by Sam Selvon
The agent laugh and had a look at 13A. ‘How long has he been here?’
‘Oh, this old room is just a temporary measure,’ Bat say. ‘Actually he renting a pied de terrace in Chelsea. Near the Embankment.’
‘H’mm. Pity you didn’t know of some angle to arouse public sympathy.’
Bat wish he did encourage Harry Banjo to lose a little finger or a toe. ‘Let me call my sister,’ he say, because perhaps Harry tell Jean things that nobody else know.
He went by the door and shout out for Jean. When she come he introduce she to the agent and say, ‘I tell him that Harry is in Ireland at the moment but we expect him back in a few days. He want to find out a few things.’
‘Maybe he could help Harry,’ Jean say, ‘but you won’t think of that. Why you don’t tell the man the truth?’
‘You don’t understand,’ Bat say quickly, ‘it look like they want Harry to sign a contract.’
‘That’s the part you studying. You don’t think about how he in jail for something he never do?’
‘What’s this about?’ the agent ask.
Bat hold his head and groan, and went and sit down on the bed as Jean start to tell the whole story. When she finish Bat fling his hands in the air and say, ‘All right, you cripple the man style for always. Now he don’t stand a chance in a million years.’
But the agent begin to get excited. ‘You mean this chap Poor is the real culprit? Couldn’t any of you do anything when it happened?’
‘We write the Home Office,’ Bat say.
‘We didn’t write no blasted Home Office,’ Jean say. ‘Nobody didn’t do anything except feel sorry.’
‘Well now,’ the agent begin to pace about between the table and the fireplace, and Bat watching him anxiously, ‘maybe we could work an angle there.’ Now as if he talking to himself. ‘Yes, it might work . . . Innocent Calypsonian Takes Blame For Friend . . .’
‘You got it wrong,’ Jean say.
‘He ain’t got it wrong at all,’ Bat say, jumping up. ‘That’s exactly what happen. Like that character in that book, am, am, what the dickens it is again—’
‘A Tale of Two Cities,’ the agent say.
‘Yes,’ Bat say, ‘greater love hath no man. I mean, that is the sort of thing you want? I would of told you if I did know.’
‘I could exploit the coloured angle,’ the agent say.
‘Help yourself,’ Bat say, ‘red white and blue—.’
‘He hasn’t any relative here?’
‘Only me.’
‘Well now, thanks a lot.’ As if he want to kiss Jean, who stand up like she in a daze with all this. ‘I must go and see him personally.’
‘Not today,’ Bat say. ‘He specially ask me to visit him today, being as is his birthday.’
‘This is important,’ the agent say impatient.
‘But this is more important,’ Bat say. ‘I sorry, but I got to go. I don’t want to let him down.’
‘Look here—’ Jean begin, but Bat cut in loudly. ‘Maybe we could arrange something,’ he say, stepping in front of Jean, ‘we could share the time if they allow it. As long as I see him first.’
‘Well, goodbye,’ the agent say.
‘See you in jail,’ Bat say.
As he close the door Bat start to dance about the room like a madman.
‘I don’t know what happening,’ Jean say, ‘but if it make you glad I sure is something bad.’
‘We got a gimmick, that’s what,’ Bat say. ‘Is a lucky thing Harry went to jail.’ He stay still with a thought. ‘But I should of ask the agent for a deposit.’
* * *
* * *
The last rose of summer was fading when Harry Banjo come out of jail, but the rosiness of the future help him to forget the past. The agent went to town on the story, big photo in the papers, and this ballad about the loyalty and bonds of friendship that exist among the coloured members of the community. Poor turned out to be a destitute with a large family to support and that’s why Harry Banjo, being single and of chivalrous mettle rarely seen in modern times, decide to take the rap. The story went on that he would be cutting his first disc soon, with some numbers that he compose while awaiting Her Majesty’s pleasure in the Brixton jail.
Down in Brixton OUR PEOPLE rise in support. One or two reporters who went sniffing around get some tall tales about how Harry do good in the neighbourhood, giving money to the needy, giving away his clothes to the naked, visiting the sick, succouring the sorrowful. And as for talent, his ancestors were kings of calypso in the islands.
As for Poor, the rumour went round that he immigrate to Bristol, though Gallows say he know for sure that is Nottingham and not Bristol, but Poor didn’t want anybody to know which part he was going.
‘Is a good thing anyway,’ Harry say, ‘otherwise I would of wash his arse with licks.’
‘All’s well that ends well,’ Bat say. ‘If wasn’t for Poor you wouldn’t have a gimmick.’
‘All the same,’ Harry say, ‘I would of beat him like a snake.’
‘From now on,’ Bat say, ‘we have to take it easy. You have to think of your reputation. We are all reformed characters. You have to be trained for stardom and popularity. You could sign your name?’
‘What you take me for?’ Harry ask.
‘I only thinking of all them autographs you will have to sign. Another thing, you best hads make me your agent. If I wasn’t a fast thinker, you wouldn’t be where you is now. I can learn the ropes quickly. I will read Stage and Variety and be your emperor sario.’
‘You take it easy, you wouldn’t even be my sisio. Where I going you can’t follow.’
‘It’s better to have one of OUR PEOPLE collecting that ten per cent commission than any fuggup Nordic.’
‘It will make for better relations for me to have a English agent,’ Harry say. ‘We got to intergrade if we want to live in peace and harmony.’
‘Anyway,’ Bat say, ‘what I can be is your righthand man. You know, somebody who could check them contracts and keep off the Press and make arrangements for your tours and appearances, and see that you not disturbed while you composing.’
‘I know who are my friends now,’ Harry say.
‘What happen, happen for the best. Who look after your banjo while you was away? You know how many times I was tempted to flog it, but I say no, that is Harry bread and butter. And all these weeks you been away, I pay the rent and keep the room for you.’
‘You lie. Was Jean who pay.’
‘Talking of Jean remind me of another thing,’ Bat say. ‘You got to remember I am the only relative, I will have to give she away in marriage.’
‘I don’t know how a sweet girl like Jean could have a brother like you.’
‘Just remember we have to keep the business in the family,’ Bat say. He went across by the fireplace where piece of the Aladdin wallpaper did sever relationship with the wall and was dangling. He tear it off gently and put it in his pocket.
‘What you want that for?’ Harry ask. ‘A memento?’
‘No,’ Bat say. ‘The girls going to look around for some things for the new house, and I want Mat to get this paper.’
‘You don’t want no stupid paper like that, man,’ Harry say. ‘We got to have contemporary designs.’
But Bat only smile and look around at the walls. You could see as if he wishing he could strip the lot and carry it go in new house.
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