Last week, some of the lowest breed of human mistakes tried to run my father off the road. After not finding it as easy to execute as they planned, and when a witness began approaching in the oncoming lane they took off. It made the papers, and thankfully it was a small overlooked article (because you need your name in the papers these days like you need a target on your head). Unbelievable, but after all that, my father seems unfazed, he even tried to chase them when they took off. The man is in his mid-70s and unfazed, Christ. You know what though? That's actually bloody typical. People in Trinidad seem to think crime is just a normal part of everyday life. Back home we've gotten used to hearing and saying things like, "yuh hear dey try to kidnap meh family last week?" without batting an eyelid. We've become so fucking stupid it's absolutely amazing.

In the last year my cousin was robbed and taken to a crematorium where he thought they'd rape his girlfriend and put a bullet in his head, two of my friends were held for ransom weeks on end, my brother migrated after having his wife and child held up and robbed at gunpoint in their home, and now I've got to wonder whose list of targets my Dad's name is on. Wake me up now, please.

I used to be just like them, I used to tell people things back home weren't as bad as everyone was claiming, I used to be stupid. Now I'm just scared.

Justin | 4:16 AM