Thoughts of a minibus traveller

by Vidyaratha Kissoon “Is Guyana..” the minibus driver said while lighting his cigarette. We were talking about police and traffic tickets. “Nuff people doan pay ticket, is only we bus drivers because we deh pun de road all de time” .. “So is true about de orderly at de court could fix it? “ “Yeah.. dey have tout near de court. You go and walk roun’ like you looking confused and aint know wha’ fuh do and dem gun come up to you and ask whuh yuh looking fuh’? The day before, in a full minibus, the driver told the conductor “If dem man aint want tek you money, is bes’ yuh give de orderly at de court a raise fuh duck de jacket.. dis road hard. Duh is what I had to do yesterday” Open conversation about the hustle all over. I asked how much he had to pay the orderly. “3,000 – is 10,000 for the ticket. “ It sounded positive on one hand, that some police now are issuing tickets instead of collecting the lesser penalties from the drivers. I should have gone to the co...

by Vidyaratha Kissoon The Georgetown City Constabulary officer killed Marlon Fredericks not far from the 24 hour Bourda market where fruits and other Guyana niceness are available. When people, especially from overseas, say ‘ow but not everyting bad in Guyana.. ow’.. and you say true true because Guyana is a place where mango, tangerine, watermelon, orange, passion fruit, banana, pawpaw are more easily available than any guarantees that the City Constabulary and other security officers have a consistent understanding of the humanity of those they arrest. According to the lawyer defending the officer, it was an ‘unfortunate incident’ executed during the course of duties. Does the City Constabulary have rules for when to use firearms? The same lawyer is representing the Town Clerk in the parking meters by laws cas e. Is the City Council paying the legal fees for the officer who killed Marlon Fredericks? A City Constabulary officer raped a child last y...

Turmeric harvested in a plant pot (L); Turmeric Juice from the Madray Family in Bourda Market (R) by Vidyaratha Kissoon “Duh turmeric, dat is what we call dye right?“ the minibus conductor asked me. We were talking about turmeric and things good for you. Dye is what people have mixed in curry powder. Dye makes dhal taste nice and gives dhal an extra golden colour. Dye is also used in Hindu rituals and to rub down to clean the skin of prospective brides and grooms from the dig dutty (maticore) night to the morning of the wedding. Curry as a cure? Turmeric has gained attention as more than just for curry and colour. Turmeric has a history of curing various ailments. Ayurvedic traditions and Chinese medicine have used turmeric in different ways. There is interest in the potential to deal with arthritis and other inflammation related diseases, and in treating skin conditions. Turmeric milk has been a home remedy for colds and coughs and stomach disorders...

Day was cool and the water through the shower is cold. Skin is feeling itchy , probably more to do with nerves which have trained the mind to anticipate itching all the time, than to do with any real itch. But skin is feeling itchy. The cold water is like medicine on the skin. Apparently nerves will switch brain to new sensations. Body kind of cools down. Mind also cools down in a way. Cold water feels good on the head.  The water company is doing well with the water pressure. Sometimes though, the water leaves the skin itchy, but not this evening, so I stand under the cold water and try to think about what I could write about it. Another time I wrote about dancing under the cold w ater to wake up in the morning. These few weeks though, the end of year, beginning of year with lower temperatures.. the water is cold in the evening. And helpful. Looking out the window at the grey sky. Cool breeze coming in. Mind is messed up but trying to put it in order. The screw ups ar...

by Vidyaratha Kissoon “I want to go home, I don’t want to go to the health centre” the woman told us. The rain was falling. The woman was talking to two women and me. We had seen her half sitting, half lying on the steps of the post office. It seemed no one had noticed her sitting there. The woman had a leatherette traveling bag, with an airline label, her hand bag and a plastic bag. She had put the traveling bag as a pillow and tried to rest on it. We went over and sat on the steps next to her. She wore a flowered blouse tucked neatly into a skirt. It was not easy to determine her age. Her hair was short, black with a few specks of grey. She tried to sit up a bit when she saw us. She said “I am not feeling well”. We were not sure if she wanted us there. One of the women asked her if she wanted some water. She said yes. The woman got some water and something to eat. Later on, the staff of the post office made some tea. “How much do I have fo...

Wake up and think that is another day, nothing magical has happened and the old stuff did not disappear. First conversations result in the confusion and cloudiness which characterises life now in trying to deal with duties which become more challenging and which leave the mind blank for a long time after. Random gift of four cucumbers, surplus from a farm and thinking that it would take too much effort to eat them. Cut them up and blend them with the skin, and put in some ginger. Hint of ginger needed.  It  feels nice, like healthy to contrast with the sugar and the tin of biscuits and the inability to exercise. Feels good to do a new thing , positive. It is funny how juice was the stimulus for wellness for the last post of 2017 ,  and juice for the first post for 2018. Underlying issues dominate. Mind has to exercise in a way, stretch. Conversation about poetry and some art with an artist helped to move the mind. I manage conversations with other people, being p...