Paul H. Williams, Gleaner Writer

A young man, whom I taught years ago, sent me a job-application letter for review. In these hard times, he wants a better-paying job, for he needs money to go back to school. So, it was with great pleasure I embarked upon the task.

I had an idea it wasn't going to be a good letter. And it wasn't. It needed a total rewrite. When he called to find out whether I had finished, I told him about how bad the letter was, especially about the glaring spelling errors.

He said he was aware of the problem. I told him to do something about it because it might be the reason he could not get the jobs he wanted or get into the college that rejected him. Apart from that, it could cause him much embarrassment. He agreed. I even offered to help. And his response hit me with the force of a sledgehammer.

Reward

The young man, in his early 20s, told me the only way he could solve his spelling problem was if a pretty girl promised him sex to spell. For instance, she is going to challenge him to spell certain words and, if he is successful, he would be rewarded with sex, the great motivator.

Now, which woman is going to want to spend her nights and days playing sex games with this young man, whom I will call 'My Friend' to protect his identity, because it really needs protection.

Among other things, I told My Friend he could be the reason University of the West Indies lecturer Dr Herbert Gayle recently called Jamaican men "a bunch of poppy-shows".

Stupid idea

While spelling for sex was not exactly the reason Gayle made such a designation, it was still a stupid idea, and simply endorsed the poppy-show concept. The Gleaner report of Thursday, July 24, states, "He (Gayle) argued that this (destroying themselves) was being done through crime and violence and men's selfish pursuits of women and sex at the expense of their own economic and social development".

My Friend intends to move forward, but he sees sex as the only thing that can help him solve his spelling problem. So, if he doesn't find that pretty girl who has an interest in his development, then 'dawg nyam him supper'.

The report further stated, "A study conducted by Gayle in 1999 to determine why some 120 individuals who were given offers to attend UWI did not accept the proposal, showed that males did not have the money to attend university. He said the data, however, showed that women had four times the money than men had to finance their tertiary education.

"Gayle revealed the study further showed that 17 young men had girlfriends attending the UWI, whom they were evidently supporting. These young men were among 34 who could not take up the offer to attend the university because of financial difficulties."

Spending on women

In the pursuit of sex, some men are, therefore, spending money on their women, instead of spending it on their own education, while the women use the money to finance their education. Sex, in addition to crime and violence, is the downfall of the Jamaican man, in essence.

"So clear is the evidence that Jamaican men are a bunch of poppy shows," Gayle is quoted as saying.

Is this situation confined only to Jamaican men? No. It is the story of men everywhere, forever giving in to our lower nature, while ignoring the other pleasures of life, sometimes to our own detriment. So it might not be that only Jamaican men are poppy-shows, but all men. Yet, this can't be true.

Gayle might have an argument as it relates to some men failing to educate themselves while at the same time, contributing financially to their women's education. But, I think the poppy-show statement was too general, and I am yet to hear any vociferous protest coming from us Jamaican men. Is it a silent agreement that we are indeed poppy-shows? Well, I am saying with all my might I am no poppy-show.

Yes, there are many men who have allowed sex to put them into unflattering circumstances, but kudos must be given to those who do not let things of the flesh push them down to the ground. The broad-brushing was unfortunate, coming from a man with a research background.

And the poppy-shows will tell you, it is their right to do whatever they want with their lives. Why should everybody be the same, they will argue.

Everybody's goal is different. You want education, I want sex! Some are motivated by quick money, fast cars, big houses and the spotlight. My Friend, himself, cannot see the folly of his 'philosophy'. He thinks it's a novel idea, a win-win situation.

So I picture My Friend with his pretty girl nightly going through the spelling routine. But what words is she going to challenge him with? 'Big words', unseen words, words loaded with sexual metaphors and allusions, 'bad' words, expletives? And would it be fair for her to give him words such as moron, dimwit, imbecile and poppy-show? Demented, even? What about emasculate and marginalised?

His situation is dire

But My Friend is going to need more than one pretty girl to motivate him, for his situation is dire. I guess he wouldn't mind, for he also wants to be a womaniser, just like his father.

How has time changed! I remember the only motivation for me to spell at Miss Green Basic School was not to get a couple lashes from the leather belt that was her permanent companion.

She is long dead, but perhaps she could do one last act of 'kindness' before she meets her maker, by coming from her grave and giving My Friend a few lashes to jolt him from his utter foolishness.

paul.williams@geanerjm.com