Eh! How allyuh goin'? I dey, walking around with a permanent smile on my face. Allyuh know no matter what comes my way, once I in Trinidad, I happy. Being home trumps all. And hear nah, real people don't believe meh eh. All kinda comments allyuh does be writing up telling me dat I fake and dis and dat. Steups. And that meh love blind. Steups again. Trinidad and Tobago is the happiest country in the region according to the World Happiness Report. Allyuh know dat? Wha more we want? I know plenty people have plenty answers to that question. Me too. But I boil it down to dis. Once meh family happy, I happy. Once meh chile happy, I happy. Everyting else is gravy yes.
Now being ah parent eh easy. Separate from all the responsibilities that come with the status, ting like making sure de boy fed, watered and clean nah.
Jes last night was a bubble extravanganza in de bathroom and hear nah, every time ah try to get de boy out, he only covering heself with bubbles so ah will have to rinse him off again. Talk bout tricks! So is all ah dem antics associated with the everyday tasks–school, packing de lunch kit, having clean clothes at all times. And he like green, so ah have to make sure dat it have clean, green T-shirts at all times or else is vex he vex. He like ah sleeveless too but he muss be get dat from me cause ah love ah wife beaters.
But then de parenthood ting goes deeper than care. Is really about having yuh chile back. Me eh want nobody mistreat meh chile. And hear nah, those of you who know me, know me (notice the repetition for emphasis–I love we dialect and its rhythms!), know dat I eh easy eef yuh cross meh. So far less eef yuh cross meh chile. People out dey eh get de memo?! And hear nah, ah go write yuh up too.
I eh go go into no settah details but how yuh could not like my chile?!?! He sweet too bad and he real good looking. Aye aye. When yuh see he give yuh de sweet kiss so and de hug up, is anyting he aks for yuh givin him eh.
One sweeet man!
Now this brings me, as always to the beauty that is Trinidad and Tobago. We are always confronted with situations that do not hit our expected standards. Whether it be customer service, traffic etiquette on our roads and a host of other scenarios, which I am sure you are calling to mind as I type.
Thing is, I try to repel and rise and not let these things bother me. Albeit, it's a work in progress but ah tryin. De traffic is de hardest one because all kinda expletive does come out ah my mouth. But it's always fleeting and soon de frown turns upside down.
If my feathers get ruffled regardless of the stimuli, I can express my dissatisfaction in my way, the Trini way. Flowered with some choice words, of course. De message is always clear. Sometimes I have expressed myself succinctly and in a calm manner. Other times I don't. People who mess with meh chile, doh get de patience. Dey doh get de, "Well, maybe it not how it looking." Dey doh get ah take two. And hear nah, in dis place, everybody know everybody. So eef de talk start it go spread. Wuss yet ah have ah column een de paper that I can dedicate to my return to sweet T&T and my positive and negative experiences.
Our children are de future. We cyan jes let people treat them anyhow. And it starts with us eh. Once I een de grocery and I hear dis female voice behind buss out loud, loud, loud "Ah tell yuh tuh shut up!" when ah spin around is she small chirren she talkin to! I nearly dead.
Now I wanted tuh say something eh but ah jes glared at her. The eldest couldn't be more than seven. No wonder our children have confidence issues, if we bawling dem up so in public. And hear nah, de same women muss be have dem three chirren fuh three different faddas and does probably take all kinda talk and slap from she men and dem.
Me? The boy go see de mad side ah meh. He have to. Is part ah de process. But I eh go shout at him so, until we reach een de car. Ah go treat yuh like ah human being in public, but mess wit Mommy, after de door shut behind yuh een de car, ah lacing into yuh tail. Same for people who mess with meh chile. Ah have de boy back long time and trust me, he will always know he can count on me to fight his battles until he can stand up for himself.
Who ah feel ah foolin? He go be all thirty and I still will get vex if people cross he de wrong way! Steups. Ah reach meh word limit. Keep good eh allyuh. Stay positive.
�2 You can follow Michelle on Twitter: @mimieng77
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