Chapter 13
I decided to leave the farm to try to make money in a new trade. I decided to go to a shoe repairman named Raoul Saget, who had moved from Saint-Marc and set up shop in our village. I introduced myself to him and asked him if he would take me as his apprentice. He said, Yes.
In a short time, I learned how to repair shoes. Raoul was a real gentleman, but I surmised there were three possible reasons for his willingness to help me: sympathy for me, his goodness of heart or his love of a cousin of mine.
As we worked together, he taught me everything there was to know in the trade at a very fast pace. I picked up everything very quickly too. At thirteen, I was making money in a new trade.
Raoul benefited by hiring me. People in my village started coming to his shop when they learned I was working there. Others from nearby villages who knew my parents also started coming to his shop to see how I was managing. All the attention benefited me too. As the shop got more work, I got to make more money. I established my reputation as a very good shoe repairman, though barely a teenager.
In addition to the shoe repair business, I decided to start my own business, using what I learned in school. I set out door to door in my village and offered my services as a letter reader and writer to everyone who needed the help. I provided my service for dimes, nickels. Everybody knew to call on me for help and they did. I became very well known in my writing-reading business. Again, sympathy played in my favor. In a few months, I began accumulating, saving, and spending more money than some grownups in the village.
Still, I was not satisfied with my own accomplishments. For the moment, I did not know where I was headed, except I knew that God was going to do something for me. I suspected that something better was on the horizon.
I had an urge to move on from the shoe repair business. Since I had no one to account to, I felt free to make my own adult choices. I did not confide to my godmother as I used to. I would talk to her about everyday things, such as what was going on in the house.
What do you think I should buy and cook today? I would ask her.
Mande lotre ti moun yo sa yo vle manje, ou mem alo uwa decide ki sa poufe. (Ask the other kids what do they want to eat, then you can decide what to do.) I began to be my own counselor and used my own intuition. Some invisible force was guiding me, I was sure. So far, I learned to be successful by making wise decisions.
In the meantime, I was happy, because my family was well fed. In fact, I considered us better off than some children whose parents were alive and healthy. I must have been an entrepreneur by nature, though I did not realize this at first. I was always looking for a new venture to make money. At this time, I was a young man ready to explore any worthwhile way of making money.
A year into my work, I knew it was not my dream to spend my life working as a shoe repairman or letter reader/writer. I looked around to see what I could find next to help my siblings, and myself as well. I quit the shoe repair business.
* * * *
It happened that Raoul was a cockfight fanatic. Through my association with him, I learned about buying and training the male roosters, known as cocks, and the cockfighting business.
With some extra money, I bought a cock fighter. Raoul helped me with its training. In due time, I took my fighter to a game. I won my first fight. I kept the cock in a wooded area nearby.
One morning I went to feed my cock, but it was nowhere to be found. I went back to the house disconcerted and screaming, Someone stole my cock! Neighbors came by and sympathized with me, especially Raoul.
Ill give you another cock, Raoul said. Dont cry. I promise.
I dont want another cock, I said. My aunt Simone, who lived in Petite Riviere, had new clothes for us, I had received her message to come to get them. I went to spend the night at my Aunt Simones house. Around five in the morning as the sun came up, a cock crowing awakened me. I listened intently. I heard Kokokiokoo! That was the distinct sound of my cock!
I jumped out of bed and ran to my aunts room to awaken her. Aunt Simone! Aunt Simone! Aunt Simone! Listen! I shouted, waking her up.
What? Aunt Simone responded groggily.
Aunt Simone, I hear my cock singing! The one that was stolen from me! I said, shaking her awake.
To quiet me down, she ordered me back to bed and said, This is not possible.
Yes, its true Aunt Simone, I insisted. Please get dressed.
Knowing I was not about to give up, she changed her clothes and headed outside with me in the direction of the singing. We came up to the bird. It was my cock all right. I recognized it right away. We started asking who claimed to own the cock.
Thats my cock, a man said, coming forward.
And who are you? Aunt Simone asked.
Klebert, he said. I bought the cock from another man.
Who is the man? Aunt Simone asked.
He refused to give us the name of the seller. We called for the police. After the police became involved and did an investigation, they determined that the man was the thief. He was arrested and the cock was returned to me.
After getting the cock back, I sold it to another man. Even though I had won my first fight, I did not like what I saw. I quit the cockfighting business. I had no stomach for the game.
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