Doubles, Doubles, Toil And Troubles

Every Trinidad Carnival starts with a“bacchanal” or“people behaving in an unruly or careless manner and having no regards for others.” Also, there is always in every Carnival a starting spark of disagreement to get us going. As far back as 1976, Lord Nelson, the American“citizen”, had a problem singing“La, La..”. The year after, 1977,“Tourist Leggo”, a calypso by Antiguan, Short Shirt, was objected to because he was considered a“foreigner”.

Trinidadian, Machel Montano, brought a Japanese girl to“wine” at his concert and that surprised many Trinis, and even very recently, a Jamaica Vybz Kartel dance hall concert had to pack it up. However, maybe because of the major increase in“bacchanal” in the US, and its threats on the nearby former-colleagues like Canada and Mexico, as well as far-away China, the Trinis decided on a second coming Jamaican, their closest Caribbean colleague and, at the same time, antagonist and detractor. It became a case of“dog eat dog and vice versa”.

During an interview which surpassed 151,000 people, the Jamaican“King of the Dancehall”, known as“Beenie Man” (Moses Davis), was asked which was the best island in the world and he was clear. It was his home, Jamaica. Then when then wanted to know what he considered the best of all the islands in the Caribbean, he again replied,“Jamaica”. However, when the wanted him to tell them which country, apart from Jamaica, was the best, Beenie Man was clear,“I love Trinidad.” Unfortunately, when he was asked if he eats the popular street food, known as“doubles” in Trinidad, Beenie Man made it clear,“I love Trinidad, but I don't eat doubles, because dogs don't eat doubles, and I don't eat anything that dogs don't eat. I don't eat doubles,” he added.

Worse, instead of stopping right there, he explained that he tried eating doubles two or three times while in Trinidad and once threw it to the dog and the dog didn't eat it. He found it strange that“dogs eat chicken, dogs eat fish, dogs eat dumplings...but the dog won't eat the doubles.” And then, he made it even clearer,“I was on the roadside and threw it to a stray dog and the dog didn't eat it.” In other words, he doesn't eat doubles because dogs don't.

From what I heard, an angry Trini subsequently told Beenie to“hall his dance” and even a Trini dog got into the act with an attempted bite saying in“woof-woof”,“If you feel we don't eat doubles, we will eat you instead.” One of my friends, who was in elementary school with me, reminded me about one of our Jamaican friends in a school concert who was applauded for,“Akee and saltfish me never eat at all, but when the hard time come, we eat the skin and all.” My friend added,“Well you better tell them people that in Trinidad, whether the hard time comes in Trinidad, or it remains in Jamaica, we eat doubles and all!”

There is a Caribbean response when we tell folks something that makes them angry or raging mad. It is,“Who tell you to say so?” This is what happened to Beenie Man, not just from Trinis, but even a few Jamaicans. The Trinidad and Tobago Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (TTSPCA), posted a video showing a worker feeding doubles to a dog, with a song“Doubles” in the background. Then Machel Montano, who is known as one of the international“Soca” artists, performed a version of his hit son“Pardy” while at a doubles stall. Wrapping the doubles and adding the word“doubles” in the song.

Even more interesting is the Trini Foreign and CARICOM affairs minister, Dr Amer Browne, sending a Facebook message with a photo of himself totally enjoying a“double” at a vendor's stall. One of my friends asked me whether the prime minister of the country shouldn't have done it instead. My response was,“You mad or what? The prime minister said there was nothing special about doubles. You ever hear about 'Doubles, doubles, toil and troubles!' You better leave that for Trump and grump, but not Beenie Man. He was forced to apologise or never come back to Trinidad because that dog will be waiting for him with bigger teeth than what he has now.”

Fortunately, for him, Beenie Man expressed regret. However, according to one of the newspaper articles, many social media folks were not happy. Beenie had said,“I am deeply sorry to all Trinbagonians around the world who love doubles. When I said it, it was a joke. I would never do that...” One social media person supposedly said,“This just made everything worse.” Another added,“He is continuing to say the same thing he got into hot water for, that is not an apology.” A third suggested that Beenie should have stayed quiet.

However, in an article,“Bennie Man sorry about double comment”, Journalist Janella De Souza wrote,“Beenie Man may not eat doubles, but he has eaten his words.” Among the“new” words, Beenie Man found included that he never disrespected Trinidad. However, when he tried to eat doubles and the stray dog, he threw it to, refused to eat it, he felt it was like asking a“rasta” if he“does eat pork.” Beenie explained that he did not mean to hurt or offend anyone and added,“When I say it was a joke, it doh sound jokey-full. Mi just wah fe know say I nah disrespect no Trinidadian. None a'tall. None a'tall. None a'tall.” He alleged that he was speaking from his heart, and it would never happen again.“I'm not here to offend my fans or anybody. I'm not here to offend the people that support the music. I'm not here to offend the people that support Trinidad. I'm sorry.”

While Beenie Man apologised, it is the former Mayor of Point Fortin, Abdon Mason, who put the issue of dogs and doubles in context. He explained that since childhood, he had heard the notion echoed by many, including his dear Aunt Rhoda, who once stated,“I don't eat doubles because dogs don't eat doubles.” However, he felt that through experience and observation, he could confidently say that this belief is more myth than fact. He explained,“While some dogs may indeed refuse doubles, many others will gladly eat it-provided it isn't overwhelmed by pepper, chutney, or other strong seasonings.

The reality is that a heavily seasoned doubles- laden with Chadon Beni (Shadow Benny), Kuchela (unripe mangoes grated and strained), and hot pepper- may be too intense for a dog's sensitive nostril and palate.” He promised to Beenie Man,“If you ever return to Trinidad and are open to it, I'd be happy to introduce you to a milder version of doubles-one that even the most discerning dog might find appealing.”

One of my friends who liked the Mason explanation added,“Tony, any dog that refuses to eat doubles in Trinidad, or anywhere else on earth, is small in height and mind and that is why it is known as a SHIH-TZU.”

*Tony Deyal was last seen explaining that Trinidad was the first place to have“doubles” instead of“singles” and even then, the Indians knew that“chana” (chickpeas) is considered optimum for any dog's diet.

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