ mum family never want no truck with her bastard pickney, so she had to leave him with Mistress Jolly, never had no choice the way I see it, though to hear Berris talk you’d swear she had ’nough. Mistress Jolly take in a whole heapa kids, ’nough jingbang, collect a whole heapa money, but she keep near ’nough every dollar for sheself.
‘That woman was always vex for something. You might as well say “switch live in her hand”, ’cos it was there from sunrise till sunfall. Only time she put it by was Sunday morning when she go church and odd time the parents come. Barring that, them kids get some licks you see. ’Nough licks, man, ’nough licks.
‘None of us had much food then. Was mostly vegetarian but not from choice. If there was piece a meat in you house and you lucky, you peas might catch little the flavour, but the only time you had a solid chance of meat on you plate was Christmas Day and Easter, and even then was no guarantee.
‘Mistress Jolly was always walking and talking ’bout how the orphans was eating her out of house and home, but they must have been some serious slow eaters, ’cos the house was always being fix: new roof, extension, big old comfy chair. And that woman was fat! She was fat till fat roll when she walk. To look at her you would never say she was someone who live far from the kitchen.
‘But Berris was small. All Mistress Jolly pickney was small. We never have much but I still save a dumpling for Berris from my soup, or little dasheen, small piece of yam. Up to now don’t know why. ’Cept I seen him cry. Something pitiful. When he thought was no one there to see, I saw. See him put down some piece of bawling, never seen nothing like it in my life. Guess I felt sorry for him or something. Anyways I did it, give him a little food regular like. According to him was that little something save his life. Think that’s how we growed up to be so
Similar Books
