Satiricus was smiling all the way to the Back Street Bar. He and the fellas had looked at the Mash Float Parade on TV this year at their individual homes, and he knew they would be comparing notes. In previous years, they’d all taken their families to look at the jump up and wining, but this year the wives had drawn a line: There were too many robberies taking place, and they weren’t going to take any chances in the hyena’s den!
“Budday, wha’ yuh tink?” called out Cappo to Satiricus as he spied him coming. “Abee prappa gat nuff big skin ‘oman, na?”
“Me hope yuh notice none a dem na cane-cutta wife,” butted in Bungi. “Dem tu’n prappa maaga since dem husban’ get knack aff.”
“Bungi, why you have to look at the glass half-empty again?” complained Satiricus. “We are just celebrating the birth of our Republic, man! Loosen up, nuh!”
“But Bungi has a point, Sato,” said Hari as he sipped his beer slowly. “What do we really have to celebrate this year?”
“Budday, we became a Republic!” said Satiricus exasperatedly. “What else do you want?”
“Yes Hari,” smirked Cappo. “Abee gat plenty big skin ‘oman apart fram cane cutta wife! Wha’ mo yuh want de Republic gat?”
“Me want de Republic get jab fuh all dem cane-cuttah de guvment fyaah,” said Bungi doggedly as he disagreed with his friend for once.
“Bungi, jobs will come,” said Satiricus with certainty. “We found oil, you know!”
“Oil? Oil?” interjected Cappo who stopped skinning his teeth. “Venezuela gat mo ile dan anybaddy in de worl’, an’ all dem big skin ‘oman get fine, fine!!”
“That’s what I’m trying to say, fellas,” said Hari patiently. “Venezuela was the first Republic in South America! What has it done for them?”
“Dem a come heah in Guyana fuh look fuh jab!” said Bungi triumphantly. “Yuh t’ink dem a flounce about like dem head na good?”
“Dem na flounce about beca’se dem na gat any mo big skin ‘oman!” said Cappo triumphantly. “Dem tu’n maaga like abee cane cuttah wife!”
Satiricus gave up and started to sip his beer.
