Wealth, Politics, Health
The barbershop wa
s crowded as usual. Everybody was talking about their kids’ graduating this year, all in agreement that they want their kids to have a better life than they had. Especially since they all saw the speech President Barack Obama made to the graduating class at Howard University.
He said, “This is the best time, now, not the 60s or the 70s.” Now is the best time to be mentally alert about what’s going on around you.
To Be Honest put up his hand and asked Me Personally, “Did you read the last issue of CommunityCONTACT, May 12, 2016, the article West Island Blues Fest at DDO Park on June 18?”
Genius said, “I read it…”
Money interrupted, “What did you think of that article…?”
Just Chillin’ interjected, “There’s something wrong with that article.”
Dropout said, “What’s wrong with it?”
Just Chillin’ continued, “The Ways and Means Committee had a meeting to discuss the article and came to the conclusion that You got all those great artists at the West Island Blues Festival…people like Michelle Sweeney, Dawn Tyler Watson and Freddie James, Joey the Sax man, Flirt Blues Band… They are great, but now the WIBF needs a headliner like Chaka Khan or Patti Labelle, or even George Benson. One big name! Why? Because you’re competing with the Montreal Music Festival, aka the Montreal International Jazz Festival, which has lots of big name sponsors like Rogers, Telus, Bell, TD, Heineken, Corona, or any automobile dealers.
They pay for that major acts.
“Now the West Island Blues Festival organizes mean well. They do it for a good cause, now they have to take it to the next level.
They have to do like what those guys at the Metropolis did… the Battle of the Bands, organized by Andy Nulman. They brought in Tito Jackson, of the world famous Michael Jackson and the Jackson 5. They made over $300,000 in one night. They also auctioned off guitars signed by Tito Jackson… “
Money put up his hand, interrupting, “Remember Trayvon Martin? The gun used by George Zimmerman to kill the young, unarmed Black teenager, went on sale for $5,000 on gunbroker.com.”
Talking about Jazz, the late great Duke Ellington must be rolling in his grave. That nice piano he used to play, which he bought in the 1920s, is up for auction, anywhere from 500,000 to a million dollars.”
Crystal was explaining to Claire, “Animals are very valuable, especially in a woman’s life. She needs three animals: a Jaguar in her garage, a Mink in her closet and a Jackass to pay for it all. I don’t know why all you guys are laughing, because it’s the truth. And I’ll tell you another one, we can all learn from animals. I know a donkey with a high IQ, but hasn’t got a friend in the world, cos’ nobody likes a smart ass.”
Some guy told me he was in a hospital emergency waiting for three hours, and a guy came in and said, “A dog took a bite out of my leg.”
The doctor asked him, “Did you put anything on it?”
“The guy said, ‘No! I liked it just the way it was.’”
The phone was ringing in the barbershop because in the last issue of Community CONTACT Professor said he would vote for Donald Trump. Now it looks like this is the only way to get the phones ringing… other than guys inside calling collect to raise their kids from “inside.”
Fredrick Douglas once said, “It’s easier to build strong children than to repair broken men… and women.” And I’ll tell you why, because some people came to the barbershop and told me they were talking to some nice ladies at the Lionel Groulx metro station; they were handing out pamphlets, selling religion. At the end of the conversation the Regulars of the Ways and Means Committee told the nice ladies: If you’re familiar with the hospital procedure, once the doctor or nurse comes to your bedside, rolls a towel and puts it under your chin you’re gone. There are over two hundred religions, and no matter what religion you believe in you’re gone. And if you can afford it you’ll have yourself decent burial, because there’s no one that I ever heard of got wrapped up and flew to heaven on an airplane. Once you’re gone you’re gone. Don’t believe me? Just ask Joe and Yvonne at St. Mary’s hospital.
Donald Trump is what the USA is all about. He knows how America was built and also shows that you can be a fool and still be a millionaire in the USA. Donald Trump is a white guy, a billionaire, and knows the hallmark of Americanism. What was more American than the destruction of the original American tribes, which stood between the gold and the Black Hills of the Dakotas, and the European quest for riches…
Greed, racism and violence… Donald Trump and his friends know that the President of the United States, Barack Obama along with U.S. Supreme Court Judge, Clarence Thomas are called “uppity nigger” and they don’t hang them from trees anymore. In modern times the Black upstart is lynched by the media [the power structure] when he attempts to utilize the mechanisms of the American way.
You don’t have to look across the border to see or understand what’s going on. Look at Montreal City Hall. There are 103 councillors and only one is Black. This is OK. However, there are over 155,000 Blacks in Montreal and it would be very embarrassing to the mayor of Montreal and other city officials if the president of the U.S. or the president of American Express or other high-profile American visitor (like Michael Dell of Dell Computer) come to visit City Hall… The city should be embarrassed with only one Black city councilor.
Professor said, “Dr. Martin Luther King once said there are five people standing on the corner, they’re all drunk, one of the five is Black, and society says, ‘Look at the Black drunk.’”
One of the Regulars of The Ways and Means Committee said, “One of his friends from the Caribbean was telling him his friend was standing at the bus station begging. He asked a white guy for five dollars to get to Toronto. The white guy said, five dollars, is that all? He dug into his pocket and pulled out $20, handed it to the guy and said, “Here’s $20, take three of your friends with you.”
This transgender business, why do they keep talking about it? They [Republicans] are using that issue as a ploy to get elected. And If Trump ever gets elected we will have trouble up here in Canada…
Dropout said, “Enough of Donald. A beggar asked him for a dollar to buy something to eat. So he said, why’ don’t you get a job?”
The beggar said, “This is my job.”
Dropout said, “I’ll give you a dollar, but tell me how this works.”
The beggar said, “It’s called process and elimination. I ask so many people a day until I get my $100.”
Now if you go to Pharmaprix, owned by Melissa Ross and located at 1 Westminster in Montreal West, if you’re a diabetic she’ll always tell you, “Take your medication as prescribed, monitor your blood glucose, know your ABCs (A1C, Blood pressure, Cholesterol).”
Join an exercise program and get to know your pharmacist. And while you’re in the store, owned by Melissa Ross pick up a pamphlet put out by the Quebec government about how to stop smoking because smoking reduces life expectancy by 10 years.
Everybody on the Ways and Means Committee agreed that the previous federal government was not good for us; we were invisible. When we had a problem we couldn’t find any of them; but now it’s Miller time.
When you have a problem you could talk to Lisa Montgomery. They kept their word.
And remember, this summer when you’re on the South Shore don’t forget to stop at Brossard Bagels. They have all flavours…
Oh yes, the Ways and Means Committee says: “ The legendary Skipper Dean should have been on stage at the West Island Blues Festival.”
