"MY LIFE ON THE INTERNATIONAL HIGHWAY OF STRUGGLE THROUGH MY LAST MILE."

I have been living in North America for the last 39 years and have encountered every major
dilemma on the international highway of life. Due to my past educational training i returned to the institution of higher learning because of the system abuse on the working lower class and the kinds of jobs i was allowed into. I ventured this road in hopes of attaining university training that would aid in achieving a better position in the work force.

Without reservation of my age at that time i started working and attending school(part-time in the evenings). My return was no easy experience and started with a supervisor in a factory i was employed. I tried on several occasions to be placed on regular days and it was refused. For me to gain further education was of importance so i did not report for work (afternoon shift/3-11)on my school days (2 days a week).

I 'got-away' with it for sometime and was finally apprehended. I was notified about a meeting due to my lack of attendance and attended. The charge was read/FAILING TO GIVE MY EMPLOYEE 40 HOURS PER WEEK. Alone with three white men i was asked to explain my actions. I responded by saying that for personal reasons asked to be placed on the regular day shift and was refused so i did what i had to/report sick.

To make a long story short after repeated verbal exchanges i was asked why and i said (without fear) that i was attending university(I answered the question with the adrenaline of University knowledge and power flowing in my bones). All hell broke lose, white faces became red and there was some degree of anger in their physical emotions for the answer given by a Caribbean immigrant man (African).

The next question thrown at was which is important to you, school or work. The room got cold and quiet for a few sections with the white men looking at each other in total confusion. One of them broke the silence and asked

"Why are you not like the men who only want to work and make money?"

I replied that i do want to work and make money but not to remain under these suppressed conditions for the rest of my life. I finished by saying by that i was educated by the British system in Guyana that taught us to strive for the highest level in learning which i want to achieve and that is of important to me for my survival in this country.

They started to talk among themselves in whispers and then told me that i was transferred to another department. I should note that before i was handed a written charged for not giving the company 40 hours per week i was employed as a welder. For the crime committed i was transfer and send to do a less menial job in another department. It was working on the production line with a fast conveyor (that could by set to move faster).

As i took the letter to the next white supervisor but opened it first on my way. I found a hand written statement attached with the transfer/"A worker that is not like the other Black that are hard workers. You must keep an eye on him because he is a 'trouble-maker'. His views and influences can by dangerous for our company and the rest of the labouring staff."

I knew then and there that my services would be ending sooner than later and the transfer was their attempt to move me to another department to "KIL ME WID WOK" so i can quit and not be fired. To be fired in a union environment meant that a person will have to receive some form of monetary incentive which the white supervisors did not to execute. No sooner i started in my new position, attacks started on me and i will list a few.

Some of the attacks on me were; being a slow worker that resulted in a TIME-STUDY white man with a clipboard placed at my 'work-spot' looking and making notes. I knew the game and engaged in a silent warfare, I took washroom brakes, complained about the place not being properly ventilated, being too hot working during the summer and reporting to the nurse for a sick note then sent home.

I knew that i was in a losing battle but soon got frustrated and left the job because i had enough money for one term school fees and had i applied for governments' educational assistance. I left the employment environment (struggling labourer) of hard knocks and entered into another environment of hostile, cold and introverted elitist Canadian students and teachers in my early days as a full time student.

My struggle for higher knowledge was combined with broken relationships, marriage, part-time employment (only 'grave-yard'/sun-friday mornings & attending classes during the day), maintaining a focus on 'work-load' with no attention to extra curriculum activities (party/booze/women). It was book/books and more books/writing/staying late at school and back to 'night-work'. it continued for 7 years under which 'self-discipline' and devotion had to be achieved for my 'up-ward' mobility climb.





Now at an age of elder in this society it appears to me that no one cares about older people. We have become in some ways invisible in this cold culture and unlike my place of birth/the warm Caribbean environment.

Wait, but have i only now realize it?
No it has lately become clear due to my age, deteriorating body and ethnicity.

"NO ONE CARES IN THIS UNJUST SOCIETY" and i am the only person to care and protect myself in this dirty game filled with thoughtless participants on the last mile of my human race. What these young runners in the race is;

1- I represent what they will become in the future it they survive (we are living and they are killing themselves).

2- The ending is unpredicted and unknown (we all have to).

The examples that i will share are not used as labels or excuses for the unfair treatments that are heart breaking as i await my final hour.

In 2009 after being in a multi-billion company (for 10 years with no 'up-ward' mobility for non-whites). They (conglomerate builders of money joined with power) only concerns are the profit they make at the close of the day, with no respect for the humans who they employ. With the economic system now in its finial stage of destruction due to greed all incentives/rewards are taken away from workers BY ANY MEANS POSSIBLE.

Through this downtrodden phase of a broken monetary system (worldwide) i was given a full time position (No EXCITEMENT OR HOORAY HERE). Funny i knew it was what i was supposed to get but human beings (destructive elements) who i worked with attempted to stop a move that was in progress and established. Their attempts failed (ANCESTRAL SPIRITS IN Motion/AFRICANS') but i continued to experienced personal attacks.

Personal attacks on me (MY AGE NOT RESPECTED) from those (radicals elements placed to attach and destroy} who felt threatened (rising immigrant population) of their genetic survival and also wanted to protect their employment positions, wages, daily food on their tables and culture BY ANY MEANS NECESSARY.