They say that even the best of friends will part. This story is about a group of friends who had one simple falling out. Even though it didn’t end their friendship, it certainly changed their respect for each other.

WILLIAM worked Mondays to Saturdays from 7am to 4 pm. He was always punctual at work and arriving home. He soon got the name ‘Mr 4 O’Clock’, as at 4 O’Clock every afternoon, he would arrive home.
He lived in a bachelor’s quarters (BQ) and worked for a foreign logging company. He had many friends, some of whom did not work. What they had in common was gambling. William loved to gamble, and the best place to do so was his place. So, all the gambling took place there.

Because it was a big affair with plenty of money involved, he allowed his gambling ‘buddies’ to use his quarters when he was at work. All they had to do was let him ‘draw shorts’. So, every afternoon at 4 O’Clock, he collected anything from $1500 to $5000. He was delighted with this arrangement.

THINGS CHANGE
Then, things began to go wrong.
Each morning before he left for work, William would cook, take a little to work for his lunch, and leave the remainder for when he came back home.
Soon, the gamblers discovered his food. Whenever they felt ‘peckish’, they would help themselves. Pretty soon, he was coming home to an empty pot. Something had to be done about this.
The next day when he arrived home and found that all his food had been consumed, he held a frank discussion with his friends.

“Listen fellas! Yuh all can’t eat out all meh food!”

“We does feel hungry, Bro.”

“Ah don’t care!”
“Watch! We does pay yuh good money; just cook mo’!”

“No way! Just leave meh food alone!”

William was done talking. His friends ignored his request and went back to their old tricks. As soon as he cooked and left for work, they would fill their empty bellies.

A GOOD LESSON
Fed up with talking, he decided to teach them a lesson.
The next day the gambling crew found the sweet smell of pepperpot in the house. They quickly moved to the kitchen. There, on the stove, was a large pot of pepperpot and a pot of rice. They were all smiles. William had listened, and cooked more.

But even though he had cooked more, the food was so tasty that they ate every scrap. When William arrived home and went into the kitchen, he found all the food gone, and the pots washed clean and turned down.
“Yuh mean yuh all ain’t leave none fuh me!”

“Sorry, Bro! That food was too sweet!”

“We glad yuh cook mo’.”

“I can’t afford to cook mo’; dat meat yuh don’t find in de market!”

“What yuh mean by that, William!”

William explained. The night before when they had all departed, he’d hunted down his neighbour’s scrawny dog, killed it, skinned it and made pepperpot with the meat.
When William told them what he had done, they all burst out laughing. He wasn’t going to fool them that easily!
But when he showed them the dog’s head which he’d left in a bucket under the kitchen sink, they believed him alright!

Faces went from laughter to horror; normal to sickly white. Men were cussing, running for the door, and forcing their fingers down their throat. The sound of vomiting and cussing could be heard a block away.
William calmly buried the dog’s head and went to bed. The next day he cooked, as usual, and left for work.
When he arrived back home, he went straight to the kitchen and checked the pot. All the food he had cooked was still there; his friends had finally learned their lesson.

“Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz!”
Loud snores could be heard coming from his bedroom. They had left the food, but were now sleeping on his bed. He reminded himself to search for a ‘cow-itch’ plant.