Pynter Bender by Jacob Ross

– Miss Lucas, the headmistress in SaintDivine Catholic School. Come September, I want her to take you to that school and give this paper to her. It got to be September. Or you’ll miss your chance.’
    â€˜What chance?’
    â€˜The one I would have given my eye teeth for. Promise me you going give her.’
    â€˜Okay.’
    â€˜Come September, I’ll be checking up on you pussnally.’
    â€˜Who call you to come here – Miss Maddie?’
    Mister Bostin rested puzzled eyes on him. ‘S’far as I could tell, ’twasn’t a woman. He say that you his uncle.’
    Department of Education
Division of the Ministry of Internal and Related Affairs
San Andrews
12th July 1965
    Â Â Â   
Mr. Manuel Forsyth  Upper Old Hope
Parish of Old Hope San Andrews
    Â Â Â 
    Dear Sir,
This is to confirm our conversation at your residence on May 15th of this year in which you stated your decision to keep your son and minor …
    â€˜Pa, what minor mean?’
    â€˜Go on, read the letter.’
    â€¦
your son and minor Pynter Bender from school. After
much deliberation I have decided
…
    â€˜He decide! Who he think he is?’

    I have decided that it is not in the best interest of the child
in question to be exposed solely to the literature available at your residence
.
    â€˜He goin to burn in hell fo’ that. Condemning God word!’
    In view of the above observation and consistent with the
powers vested in me, Jonathan Uriah Bostin, Schools Inspector, San Andrews Division of the Associated State and its environs …
    â€˜If fancy title was money, he would be a rich man. Read that part again fo’ me!’
    â€˜It long!’
    â€˜Read it, boy!’
    In view of the above observation …
    â€˜Pure wind! Fart – that’s what it is. Read de rest fo’ me.’
    â€¦
I have agreed with the relevant authority to enrol the minor, Pynter Bender 
…
    â€˜Pa, what’s a minor?’
    â€˜You.’
    â€˜What it mean?’
    â€˜A lil boy.’
    â€˜And how you call a lil girl?’
    â€˜A minor. Finish de letter, child!’
    â€¦
to enrol the minor, Pynter Bender, in the Saint Divine Catholic
…
    â€˜And he claim to be a man o’ God!’

    â€¦
Catholic School from first September. Failing which and without valid reasons, said authority reserves the right to proceed legally against you
.
    â€˜You mus’ never learn to write like that man, y’hear me?’
    â€˜Why?’
    â€˜S’not natural.’
    â€˜Why?’
    â€˜Say what you have to say and finish it. Always.’
    â€˜Why?’
    â€˜It help to keep life simple.’
    â€˜How?’
    â€˜Stop bothering me, boy.’

8
    T HE NEXT MORNING he got up and told his father he dreamt of screaming people.
    â€˜You wasn’ dreaming,’ his father muttered, ‘I hear them too last night – Harris and Marlo.’ The old man’s face was thoughtful. ‘Only Harris I was hearing, though. And Harris the one you never hear at all.’
    Harris and Marlo lived in a two-roomed house at the bottom of his father’s hill.
    Fridays especially, nights in Upper Old Hope were reduced to a small room and Marlo was the hurricane inside it. Pynter had quickly grown accustomed to these weekly brawls, although the first time he’d heard Marlo he couldn’t bring himself to sleep. No reply ever came from Harris. And if, as his father told him that first time, it was a case of one man warring with himself, he used to wonder at the sense of it.
    A few times, after a particularly violent night, he woke early, crept out of the house and sneaked down to the road.
    Harris eventually came out, saw him standing there and, without breaking stride, waved his hat at him, ‘Hello, young fellow. How’s the Old Bull?’
    â€˜Not bad,’ he answered as he watched the tall