Cinderella Estate

TIMES INT'L

Satiricus was happy as he wended his way to the Back Street Bar. He’d been waiting for two years to get some news about what was going to be the fate of the closed down sugar estates. It wasn’t just that two of his best friends had been sugar workers; he still lived in a village where sugar had been king. Sugar was a way of life that few understood, but Satiricus did; and would miss its passing. And now the good news that bids had been received for the abandoned estates.
“Let’s take a drink for the good news!” said Satiricus as soon as he sat down. “The sugar factories will be grinding again.”
“Who seh so?” demanded Cappo brusquely.
“It’s in all the papers!” said Satiricus in surprise. “Didn’t you read about the five bids?”
“Five BIDS!” pointed out Bungi. “Bid na mean BUY!”
“The boys are right you know, Sato,” said Hari. “There’s many a slip between the cup and the lip!”
“Well, I was just happy all those fired workers would get their jobs back,” Satiricus explained.
“Sato, pick sense fram nansense,” said Cappo. “If new people buy de estate, yuh na t’ink den guh pay people less, fuh mek prafit?”
“Yes Sato, jus’ like w’en slavery done,” suggested Bungi. “Dem bring in all dem people fram all ova de worl’ fuh wuk fu less!”
“But all of you ignoring Wales didn’t even get a bid!” said Hari. “Why, you think?”
“Can’t figure out why,” said Satiricus, looking at Cappo and Bungi. “You fellas know?”
“Budday, dis guvment a de fus people in de worl’ who fus’ bad ta’k de t’ing dem want fuh sell!” grinned Cappo.
“Remember how dem seh de Wales fact’ry ole an’ bruk dong?” piped up Bungi. “An’nobady can grow cane deh?”
“Yeah,” said Hari. “I remember now the Government said most of the bridges and D&I at Wales were broken down!”
“But why would they do that?” asked Satiricus in bewilderment.
“Ask Nagga Man an’ Rum Jhaat,” suggested Cappo. “Pure spite, Budday!”

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