The way I see it, I don’t trouble people. As a matter of fact, those who know me well enough would tell you that I am merely POOR, HUMBLE and POLITE.
However, some persons within our community, are bent on giving me stuff to write about each week.
I was in a particular bank, earlier in the week. NOT TROUBLING ANYBODY. Minding my own business, when a lady called out to me.
I would imagine, by the look of her, she would be about 50 plus years old.
At first I hesitated, because you don’t want to lose your spot in that bank. Trust me!
Anyway, I took the chance I walked over to where she was seated on the sidelines.
I stood close to her to hear what was so urgent. Then she shouted: ‘Come closer. You want everybody to hear what ah telling you?’
I edged closer, tentatively by now, because I had a sort of foreboding that this was not going to be good.
Then she whispered her grand pronouncement:
“Dat pant you have on there, aint look sexy!
Well I newa!
Obviously taken aback and not wanting to prolong the conversation, I quickly said ‘Okay’ and hurried back in the line.
For some time after, I puzzled over her statement. I went back to my office and I met a few folks there and I asked ‘What does SEXY mean?’
A very young individual stated quite quickly: ‘Appealing’ and an older individual, closer to my age, said ‘looking good in terms of what is normal and acceptable.’
My follow up question was: ‘Who determines SEXY? The wearer or the beholder?’
They both responded: ‘The beholder.’
The older individual even made reference to an instance earlier in the week when the younger individual showed up to work in a particular skirt and she told her that she did not look SEXY because the skirt was too wide or something and the younger woman went to a Tailor immediately and got it adjusted.
Now between me and you, the pant has been ‘around’ and maybe its colour is fading slightly and my wife has always hinted at getting rid of it, but once it is clean and properly ironed, I had no qualms in wearing it to work.
My dear reader, let me see if we are on the same page.
You ever had an item of clothing that you just love to wear? It could be a pant, a blouse, a shirt; a skirt, a dress, a pair of socks, underwear…you name it?
Do I have a witness here?
I mean even if the undergarment has in a hole or one sock is torn, you make sure that the tear in the sock is not showing or you wear your comfortable under garment, hole and all and maybe even hoping that you do not have to be suddenly taken to the hospital……
Man you know what I am talking about, even if you don’t have the gall to admit it in public –right?
So who is this woman to tell me that my pant aint SEXY?
I did not tell her that I or my pant wanted to be SEXY!
Well I newa!
Now I gave this some serious thought and I am now convinced that that is where our society has gone wrong.
We too SEXY!
Yes siree bob! We want to keep up with the JONES’ and stay in style but we do not have the money to afford that lifestyle.
So what do we do? Steal; embezzle; rob; misappropriate funds and the like. Why can’t we ‘SATIFY’ (according to my late grandmother)?
Parents also go the extra mile to please their children who are not even working. I heard the story of a child at one of our high schools who told his mother quite candidly that he was not going to school, unless he was bought a brand new pair of the ‘in style’ shoes. She went and bought the shoes too.
I wonder if the boy ever learnt his lessons? It would have been good to find out.
Parents, the children under your roof need to be guided by you—not the other way around.
You have to learn to live within your means and not hang your hats where you can’t reach them.
For what? Just to be SEXY?
Well, long story short. I did not wear the pant back to work the next day but that is because my bible tells me Romans 14:13:
‘Therefore let us not pass judgment on one another any longer, but rather decide never to put a stumbling block or hindrance in the way of a brother.’
James 3: 2: ‘For in many things we offend all. If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body.’
So I do not want to offend anyone and so I did not wear it back. However, I placed it in the clothes for this weekend’s wash but from the sound of things, it may have been just as well I had left it by Elliot’s funeral home or Hunkins or even Liamuiga Services, which seems to be making waves on Nevis nowadays.
So you can present the homily on my beloved garment but me aint gonna buy a new one to please anyone. When I can afford it by God’s grace, I will do so.
But for now, I remain your friend: Poor, humble and polite—in Jesus’ name!
That’s the way I see it. How do you see it?