Satiricus was slowly wending his way to the Back Street Bar when he ran into Kurpat, who had just collected his severance pay after the Government closed the sugar estate where he had worked for nine years. Kurpat was very glum. He’d been a “security guard” – which was the same as the “watchman” he used to be before they changed his title. He reminded Satiricus they hadn’t changed his wages after the change of title, and his severance pay sucked. Satiricus insisted he take a beer with the fellas.
“Kurpat!!” exclaimed Cappo, when he espied Kurpat coming towards their table. “Laang time me na see yuh, Budday!!!”
“Well, yuh bin a live life in Landan in Nyu Yark,” said Kurpat sourly. “Yuh know dem fyaah all abee, right?”
“Abee know,” interjected Bungi. “Good t’ing Cappo tek me fuh buil’ house when ‘e come back fram Nyu Yark.”
”But didn’t they just pay out severance pay?” asked Hari. “Why so glum?”
“Hari, yuh know wha’ ‘severance” mean?” asked Kurpat.
“Yeah. When yuh chop off something,” Hari answered. “Like when you “sever” a man hand with a cutlass!”
“Well, da wha’ dem do abee,” said Kurpat bitterly. “An’ yuh know how much dem gi’e me fuh chap me aff from me wuk?”
“Yes, if you don’t mind,” said Satiricus. “How do they calculate severance? I hear it’s a big amount!”
“Big?? Big?? Budday, da wha’ dem seh,” said Kurpat. “Waan week pay fuh de fus’ five year, an’ two week fuh de nex’ five year.”
“Suh since yuh wuk nine year pan de estate, yuh get 13 week basic pay, right?” asked Cappo. “None ovah-time.”
“Suh imagine me get t’ree mont’ watchman pay fuh min’ me and me fam’ly fuh de res’ a abee life,” said Kurpat bitterly. “$129,000!”
“What will you do, Kurpat?” asked Satiricus anxiously.
“Wha’ me can do?” Kurpat asked with a shrug. “Tek out me pickney dem fram school; look fuh wan nex’ watchman jab, an’ wait fuh 2020.”
