The Adventures of Ludiboy

Ludiboy goes to Kingston

     Simonea was a decent woman. She was brought up in a humble and noble kind of family in Kingston. Well, her mother at least. Her father was always a drunkard and like Ludiboy, he was always involved in some trouble or brawl. No fight could happen in the little community where she grew up, and her father was not involved. Or if there was a theft committed, he was always either involved, or the bellwether. Simonea's mother humanly did not like her husband's behaviour and tried to counsel him many times, to which he always ignored.

 Whenever he got into some fracas, and the community men arrived at his porch to deliver to him a reasonable beating, it was Simonea's mother who had always to try and beg for her husband, and make apologies on his behalf. Many times the men accepted and just let it go, but Simonea could recall moments in time when they didn't and once, chased her father out of his own house onto the street where they had caught him and, if it wasn't for a patrol of officers, that rescued his deserving soul, could of been beaten to death.

     Growing up in that kind of atmosphere, Simonea decided that she would never get involved with a man who possessed drinking problems or was involved in trouble. Unfortunately, she did not receive one with either, but both! 

During the few months she had been in Red Boar, she had come to understand that her common-law husband had serious drinking problems and that he suffered from gambling issues just as well.

     Whenever Ludiboy returned from his days at the market, she would frown and inquire of where he always disappeared to so early in the mornings, as she did not know about his market days. But whenever he showed her some money, she would always smile and praise him, saying how 'hard-working' and 'determined' he was. Ludiboy expectantly, accepted the praises with broad grins and a prideful chest.

    How she found out that he had raided the free trees in the community and had sold their fruits at the market was through, the one and only Ms. Gracious.

Even after she had arrived in Red Boar, she and the informative, sassy woman remained close friends and she often learned great things from her that a country woman should know, such as cooking skills and the right things that should be used for both cleaning and washing. Ms. Gracious always went about, meeting and visiting friends and so had come to know many people and hear many things. That is why when she heard about Ludiboy's raids on the trees in the woodlands and even those at people's backyards from the market vendors who had cheated him, she swore that she had to tell Simonea. 

She came to the house one ten o' clock morning when she knew that Ludiboy was out, gambling as usual, as she would not dare say a word of the incidents in his presence.

 "Is so the place really did look?" she said, as Simonea invited her in. 

She had been to Ludiboy's wooden varendah many times, but never even glimpsed the inside as Ludiboy would never invite her in, saying that she was always too 'chatty-chatty' and spread too much news. There was no need for her to rub off all that bad energy inside his 'humble' dwelling.

      "So, ma'am", Simonea began. 

"Is what brings you here?" she inquired of Ms. Gracious who was roaming around the small living room, sitting on either of the chairs, as if she was Goldilocks. 

"Is what news you bring me?" Simonea asked after realising that she had not responded to her earlier inquiry.

"Me dear", Ms. Gracious finally said. 

"You no want to hear weh me hear, today", she started off, folding her legs on one of the chairs, and covering them with her green frock. 

"It is to concern the said Ludiboy", she warned Simonea, who sat down to listen.