Dear Editor,
Very few people can put up with folks who think the world about themselves and very little-if any of others; folks who foolishly think the world spins for them alone. The people who fancy themselves in that category are the shams, annoyingly brass face and snobbish; turncoats who think they can “play” you; who at the drop of a hat would switch from A to Z without shame, as if nothing is wrong! Then you don’t have to wonder if you can ever trust such people, just have to be aware, be on guard and abide with them. It sure does take all types to make the world turn.
Now, everyone knows the overpowering influence of alcohol; when one is inebriated anything can be expected: the finest mind, the best intentions can be compromised or run amok. As the late great entertainer Sammy Davis once commented “The booze got the better of me”, yet another celebrity “The booze made a fool of me”. But the type mentioned above don’t do nasty things because of booze, no! They are sober, deliberate and calculating, know exactly what they are doing – a cherished choice.
We see people who look fine, impressive, very respectable as we observe their appearance and deportment and which we know can be very misleading, still we accord them respect, but really we don’t know them! Some are just putting on an act, and a good one too, past master at it, and so we are forced to judge the book by its cover until we have a chance to examine its contents – if ever. But that’s life, hence the reason why so many of us fall prey to naked scamps. But wait a minute! Over time I have been forced to agree that generally people like the act of being taken for a ride, I have seen folks who have been bamboozled, tricked time and again embracing the very same people who have done it to them. Every day people war to replace the very same people who have squandered their trust back into office – it is such a travesty!
We have hypocritically and skillfully crafted and honed some weird habits/practices which we brazenly delight in and applaud, even as we make a big fuss and bemoan the relentless crime afflicting us. I don’t know, but it’s funny and I just don’t understand why some folks just seem to admire crookery, deceit and barefaced scampishness, it is just that they prefer to see it done in style, class, well-wrapped and presented. They would join in the stoning to death of a vagrant for snatching a chain, a purse or stealing a loaf of bread, but applaud and salute a gangster in a three-piece suit; invite a gypster to their home for lunch. I understand why many so love the story about the “Emperor New Clothes/ Robe”. Once the ruse is cleverly done, in grand style we don’t mind being bogus.
Don’t believe me!!? Then check this one: During the proposed electricity increase protest in 2012 Lindeners became enraged when the President appeared not to be showing any interest in their welfare and among themselves “reckoned” for him, he got a good tongue lashing. Now listen to their rationale as they compared him to former President Jagdeo: “seh wha yuh want if was Bharrat he would ah done reach hey and tell we something even if he had to tell we a lie!! He would a nice it up, duh is one ting yuh couldn’t stop he fuh”.
See, these are the things we glorify as we stone a wretched thief to death. But as the British would say we have “done ourselves in” by such terrible and dangerous contradictions. We love appearance, deceiving as it can be, skin-deep as it is we love it and seldom go any further.
I heard a social worker saying to a “fine looking man” “yuh betta guh and look lil wuk, with yuh big strang self”. The guy was listed for social assistance, had a medical document stating his condition, but she took one look at him and came to her conclusion. Talk about judging a book by its cover, well that was a classic example. But is that the way one trained and entrusted with our social welfare is supposed to behave! Reminds me of a preacher who once saw me looking at a set of fancy looking watches and said: “be careful, looking good but ain’t good”.
Look! we can be brazenly hypocritically, don’t doubt it for one moment: women who like to parade the high moral ground often condemn with a passion “lil girl big man” relationship where there is a galloping disparity in age, “he too big fuh she, one big old man” but admire and extol one between a 50, 60, 70 years old celebrity and an 18/20 year old girl! All this morality chat based on the age factor is fraud, it’s the lucrative promise of wealth, basking in the arena of high life, in the world among the “who is who”, that’s where it’s at. So the pretence, the outrage over the vast disparity in age, “lil girl big man” flare up is really a question of worth, riches, what’s in stock period, nothing to do with decency, and that is the hidden but general mindset.
Finally editor, I know well an elderly devout woman who I wouldn’t dream of saying “damn” within her ear-shot for she would admonish me, she dismissed those dancing girls – “cheer leaders” as slack young women, wild girls. When I asked her opinion on the Clinton/Lewinsky affairs she stunned me by saying “ah she talks too much” and dismissed her as being “wicked”!!
As always wrongs are always more intriguing and exciting, it’s part of the mystery of human nature.
Yours faithfully,
Frank Fyffe
