Dada 100

 I said I was tired and when I could be bothered thinking about it, I hated my ma and da and everything around me because I was tired and people knew it, where I worked, where I lived, when I saw my dada haranguing people from our balcony and the straggly line of seaman outside of the dock gates following his example at our nation’s formation. That was all I felt. Is all you need to be traitorous  to come from a messed up family; that way half of these islands would be in the firing line.

He looked at me strangely. As if I disgusted him with my absences and my sudden spurts of talk. The way of his glance (with those soft yet darting eyes) was as if he was seeing someone who doesn’t quite ‘get it; like watching a rookie trying to roll a joint for the first time and chattering like a monkey.

He told me rather maliciously that in any case the director and staff of the home would be called as witnesses  and things could turn very nasty for me then.

I pointed out that the funeral had nothing to do with this other business but he flared and said, ‘that’s where you’re wrong.’ You’ve never had any dealings with the police and judiciary system here. They’ll twist anything just to get a grip ‘ he said.

I tried to remember  the sequence of what the little woman told me.

‘He’s done his penance’  she  said.

‘I know Dada was one of the Rajah’s illegitimite sons’ I said

‘As you say and worse than that’ she said.