Baby Doll gets her Christmas wish
Baby Doll gets her Christmas wish . 
Dara E Healy
A traditional mas Christmas
“Oh ho! Don’t play you didn’t know
I am a pierrot, like the griot from long ago
They say I am French, but only in name
My clothing and speech are from Africa I proclaim!
From the Yoruba came the strips of cloth
In honour of the egungun
Or those who have passed
Enough about me for now
Let we get to the story
It's Christmas time
And Baby Doll in a quandary
There is something she wants more than anything
If you want to find out
Listen to me!”
BABY DOLL sat down on the pavement in front of a block of buildings on the eastern side of the city. As usual, in her right arm she cradled her baby. The child, with light skin and blue eyes, was
Newsday
Baby Doll gets her Christmas wish

Dara E Healy -

Dara E Healy

A traditional mas Christmas

“Oh ho! Don’t play you didn’t know

I am a pierrot, like the griot from long ago

They say I am French, but only in name

>

My clothing and speech are from Africa I proclaim!

From the Yoruba came the strips of cloth

In honour of the egungun

Or those who have passed

Enough about me for now

Let we get to the story

It's Christmas time

And Baby Doll in a quandary

There is something she wants more than anything

>

If you want to find out

Listen to me!”

BABY DOLL sat down on the pavement in front of a block of buildings on the eastern side of the city. As usual, in her right arm she cradled her baby. The child, with light skin and blue eyes, was a symbol of her struggle, but also her resilience.

Like many of the other young girls in the community, Baby Doll was fooled by men who promised her everything. But in the end, after their fascination with her youth and beauty faded, and confronted with the reality of a child, they would leave her with nothing.

Baby Doll managed as best as she could, although it was difficult as a single mother to care for her child and meet all her other commitments. She sat on the pavement lost in her thoughts, ignoring the cruel comments from passers-by and the fussing of the baby. Christmas was coming and what she wanted more than anything else was a family.

“Whappen to you gyurl?” Paul was a blue devil from Paramin and Baby Doll’s best friend. They met one Carnival when Baby Doll was being harassed by a group of men, just as Paul and his band of blue devils were passing. Well, I don’t need to tell you what happened. Licks! Fire and brimstone! The fellars ran off bawling and screaming for the police. Baby Doll and Paul fell down in the road laughing hard. Anyway, back to the story.

Paul started poking Baby Doll and sticking out his bright red tongue. But this time Baby Doll didn’t fall for his charms. “What you doing for Christmas?” she asked?

“What we does always do. Come down in town to blow fire and make people shopping for Christmas pay de devil, heh heh. Why all of a sudden you so interested in Christmas? I thought all you wanted to do was look for the child father. Maybe you looking for something that right in front ah yuh.” Paul winked at her suggestively.

“I serious Paul. This Christmas…ah want ah family. And ah want to put away meh place, like everybody here does be doing. Ah ask Ms Jane to help meh, but she busy because she man Surisima home these days.”

>

Suddenly, Paul saw his friend differently. His heart felt full. He stood up and put out his hand. “Come.”

“Come where?” said Baby Doll. “Just come.”

Paul took her to his home in Paramin. His mother had almost finished putting away the house for Christmas – new curtains, the floor and furniture freshly polished. And the smell! Fresh bread baking, black cake, ham ready to be cooked Christmas Eve, sorrel and ginger beer in the fridge. It was just like Baby Doll imagined. She felt her eyes burning with tears.

“Chile, hold the baby head properly,” Paul’s mother scolded as she took the baby. “Paul go and cut a slice ah the sweetbread for your friend. It still warm.” Paul’s mother sized up Baby Doll. “He must be real like you. He never bring no girl here.”

Paul and Baby Doll sat in the gallery munching, chatting and looking at the beautiful hills of Paramin. Neighbours passed calling out in patois, “

Bonswè! Sa ou ka fè?” It was starting to get dark, so Paul took Baby Doll and the baby back home.

The next day, Baby Doll heard a knock on the door. It was Paul and a whole crew of blue devils. They had cake, sorrel and ham from his mother, as well as some of her curtains, sheets and tablecloths. They set up box base and pan, plus who with quatro in hand. Baby Doll watched in amazement as they put away the small apartment and made it pretty just like Paul’s home.

