Old Story Time

OLD STORY TIME

This book tells of a traditional story in a rural community. The tradition of the story telling idea originated from Africa.

This book tells about a mother who was enslaved by her past. She grew up in a society, which she was taught, "any thing that was black wasn't good" and also that black signifies failure and hard ship, while white signifies prosperity and advancement. This belief was passed down as a result of slavery and has followed her through out her life.

The story tells of a single mother by the name of Miss Aggy also called mama, who lived alone with her son Len and beside her lived her best friend Pa Ben. Mama would normally beat her son Len for associating with the black persons in the community; especially girls of his age group. She would tell her son what is it that she wanted for him and what is best for him; also that if he does as she said, and then he wouldn't have a problem.

As the years go by Len had left home to study overseas and his mother was getting really worried about him but after writing her she felt much better. In one of the letters that she received from him he told her that he was married and sent a picture of his wife who was a black woman; and this got mama very agitated. She also thought that Len's wife Lois was turning her son against her. Pa Ben who was secretly keeping in contact with Len told mama that it was nothing of that sort, but mama thought that she had to do something about it.

One day Len came to the house; and they were very surprised and happy to see him, mama hugged, kissed and welcomed her son home. While talking him she would of course passed her remarks about his wife, which he did not like to hear. While he was away mama paid down on a house for him at the bank and George also known, as Mr. Mac was her financial advisor and also one of Len's old enemies.

When Len came back to Jamaica with his wife to stay, mama gave him the papers about the house since he was an economist and had a knowledge of banking. While they were living there, mama would pass their remarks about Lois, whenever she went to visit them.

George, who wanted to talk about the house with Len, went to his house and because of the rumors that Len heard about George he did his own check on him; and found out that George was a very sly and cunning fellow. He was known to be a trickster. He would go around and trick persons and he would use the money that those people would invest in the bank. Due to Len's