'Simmo', the Politician

'Simmo', the Politician

by

Austin Mitchell 

          We all knew how long Miss Darlene had served the party and felt that her time had come. She was going up against a man called Cedric (Simmo) Simpson. Simmo has just returned home after several years in the United States. He was a man in his late forties while Miss Darlene was a woman in her mid- forties. Both of them were vying to be caretaker for the parish council division which was made up of the villages of Keswick, Norris and Dudley. There was a belief that the elections would soon be called. Both of them had been doing house to house canvasing. We felt that Miss Darlene would win the delegates from Keswick and Norris. Simmo was from Dudley so we expected him to carry those delegates.

            So that Sunday evening we boarded Danny Pinter’s truck and headed for Keswick High School where the selection would be held.

            “Miss Darlene win this one for sure,” a man called Keeble Harris said.

            “Miss Darlene all the way, they can’t rob her this time,” a woman named Carlene Davey said.

            Miss Darlene had lost out in two run-offs to be the divisional representative. Both of her opponents had lost out to Hepburn Binger in the Parish Council Elections. A canvas had been done a month ago showed her leading both Simmo and Binger.

            Other vehicles were in the convoy. Miss Darlene had gone ahead to make sure that everything was all right.

            We reached the school at three o’clock that evening. We could see several  vehicles there already. Before we left for the assembly hall, we saw several more vehicles arriving and also some people on foot.

            People were already in the assembly hall and by three thirty the meeting got underway.

            Several party functionaries as well as Miss Darlene and Simmo addressed the meeting.

            Finally it was the time for the delegates to vote. Things became tense as both sides felt that they had won. Then the announcement was made and Simmo had won by ten votes.

            Simmo’s supporters went wild with joy. Miss Darlene’s supporters were calling for a recount of the votes. They were grumbling and saying they would not support the party again.

            When we were returning, we stopped at Miss Darlene’s shop and bar.

            “Miss Darlene, let them stay. Simmo can’t beat Binger,” a man called Wlly Singh said.

            Miss Darlene didn’t say anything; she was still shocked at what had happened.

            “Jesus Christ, is what you do them, Miss Darlene? Why they hate you so? You are the best candidate for up here and yet they won’t give you a chance,” a woman named Norma Sinclair said.

            “They are a waste of time. I’m not voting for them again,”Keeble Harris said.

            I was down at Miss Darlene’s shop when Simmo came through two days later. He bought us drinks. I knew that he was trying to get Miss Darlene to work with him.

             Soon Simmo was going the rounds, buying drinks for everybody and sponsoring cookouts. He was at dances, buying liquor and food for the patrons. He was at burying yards, set-ups, funerals and nine nights and even turning outs. Simmo was also a good domino player. He came to cricket matches in his cricket uniform and football matches dressed like a player. He also sponsored both cricket and football competitions.

            I saw him one day and asked him how things were going.

            He told me that most of the people were now supporting him.

            I had to agree with him. He couldn’t go anywhere and you didn’t see Keeble Harris, Norma Sinclair or Carlene Davey with him.

            “Simmo is going to give Binger the beating of his life,” Keeble told me one day. He was drinking a beer and eating some curry-goat.

            “Simmo buy them out with liquor and food,” a woman named Lela Summers told me a little later, that day.

            It seems strange how easily these people had come around. Maybe what Lela told me was true. People were voting with their bellies and maybe that’s why Miss Darlene wasn’t making it. She just didn’t have the money for although she had a shop it had always done poorly. Simmo on the other hand, had returned to the island laden with cash as a result of some good real estate investments  both in the United States and Jamaica.     

              Simmo was successful in the elections beating Binger by a hefty margin. The End.