Satiricus was sweating. He and his friend Cappo were in their native habitat – the Back Street Bar – a little bit earlier than usual. In fact it was quite a bit earlier being just a bit past midday. It was the two friends’ custom not to drink until the afternoon. And they’d virtuously held out till the hands of the clock moved past 12. They polished off their first bottle of beer in a single long gurgle.
“I’m so damned hot!” fretted Satiricus, “I wonder why June is the month for weddings, when the sun is right overhead because it’s moving north.”
“Mussee because dem marri’d couple gat fuh tear aff dem clothes de marri’d night!!!” Cappo gave one of his famous chuckles. “An’ sometime de gyaal shy!” They ordered another round and settled down.
“So what’s going on in the estate, Cappo?” was Satificus’ opening gambit to Cappo.
“Well Building start fuh grind but dem na get nuff cane,” Cappo reported with a rueful shake of the head. “Dis a rain mumma man!!’”
“I heard you went to town,” said Satiricus. “What for?”
“Budday! Na mek me get mo’ vex!” Cappo looked at Satiricus suspiciously. “Yuh hear?”
“Hear what?” Satiricus replied with a puzzled look.
“Well me bin fuh me bush medicine, na?” Cappo lowered his voice.
Satiricus gave him a wide grin. “Oh! THE bush medicine? The one you does add to the Steel Drops?”
“Yes…yes…Yuh na gat fuh tell de whole bar,” Cappo replied. “And de Bush Medicine lady na deh in front a Stabroek Market, na mo. She gaan!’”
“Well you hear they moved the vendors away from Stabroek Market front, didn’t you?” Satiricus tried to sound sympathetic. “So how you making out at home, with all the rain.”
Cappo gave his friend a bleak look and tried to change the subject. “Why dem na find a prappa place fuh dem Venda, like me bush medicine lady?”
“Budday! Town crowded all over, you know,” Satiricus pointed out. “Where you will put them?”
“Sato, wha kinda question da?” Cappo asked in annoyance, “Na me an’ you bin a de Jubilee March? Tu’n de Durban Park Stadium to wan market fuh de Venda dem!”
“But that is a brand new Green Heart stadium, to be used for Big Events,” replied Satiricus.
“Green Heart?” said Cappo incredulously. “Dat wood na green heart…dat is Puckadee Wood! Wood ants guh eat out dat Stadium in six months! Buy a nex’ round Sato. Me cyaan guh home early.”
