Kelly's World | How J’cans can fete so?

“Telling an introvert to go to a party is like telling a saint to go to Hell.” – Criss Jami, from his book Killosophy

 

I don’t know how people practically make a life out of this.

Last week, I got into one of my ‘you only live once’ moods and decided to attend one of the soca events.

By the way, for a nation that didn’t initially seem too thrilled about the Trinidad and Tobago-created genre, we seem to be very much into di ‘wukking up’ now.

Some people fête every week that the good Lord sends. I don’t know how they do it.

First off, I felt like I ran a marathon just to get ready for the one event I went to.

For one, I was perusing social media trying to find the cost. Then I had to figure out how attending would clash with my job schedule.

Then I felt like I was having a root canal without Novocaine just to go and buy the ticket.

And finally, I wondered if it was really worth the trouble. I was back and forth just minutes before I was scheduled to leave (remember, mi did done buy the ticket already).

So how in the name of bacchanal do these people find the energy to go out pretty much almost every night, especially during carnival season?

Better yet, how do they factor in working jobs (I assume they’re employed), exercising (’cause dem nuh have nuh big gut like me), and partying?

Expensive life

I don’t see where I could live that life. First of all, the cost is a tad prohibitive.

Yours truly had to be frugal to the point of being a miser in order to attend one degeh degeh event. Dem show deh nuh cheap, rasta.

Some people may argue that my fellow fête fanatics had budgeted for the events.

Well, I did a budget of sorts, but looking back at the rapidly ending month (we practically reach May to rahtid), I was always cutting it close.

Simple reason is that my disposable income doesn’t compare to that of others. And nobody nah gi me no freeness.

I don’t go looking for it either. Not my style.

And don’t get me started on the attire. To fête, one has to also look the part. But that means more money, which yours truly never seems to have enough of.

So yours truly just found a combination ah clothes him never wear yet and call it a night.

There was no shopping to be done for this rendezvous. No sah. It was very much like what Kartel said in Clarks Part Three, ‘wear weh yuh have’.

So how dem people yah (some a dem at least) can find money fi new clothes fi go out?

Then again, everybody shops online now so I guess things might be a little cheaper.

By the way, I should point out that the event was worth attending, despite the traffic jam, the long line and all the jazz that comes with these events.

But trust me, me can’t do it often.

n Link me at daviot.kelly@gleanerjm.com