Looking back

Satiricus didn’t mind looking back. He figured that since the world was round, if you looked backwards eventually it curves around the globe and, voila! you’re looking ahead! The gang had wandered into the old watering hole as if drawn by some mystical drumbeats heard only by them. The conversation had been desultory. Too much imbibing of holiday spirits.

“Deep boy. You deep!” Mukesh grinned. “I don’t think I’m ready for all that thinking!”

“Well, look at it this way. Why you think the year begins with January?” Satiricus wasn’t giving up.

“Boy, is what stupidness you deh pon? Them people in Europe decide when to start a new year and they give the month a name.” Hari was still grumpy from his escapades over the holidays. Misery is cumulative.

“Aha!” Satiricus pounced, “The Romans named the month after the God Janus who was ‘two-faced’. One face looked backwards and the other forwards.”

“So, what the arse that got to do with us?” Hari took a long swig of his beer. His theory was that you fought fire with fire. His hangover would disappear if he drank enough beer.

“Well,” Satiricus concluded triumphantly, “Everybody only making resolutions for the New Year. Everybody talking about what gon happen. They looking ahead. We got to look backwards too, or else we gon fall into the same old hole.”

“You mean like we shouldn’t forget the lessons of history and all that?” Samad had returned to the classroom the day before, and it appeared his young charges had eased his holiday excesses.

“Exactly! Everybody talking about who gon turn Speaker. We been through all this before.”

“Now you talkin’!” Cappo jumped in. “Me na know why you had to go wid all dat long run up!”

“I have to give you lowlifes some culture!” Satiricus grinned some more. He had succeeded in provoking the gang.

“Anyhow, is na KFC and APANU fighting fo de Speaker. Is de Raam Jhaat An KFC faction fighting APANU. You notice de Trot Man backing Backa?”

“That’s right! I’m looking backwards! Backa and the Trot Man were buddies in the PeeNC!” Hari was emerging from his somnolence.

“In fact, there was talk she was departing with him from the PeeNC when KFC was launched.” Mukesh got into the chat.

“So is fren fo fren. Raam Jhaat An backin’ the Naga man and Trot Man backin’ the Baka woman.” Cappo was in his element.

“So, what happen to all the principles them fellas always talking about? New politics and all that?” Satiricus wanted to keep stirring the pot.

“Principles? What principles. I told you fellas before. Trot Man’s hero is Burnham. I looking backwards!” Samad, the teacher, was in his element now. “Wasn’t it the British who said Burnham will tack and turn at every opportunity? And so will Trot Man.”

“You na see? Trot man na go a Parliament. He gon back Backa from de sideline, but he gon play statesman.” Cappo took a swig and leaned back. For him it was “case closed”.

“Trot Man will look for the best limb to jump on. Look and see!” Hari was also empathetic.

Satiricus was pleased. He’d shaken the gang out of their disquietude. An interesting year lay ahead.