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A story of colorism and class warfare, a story of perseverance in the shadow of corporate prejudice. A story of taking a stand defending basic consumer rights whilst corruption runs rampant.... A story of this land we love - Jamaica.... (A thread)
Context: As the world combats the Rona, and we have all experienced different levels of lockdown, Jamaica has been under a sharp curfew of 8pm for the past 2 weeks. However The Easter holiday has brought forth an even more draconian government induced mandate - curfew at 3pm...
I live approximately 3 minutes away from a KFC, from time to time when I get peckish, I usually decide to make a quick stop, get a 2 piece combo and be on my merry way. Today, I simply decided to do the same, little did I know it was not a regular day. The time is 12:15pm
As the imperial citadel of the white haired colonel revealed itself across the horizon, I noticed what seemed to be a strange traffic jam along the last three blocks. As I moved closer to my destination I realized this was the line for the drive thru. Aghast, I hastened my step!
Two concurrent lines awaited, the drive thru line which went outside the premises up the afore-mentioned 3 blocks, and the pedestrian line which wrapped around the entire building as the harsh sun raged against us. Only 10 people at a time inside could be served. It's 12:20
There is a sign I can't read on the door because I'm too far away. Hondas, Beamers and Benzez litter the driveway. We are all hungry, we are ALL desperate for the 11 herbs and spices to set us right in these times of strife, my people, my country is united. It is 12:40, we gumble
We show patience, as we notice certain irregularities start to show themselves, most curiously, a JDF officer hops out of a vehicle so far behind in the drive thru line he's approaching from off the compound, he *cuts* the line and approaches security...
"Yo boss, I'm an essential government worker on duty - so me need fi move wid haste, let me thru yah suh"... the security, flustered, relents. As we who have been waiting start to get tense. A man bawl out "a wha di RASCLAAT a gwaan yah suh, u nuh see we inna di line?!!"
The mob grows uneasy, with the preferential treatment just displayed, I get closer to the sign, it says "KFC will lock at 1:30 pm to allow staff to observe the curfew" . I check my clock... it's 1:05. I damn near been here 40 minutes. Cars are zipping in and out getting served
In fact we notice that the car line is moving significantly faster than the pedestrian line. The JDF officer, emerges, *without chicken* and goes to that vehicle which has now made it inside and we see that he's not on government work, but with two females in tow. The line ERUPTS
"YUH NUH SEE SAY DI MAN DEH PON A GYAL FLEX!?? A TRUE SEY WE A NUH BLUDCLAAT JDF MEAN SEY WE CYAA GET SERVE?!! AY SECURITY BWOY WE AFFI KETCH U WHEN WORK DONE. YUH HEAR DAT BATTYBWOY!??" The tribe has spoken. It is 1:10pm.
JDF *sprints* back in while people damn near a try cut him off and LOCKS THE DOOR behind him. KFC sercurity tries to quell the civil unrest with a *very* curious message from management who has been observing the situation form inside. "KFC lock. We stop serve." It is 1:15.
"HOW U MEAN SHOP LOCK, A NUH EVEN 1:30 YET?!!" Shit is *officially* popping now. "Look HOW LONG WE DEH YAH A WAIT, UNNUH NAH TUN WEH DI PRADA DEM THO!!! TRUE SEY A BROWN PPL?!!" The mob turns to the drive thru line. A proud lady in her mid 40s promptly rolls her tinted windows UP
The JDF man emerges, three BUCKETS deep with food. White squall on the crowd outside as the sun bakes us, similar to how his food has been fried to a golden crisp. He sprints and takes evasive action, chicken, biscuits and soda in tow - undoubtedly the heist of the century!
I look upon the downtrodden, the hungry, and I reflect on Nanny of the Maroons, I think in this moment, of Paul Bogle, what would they do when faced with such injustice? Marcus Garvey preached of economic equality... we are not of a lesser strain, us of the walkfoot variety...
With this resolve I finally submit my rallying cry "AYO PEOPLE WE NAH LEFF ENUH! WE NAH GUH A WE YARD TIL WE GET THIS BLASTED FOOD!!!". The lines have been drawn. It's 1:45. Security keeps trying to send a message via management "NO MORE CHICKEN"
But we know it's a lie, the uptowners in their vehicles are *still getting served* - we hold course. We sing hymns of resistance. I play "Redemption Song" on my phone. We are resilient. We are NOT AFRAID. We will not be deterred!! Equal rights, justice, and chicken, FOR ALLLL!!
It is 2:15. We have not broken our stride!! WE WILL NOT RELENT!!!! The doors open, the final gasp from a defeated foe.... Miss management shows her cowardly self, and says 2 words. The only two words that can subside the rowdy rebellion - "ORIGINAL ONLY."
We have won. The power of the people against economic oppression when they do not break the chain has proven to be too much....let this be a lesson that God is real. Protect your right to buy chicken at all costs. FIN