“We are your family now,” Paul whispered to her. Baby Doll couldn’t hold back the tears. This was the best Christmas ever.

Dara E Healy is a performing artist and founder of the Indigenous Creative Arts Network – ICAN
Trinidad y Tobago
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https://newsday.co.tt/2024/12/07/baby-doll-gets-her-christmas-wish/
2024-12-07
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Dara E Healy
A traditional mas Christmas
“Oh ho! Don’t play you didn’t know
I am a pierrot, like the griot from long ago
They say I am French, but only in name
My clothing and speech are from Africa I proclaim!
From the Yoruba came the strips of cloth
In honour of the egungun
Or those who have passed
Enough about me for now
Let we get to the story
It's Christmas time
And Baby Doll in a quandary
There is something she wants more than anything
If you want to find out
Listen to me!”
BABY DOLL sat down on the pavement in front of a block of buildings on the eastern side of the city. As usual, in her right arm she cradled her baby. The child, with light skin and blue eyes, was a symbol of her struggle, but also her resilience.
Like many of the other young girls in the community, Baby Doll was fooled by men who promised her everything. But in the end, after their fascination with her youth and beauty faded, and confronted with the reality of a child, they would leave her with nothing.
Baby Doll managed as best as she could, although it was difficult as a single mother to care for her child and meet all her other commitments. She sat on the pavement lost in her thoughts, ignoring the cruel comments from passers-by and the fussing of the baby. Christmas was coming and what she wanted more than anything else was a family.
“Whappen to you gyurl?” Paul was a blue devil from Paramin and Baby Doll’s best friend. They met one Carnival when Baby Doll was being harassed by a group of men, just as Paul and his band of blue devils were passing. Well, I don’t need to tell you what happened. Licks! Fire and brimstone! The fellars ran off bawling and screaming for the police. Baby Doll and Paul fell down in the road laughing hard. Anyway, back to the story.
Paul started poking Baby Doll and sticking out his bright red tongue. But this time Baby Doll didn’t fall for his charms. “What you doing for Christmas?” she asked?
“What we does always do. Come down in town to blow fire and make people shopping for Christmas pay de devil, heh heh. Why all of a sudden you so interested in Christmas? I thought all you wanted to do was look for the child father. Maybe you looking for something that right in front ah yuh.” Paul winked at her suggestively.
“I serious Paul. This Christmas…ah want ah family. And ah want to put away meh place, like everybody here does be doing. Ah ask Ms Jane to help meh, but she busy because she man Surisima home these days.”
Suddenly, Paul saw his friend differently. His heart felt full. He stood up and put out his hand. “Come.”
“Come where?” said Baby Doll. “Just come.”
Paul took her to his home in Paramin. His mother had almost finished putting away the house for Christmas – new curtains, the floor and furniture freshly polished. And the smell! Fresh bread baking, black cake, ham ready to be cooked Christmas Eve, sorrel and ginger beer in the fridge. It was just like Baby Doll imagined. She felt her eyes burning with tears.
“Chile, hold the baby head properly,” Paul’s mother scolded as she took the baby. “Paul go and cut a slice ah the sweetbread for your friend. It still warm.” Paul’s mother sized up Baby Doll. “He must be real like you. He never bring no girl here.”
Paul and Baby Doll sat in the gallery munching, chatting and looking at the beautiful hills of Paramin. Neighbours passed calling out in patois, “
Bonswè! Sa ou ka fè?” It was starting to get dark, so Paul took Baby Doll and the baby back home.
The next day, Baby Doll heard a knock on the door. It was Paul and a whole crew of blue devils. They had cake, sorrel and ham from his mother, as well as some of her curtains, sheets and tablecloths. They set up box base and pan, plus who with quatro in hand. Baby Doll watched in amazement as they put away the small apartment and made it pretty just like Paul’s home.
“We are your family now,” Paul whispered to her. Baby Doll couldn’t hold back the tears. This was the best Christmas ever.
Dara E Healy is a performing artist and founder of the Indigenous Creative Arts Network – ICAN
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Baby Doll gets her Christmas wish