By: Curtis Morton
The way I see it, too much is being made of people being fat. I mean, in recent times I have been constantly bombarded with comments like: “You putting on weight’; ‘You getting fat’; ‘Bwoy that’s you?’
Then maybe the worst one yet: ‘Me tek you for Walter’!
A former Teacher of mine met in town some time ago and exclaimed: “You getting fat—you don’t play sports anymore?”
Now some of these people are the same ones who a few years ago, made fun of me being ‘too skinny’, ‘looking marga’ etc. Now that I have obviously put on some pounds, I’m FAT and they make it sound like it is a criminal offence. The way they make it sound, I expect the Police to come calling soon!
Yeah, Yeah, yeah—I am fully aware of the health significance and implications of being fat—well better put ‘overweight’. However, there are some folks who have a few extra pounds to spare and they not only look good but carry themselves well and may well be better conditioned that some of the slim ones.
I am reminded of the story of the old man, the little boy and the donkey—a story that has served to guide my life really well:
This old man set off on a journey from Gingerland to Charlestown many moons ago, riding a donkey and accompanied by his grandson who walked happily alongside the donkey.
As they got to Chicken Stone, some people congregated in the vicinity of the Boddie’s shouted at the old man: “You wretched man, how could you be on the donkey and have the poor little boy walking?”.
The old man promptly got off the donkey and placed the little boy on it. However, when they got to Brown Pasture, close to the old school, some people there were equally vociferous: “Little boy, you have no heart. How could you be on top the donkey and have the poor old man walking?”
The old man then jumped onto the donkey to join the little boy.
As they were passing Brown Hill gap, some people waiting at the Gazebo shouted: “Lawd are you going kill di poor donkey, the two are you ah brok um in!”
The old man and the little boy then continued the journey walking behind the donkey.
By the time they got into Charlestown and based on the comments made by the good folks at the Gingerland bus stop, last I heard was that the two of them proceeded to lift up the donkey and the people were telling a story about the three ‘donkeys’ (word substituted) who had just gone by.
In light of that let me say this categorically: ‘Are you– ley me lone’! In this democratic country of ours, a man can’t put on a few pounds in peace?
I aint going to allow myself to fall into the predicament of the two individuals in the aforementioned story. That’s the way I see it. How do you see it?