Essay

Kirtneey’s Story

by Kirtneey Deane

I am Kirtneey Deane and I am 27 years old. I was born in Sandy Bay Village on the island of St. Vincent. When I was a little boy I used to enjoy going to the mountains for my coconuts for me to sell. If it were not for my coconuts, I could not even buy bread to eat. I picked coconuts instead of going to school or took care of the animals while my mother and father were out working on other people’s farms.

My parents were very poor and at the time there were seven of us children to be taken care of at home. My parents couldn’t afford to buy books for all of us. That was because my father was no good to us. He was more interested in drinking rum instead of looking after us. My mother is a very nice lady. She always tried her best to make things better for us, but my father was not showing a good example in the home.

I decided to forget all about school. I was only 12 years old when I left school and I didn’t learn very much when I was there. Then I started to struggle on my own. (In St. Vincent, we say that when someone leaves school early and goes to work, he takes his manship on his head and struggles on his own.) I didn’t see a future in living at home, so I thought about leaving.

I went to Bequia to live with my cousin when I was 14 years old. I looked for a job at the market when it was being built. I lived with my cousin for seven years. Then I built my house and now have a job as a gardener at a hotel.

When I was a little boy I did not learn to read and write. Now that I have become a man I know how important it is to be able to read and write. I have been learning for the past year. My tutor’s name is Sue and she is from Canada. My friend Glenford, who is also from Sandy Bay Village, introduced me to her. He knew he and I were in the same situation. My teacher Sue has been very patient with me. I have made good progress and like to read and write on my own now. I am trying to write some calypso songs for Glenford to sing in the Bequia Carnival calypso competition in June.

One day I would like to travel to foreign countries. Now that I am able to read and write, I will be able to write to my family when I travel.

Kirtneey is a gardener with a full-time job at a Bequia hotel in St. Vincent. He writes whenever he has some spare time.