Jennifer Keane-Dawes
ONCE upon a time pon a Christmus mawning many years ago, Big Bwoy madda wake him soon fe drink him tea. Bathe. An run go out a school which part him suppose fe meet him teacha an all de pickney dem weh did a practise de Christmus play fe de whole district come out an si. Well, Big Bwoy part inna de play was dat him was a wise man from de east...Him was suppose fe come from behine de curtain. De light woulda tun off. Smady woulda shine de flash light pon him. Den him woulda look up like him a look pon de star. An seh "O star haf de yeast, lead me to de messiah. Suh I may bow down an worship him." An den, him was suppose fe go in front de crib weh teacha barrah from Miss Madge dawta weh hab a next baby fe Jabes. But everybaddy know seh a fe Ivan. Him was fe go in front a de crib. Look dung pon Winsome one han dally an seh: Oh Saviour I come to Thee.
Well, ova an ova, teacha mek him seh de part. An even after him did go home an a practise it, Miss Pooncie weh did a pass ga shop, hear him an seh how she neva know seh one smady head coulda suh good. Cause a how him ketch on quick. Suh dis mawning now, was de day of reckoning. An although de play was fe start at ten a clack, by nine, a de young crowd dat. Ebry man head shape up fram yessideh inna Continental, Tony C, or press an curl. Wid de new boot a crunch up gravel. Like dem smady weh love eat ice. Well, school hall full. Parson, parson wife, an parson pickney dem weh hab on de same me kin frack, line off pon de front bench.
Behine dem was Miss Lou inna one nice blue hat weh har sistan-law did sen fe har fram lass year. An a gad lucky ting she did set de rat pizen cause when she tek out de hat fe sun it day before yessideh, she go buck up pon de sight seh rat neva do a ting more dan nyam off three quarter a de veil. Side a har was Mass Joe, who before him lef de yard, Miss Vie tell him two time fe wipe out some a da Vaseline outta him head. But yet still, him response was fe kiss him teet. Tep through de gate. An grumble how she miserable. Now, a him dat. Siddung off in front a everybaddy who a wonder if Miss Vie neva see him before him lef de yard.
Well, light dim. Programme start. Flash light shine. An wise man Big Bwoy come out. Wrap up inna one shower curtain wid piece a sheet tie drape him roun. But when everybaddy look pon him good, dem come to one conclusion seh him did look very much like dem obeah man weh lib a country an nuh come a tung till once ayear. Suh Wise man Big Bwoy step out, lean pon him broom stick, an look up ponde silver star weh mek outta cigarette paper an tie pon piece a sash cord.
Suh now, him fe seh: "Oh star haf de yeast, lead me to de messiah so I may bow downan worship him." Notta soun out a Big Bwoy. A pure trembling him deh pon.
"Big Bwoy!" Teacha holler, believing to harself seh a whisper she a whisper.
"Big Bwoy, star haf de yeast! Star haf de yeast!'
Big Bwoy (mad fe drap dung now cause him a wander a weh suh much smady, wid kin teet an yeye fasten pon him, come fram inna such a shawt space a time.)
Teacha : "A wah wrang wid da bwoy ya? Me seh Star haf de yeast!'
Big Bwoy tun idiat an mek one step toward de crib inna de half darkness. Nayly buck off him big toe pon de crib foot. "Lazarus, come fout! Oh Star haf de yeast yu mek me heart go giddiap an we wish you a Merry Chrismus an a hap..."
All on a sudden, one grab!
Was teacha dat a come offa de stage wid fawty long step an wise man obeah man outfit fe fling back to dem rightful owna.
School hall nayly kin ova. Vaseline head. Ratta hat. Tony C. Continental. Pressan curl. An everybaddy else begin roll a dutty like dice. Well, dat was de end ade school play but since it was Christmus mawning, de whole school hall git up.
Dust off demself, an begin one piece a caroling: "We wish you a merry Christmus and a Happy New Yeeeeeeeeeeeeaaar!'
Merry Christmas!
Dr. Jennifer Keane-Dawes is Director of Graduate Studies at Norfolk State University in Virginia.
