Satiricus knew slowly but surely Guyana was catching up with America. In culture we now had “summer” vacations, Halloween costume parties, and Thanksgiving Dinners – complete with turkeys, didn’t we? All of this was added to the American soul music we always had, of course. “But, thankfully,” thought Satiricus, “They’ve dumped that whining Jim Reeves music I hate so much.”
“In politics, we’d passed the US. We now had a President – but with scads more powers than the US. And he had four Vice Presidents, to their one,” smirked Satiricus to no one in particular. Economically, Satiricus felt sorry for the Americans. “Even our security guards take home ,000 every month! Cousin Michael is a Bank Manager in NY and he just makes less than half of that with his ,000 per month.” Satiricus didn’t know why people carried on about Guyana dollar and US dollar. “Jeez! We’re not a colony of America, or anything like that. Are we?”
But Satiricus in his reflective moments – which were thankfully not too often – admitted there was one area we just couldn’t seem to catch up with the Americans. “Hey! People aren’t all saints,” Satiricus earnestly told his friend Cappo as they bent their elbows at the Back Street Bar. “Every country has to have their good people who saved and bad people who stole. And America just got better bad people!”
“They even made movies about their bad people – just to rub it in. My father used to talk about Al Capone with awe,” said Satiricus.
“And remember me an you see “The Godfather”?” replied Cappo. “Me wanda wha mek Guyanese na mek affer people cyaan refuse.”
“But at long last here’s proof we’re making progress on this front,” Satiricus told his friend Cappo “Did you see the movie ‘Ocean’s 11’ Cappo?” asked Satiricus.
“Budday! Three times!” grinned Cappo. “Dat Julia Roberts a wan prappa nice gyaal! She a wan Hindu, yuh know!”
“Yeah…yeah,..That’s not what I’m talking about though. Ocean 11 show how real high class US criminal operate.” said Satiricus firmly.
“Yes, Sato…when dem raab dem three Casino dat was prappa sma’t!” Cappo agreed. Then his face changed as he realised where Satiricus was going with this. “Yuh mean….?”
“That’s right!” said Satiricus as he banged the table. “The Americans may have their “Ocean 11”…but we now have our “River 4, boy!! And that’s only because we only have one Casino to rob. “
“Me cyaan wait till abee get three Casino,” said Cappo breathlessly.
