Me dear mam,

de other day me see dis lilly teenager pickney gal pon TV a argue wid her madda an den slam de door inna de madda face. An me shake me head. For some late a days pickney hab no mannas. But some a fe we people know how fe fix dem:

"Mek a tell yu something pickney! M is fe: Me an yu nuh size. Me wi clip yu wing mek yu fly back a yu ness.Yu muss learn fe satisfy. Me tek de lass money me hab inna lass month buy de good pair a shoes gi yu. Now yu waan nedda one for it out a style. Well, fine wuk or go tief! Ole time people hab a wud fe seh wanty wanty cyan gety. Gety Gety nuh wanty.

cyan talk to yu

Know dis to: A is fe: Any how yu did come ya, me can sen yu back deh. Me notice of late, me cyan talk to yu. For me get too local. Yes man, me a local stamp. But yu soon graduate fram College. Or suh yu seh. But yu still cyan spell. Because inna lass week when me ask yu fe spell poun-an-a-half-a-hag-aise-an-two-poun a tripe inna one simple wud fe de meat man understand weh me mean, yu couldn't bruck it dung. But gwone move on wid yu life man. Ole time people hab a wud fe seh man nuh done crass river, nuh dash weh dem stick.

An a next ting: N is fe: "Nuh walk off when me a talk to yu! Wait deh, a kiss yu really a kiss yu teet? Yu waan me rearrange dem fe yu sweetie pie? Suh yu can dis mek one ting an hawda two plate fram dentiss one time? Weh me teach yu seh? Yu believe eddication ongle inna book? Yu eva hear bout a little ting weh name common sense? Look how yu teacha did kine to yu a school. Stay back a evening time fe help yu wid private lesson widout charge me. An if a yu fe call har now an seh howdy since yu pass de exam, Gad charge yu. But mek a tell yu something man, ole time people hab a wud fe seh mek a fren before yu need one.

dutty clothes

Furthermore: N is fe: Nuh look pon me suh needa!! For if a kanstipate yu kanstipate, me intend fe fine out wah kanstipate yu eenya tiddeh! Too bull cyan reign inna one pen. Me wash people khaki trousis an dutty clothes day in day out till me han dem blister. Dis fe tek care a yu an sen yu g's school. Not one night yu eva g'a yu bed hungry. But now, y'a come look pon me like me a de bungle a clothes. Fegat me if yu want. But nuh fegat weh y'a come fram. For ole time people hab a wud fe seh de higher de monkey climb, de more him expose.

Plus, E is fe: Easy come easy go. Suh me buy de tings dem gi yu, suh yu mistreat dem. For ole time people hab a wud fe seh, dawg seh, if him did hab money, him woulda buy him owna flea.

An clean out yu aise: R is fe Ragga Muffin Style. Suh nuh bring it to me. How much time me fe tell yu seh stop gwone like yu bad? Stop wid de long chat! Stop! Ole time people seh talk an taste yu tongue.

Pupa Jeezas, tek de case an gi me de pillah. For S is fe sufferation. Ole time people seh if yu cyan hear yu wi feel.

But Missis, saying dis an saying dat, de oldest an greatest ole time saying come from Massa God Himself: "Honor thy Father and thy Mother. That thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee." Exodus 20:12.

Tek care!

Dr Jennifer Keane-Dawes has been appointed Interim Dean of the School of Graduate Studies at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore, a constituent institution of the University of Maryland System. Send your email to: jkd876@yahoo.com.