JUNIOR PEACOCK MAKES HIS MARK

By Baba Galleh Jallow

 

 

Our common townsfolk were very familiar with the name Alhaji Samba Yero Peacock of Peacock fame with his famous philosophy of Philoworkical Radicalism. If you did not know Mr. Peacock of the nimble gait, who believed that an iron hand could also be a bread hand, then you surely were not a native of our little town.

But our famous Samba Yero Peacock had now had his day and retired to his lonely mansion in Labangdugu, where most bigwigs spent the rest of their illustrious lives mooching around and munching their toothless gums over bitter-sweet memories of a life long gone. Luckily for us, a new Mr. Peacock soon appeared on the scene much to our heartfelt delight.

The younger Mr. Peacock was not only physically more handsome than the elder Peacock, but claimed to be possessed of far greater intellectual acumen and a more manly gait. In addition Junior Peacock, whose real name was Darkface Walkabout, possessed far more numerous glittering academic credentials than the ancient Samba Yero. Moreover, he was more of a ladies’ guy and it was even widely rumoured in our littler town that Darkface Walkabout only smiled in the presence of the illustrious ladies of our little town. Generally reputed to be a man of little words, our gallant Darkface Walkabout grew intensely gullible when in the presence of our gallant ladies of the famous presumption.

Now Mr. Darkface Walkabout was not an ordinary guy, nor did the sophisticated gentleman imagine himself to be one. Coming from one of the most fashionable families in our little town, Mr. Peacock had always considered himself rather different and somehow superior to his peers. His exceptional performances in class convinced him that indeed, he was destined for great things and was not to be mistaken for the ordinary folks of our little town, Thus, when he walked the streets of our little town, Mr. Peacock would raise his nose to the air, slightly wrinkle his face, and gently put one foot forward, then another. His hands, of which he was mighty proud, swung lightly by his side and gave him an air of superiority and sophistication that became the envy of some of our jealous townsfolk.

From an early age, it was clear that our gentle Darkface Walkabout was cut out for great things. Having spent many an illustrious year in some of the world’s finest learning institutions, our gallant Mr. Peacock returned to our little town draped in flying academic colours. He was soon nominated a member of our little town’s most prestigious clubs such as the high class Society of Brains and the Quick Fix Vous, whose motto was ‘We The Few’ and whose membership boasted of such great names as the elder Mr. Peacock,  Flatface Wrigglewaist, Smallhead Brains, Reg Reg Buja, Dr. Momkai Momla,

And that historic figure in the person of the famous Reyjef Tutihel.  To be in the company of such illustrious figures was not only a mark of honour, but also ample proof that the gallant Mr. Peacock was indeed cut out for great things. Any shadow of doubt as to this widespread notion was finally put to rest when the powerful council of our little town suddenly appointed our learned Mr. Peacock to the revered position of Director of Winds and special adviser to our gallant mayor, the fabled Fatcheek Lippy of the gallant robes.