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Old-Time days and Pickney days with Blakka Ellis |
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Howdy peeps. I want to ask some of you very prudent and proper adults an improperly childish question or two. Like how active and alive is the 'child in you'?
 Blakka Tell me the truth; do you think something's wrong with us adults who retain some of the little habits from our pickney days? And are you one of those adults? Mi nah talk bout extremes like bed-wetting and obsession with masturbation and dem deep ting deh. I'm talking about stuff like sucking finger or biting fingernail and such.
I'm asking because somebody publicly called me out for being a 'big, fifty-odd year-old man who still bites his nails'. Licklemost mi shame! But of course, I had to have a comeback, so I asserted that at least I'm still using my own teeth!
I shared the exchange in a Facebook post and it initiated an interesting discussion. The discussion quickly got out of hand as people started sharing their personal childhood retention and began talking about finger-sucking and tongue-sucking, and about what body parts people stroke while they sucked their fingers, or wherever else they suck. Listen nuh people, some people just can't resist the urge to get naughty.
Naughty adventures
Once we adults honestly explore our pickney days and old time ways, we bound to remember some naughty adventures. I used to get a special thrill out of stealing hot dumpling out of the pot while it was on the fire. Yes, confession good for the soul.
I remember doing it a Saturday evening when I was about nine years old. I took out a hot dumpling out of the pot of chicken foot soup and same time my auntie called me to give me a loud cuss-out about leaving the place untidy. I slipped the hot dumpling into my pocket and rushed to her, and she draped me up and pulled me in close up for the lecture. Mi seh ... di dumpling start bun mi and mek mi start wriggle and twitch. Auntie misinterpreted my physical reaction as insubordination and a lecture turned into a murderation. Ah ... pickney days!
But seriously, where and how and who is the child in you? Yu still fall asleep hugging up that teddy bear? Or do you doze off while playing with your navel? Still have nightmares about rolling calves, or still have ahm ... a wet dream or two? Are you one of those who still believe that love bush works? Yu still 'fraid a duppy? Still love cartoons? Do you still get the urge to play dandy-shandy or some ring games?
Mi nah tell nuh lie sometimes I'd love to play a game of dolly house; and I'd be the father and the girl I like the best would be mother, and we'd send off the children somewhere far and tell them to stay long so mother and father can stay in the house and do what mother and father supposed to do, but then I realise that rhatid... I'm already doing it. I'm playing the game, but it's called real life.
So, this year as I turn fifty-odd, I will be spending some time remembering pickney days!
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