分类: Short Story

How Storytelling Saves Lives

10/28/2025

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How every good Bahamian story begins:

“Once upon a time and a good old time
Monkey chewed tobacco and spit white lime”.

"Have ya’ heard of B’rabbi and Br’fox? ‘Vell, B’rabbi is a rascal and his biggest nemesis is Br’fox. No two characters ever did hate each other like those two.

I blame B’rabbi the most though—now hear me out. A fox is doing just what foxes do; why now B’rabbi think he can just harass Br’fox all day every day and not think a fox will come for him? What kinda thinking is that?

That rascal was just bored, I think. Bored and maybe a bit jealous? ‘Cause Br’fox came up with some real clever tricks to trap him. Who can forget the ‘Ta’ Baby’ incident of ‘31? Ya never heard of the ‘Ta’ Baby’ incident? ‘Vell chile! Br’fox made a tar baby to catch and vex B’rabbi. And it almost work too...but unfortunately B’Boukee has a weakness too; he too greedy!

You want me to tell you about the ‘Ta’ Baby’ incident, ya say? I ‘ain gat time today but it’s very famous ‘round here. Ol’ Mrs. Pratt down the road, she gat time, ask her, but make sure ya gat time because the Lawd is my witness, that woman can run on!"

Storytelling saves lives.

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Home: A Short Tale

2/1/2025

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Photo by Sherard Campbell on Unsplash

Looking at the remnants of my great grandmother’s home (or, as we called her, Mama or ‘Grand Dame’ to you)—it was here I learnt Prophet Elijah came to visit, ghosts and evil spirits get revenge and grief turns into song between Nova’s knees singing of burials while braiding hair.

Here was my first experience of death and that buildings could sway to negro spirituals that grip the soul. Of where insanity and family charity intertwined. The place where generations grew under poverty’s roof. One cent candies and possessed snakes came from the neighbour's house.

Imprinted forever upon little Nikkie’s soul: Mama’s lap and watchful gaze rocking on the porch, a hard black woman turned soft with babies placed in her care.

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The Pigeon Man of Damascus

1/15/2025

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Photograph via Daniel Demeter

The brilliant blue skies above the ancient city of Damascus are suddenly filled with small black dots moving in formation, left to right, in circles or in waves.

It was a hypnotic sight that I would watch like a TV show in the late afternoon from my apartment window. The pigeon coop was on the rooftop of the apartment building across from the beautiful 13th century Mosque of Muzaffar, commonly known as Jami' al-Hanabila. The ancient white minaret adorned the brilliant blue Damascus sky and as that bright sunlight hit the white stone, the effect was transcendent.

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How Storytelling Saves Lives

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Home: A Short Tale

The Pigeon Man of Damascus

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