The Adventures of Ludiboy

Ludiboy gets into trouble

Everyone knew Ludiboy. To go to Red Boar community and not even know him seemed like a crime against God and mankind. Of course all knew folks like Teacher Gordon and Ms. Gracious, but no one was as fond of more than Ludiboy. His gambling manners and ways of always getting into trouble would spread like wild fire that even the folks in Westmoreland would come just to have a decent look at the man and even hold a chat, or to Ludiboy's luck, play a game with him-- of which he could never refuse.

Everyone knew Rasta Ozzy from 'round sekklement corner. No one could go that way and not smell the strong scent of ganja as the Rastafarian would be smoking his chalice from dusk til dawn, and if you didn't smell the stench, he was either not there or the Police were just too close within the community. But, everyone knew that Ludiboy and Rasta Ozzy were not the best of friends and that the either's name was not to be mentioned to the next. Rasta Ozzy lived just like everyone else. The only difference was that he did not live in board houses like the rest of his fellow residents; he resided in a bamboo shack around the steepest corner in Red Boar. In his home, there was always something burning, whether his chalice or even Jack-fruit seeds being roasted over a coal stove, something had to be burning. The smoke would be so big and black that it would rise so high that even the men, working on their fields would see it from time to time.

Probably the most absolute thing about Rasta Ozzy was his ganja field that he had made a little bit near the bamboo gully where he lived.
Everyone knew how much he valued his small shrub field and that it was not to be tampered with. So serious was he about his small field that he had the parents warn their children about it whenever they walked pass his yard. The children themselves got such an understanding about it that they would run past his house as fast as they could.
It is that same Ganja field that caused a rumpus between both men, and this is how it goes:

It was Tuesday. A special day to Ludiboy as that was the day he would take some money and head down to Pobo's shop and have a drink of white rum with whatever man was there and probably even gamble a little.
Ludiboy jumped out of bed. He stretched himself like a cat and yawned like a Lion, awaken from slumber. He then walked outside, picked one of the few leaves that grew on the mint tree, between the house of his neighbour, Mr. Francis, and himself. The tree's roots were anchored on Mr. Francis' property and for that he declared was his, but a majority of the mint leaves grew on Ludiboy's side and for that he declared the tree his.

'Since is a matter of whose land the tree on, you can take the tree and I, the leaf them' he had told Mr. Francis a few years back when they had a small squabble over the matter. 'Alright den. And as men, let us shake on it!' Mr.Francis, had blindly hollered. 

But it is to say that he regretted the deal as he had no way of getting any mint tea since the leaves were on Ludiboy's side and to go against his word would drop his reputation within the town and no one would want to deal with him.

Ludiboy took the leaves, rubbed them on his palm and began to brush them across his teeth and tongue, then rinsed his mouth with some cool water that he had in a cup with him. Then he would re-enter his home and wash his face with rice water which he said would allow him to see any duppy and as so, avoid it at all means.
Being satisfied that he had taken care of his oral hygiene in that way, he put on his water boots and headed out, wearing a blue striped shirt with a brown-looking stain on it. This, he called his 'rum shutt' as the brown-looking stain on it was the stain of a Bourbon liqueur that he had gotten the opportunity to taste from an old friend, but due to his already drunkenness, he had some spilled on him, resulting in the brown-looking stain.

He made his way past Teacher Gordon's house, but did not stop to admire. He did not do any admiration on Tuesdays since he didn't want to get too 'drunk' with the house's beauty before reaching the shop where the actual alcoholic beverages were.
Ludiboy it seems did not know 'slow.' By the time he had reached Capeverde's house on the right-hand side, he had only been walking for just a few minutes!