BAKE AND BUTTER IN A PAPER BAG Patraj receives the tender finish - TopicsExpress



          

BAKE AND BUTTER IN A PAPER BAG Patraj receives the tender finish of coconut oil to the hair and off he goes with his sada roti and pumpkin in a paper bag. Patrick loosens the knots with a last comb of the hair and heads out with his bake and butter in the already greasy paper bag. Both boys come unto the main road together, feet shining from a good greasing and off to school they go. Taking a nice slow walk as they have already been long off their beds to complete their mandatory chores. The conversation starts as always with the boys comparing lunches and examining the prospects of a trade. Patrick Sr. and Pramsook head in the other direction. "Pramsooooook boy, another long day." "Well wah we go do Pato is for de chiren demmm." Pramsook heads to his garden while Patrick leads his cattle to graze before heading to work in the estate. "Seeeeeemaaa, look ah bring two hand of green fig for you." "Susan come inside nah guyal. You get the baigan ah send for you?" Years later an educated Patraj and Patrick head off into the competitive and divided work arena where it suddenly becomes us against them and them against we as the race for prestige erodes the simple life. Both take for themselves young beautiful wives with more affluent backgrounds; the types who look down on lesser folk. They raise their children, and their children make children and suddenly there arises a generation who know nothing of want or lack. Conceited in their own luxuries, they look down even on their own parents. Disrespectful, wasteful, boastful, not so much us and them any more but the set that say we want more. Educated past the point of caring or questioning. But all is not lost. A remnant rises up that asks, what of food security? What of global warming? What of the exploitative system that makes the clothes we wearing? What of unity what of peace, what of love as we walk the streets. Patrick and Patraj walk to school iPhone and Galaxy in hand. Questioning the status quo, greasy paper bags long gone....but still asking the all important question, What you get for lunch?
Posted on: Mon, 10 Jun 2013 02:38:43 +0000

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