MARKET time is always a time for frolic and fun; and especially at estate markets when the peasant workers collect their pay and head for the rum and gambling shops nearby.And every pay day,the busy scene of buying and selling is spiced up by the physical conflict of Ball, called “The Bulldozer”,almost 6 1/2 feet tall,Ball,built like an oxen,7 feet tall and the dwarf, Mighty Joe Young,just 4” tall.He works on his knees.

Where Mighty Joe Young hails from no one knows. As soon as the mid-day train stops at the busy station, Mighty Joe jumps down. See how quickly he traverses the rough brick road to the market. The vendors rush to protect their merchandise. This short , busy body just appears and grabs anything to eat. He doesn’t pay.The police are never called. He got the pity of all. But his mischief doesn’t stop on the road. He swaggers his way into the rum shop.and without asking, he picks up the rum bottle and downs it down his throat and the fellows ignore him.But on this day, he snatched the liquor from the wrong man — Ball. As he tried to gobble down the liquor,Ball wrenched the bottle away, “Gimme this, you thief!”

Bawled ball.Bull, not far away, shouted Gi de man the rum… you stingy Mighty Joe, gimme dis bottle! He pulled it out of the man’s huge hand.Ball pushed him down.Bull tekking advantage on da small man,why na try me? Bull stood up. Bull stood up. Ball pushed the table away.”Come outside!” Mighty Joe, always loud mouth “Get him Bull!” He then took a good swallow of Ball’s rum.

Now the two human “Monsters” are at each other’s throats. This was the scene every market day. As a boy I loved to watch ‘de rumble ‘Ball was ultra-strong and could butt well, hence the name “Bulldozer.” A head attack sent Ball reeling; Mighty Joe Young, now intoxicated, joined the melee. At 4’ he went between Ball’s legs and his strong fist drove a low-blow. The big man folded up in agony. Bull jumped on him and began to punch wildly .Joe ripped out a stave and dealt Ball several blows; the chinee “Massa” rushed Joe to retrieve his fence stake, but this dwarf with elephant strength and rum in his blood became more belligerent.

The business of the market slowed as all became spectators. Ball absorbed those heavy blows and stumbled to his feet. One punch from his right fist floored Bull. He wrenched the stake away from Mighty Joe and smashed it into his opponent’s left arm .Joe grabbed his battered arm,he cried out in pain. He suffered a broken arm.He pleaded with the public for help. Too afraid to render assistance. Bull was on top. He lunged at Bull with the wooden club.Bull jerked the weapon free and started to lash Ball. “Tek dis,Tek dis you.You bruk me friend hand! duff daff !” Still in ,tears, Mighty Joe hollered: “ Kill he,kill he,kill the bastard!”.Bull kept up the beating until the big man fell into a nearby sewage canal.

Now some rummies tried to lift “The Bulldozer” out and save him from drowning.They couldn’t do it.He was too heavy.Mighty Joe got up,took the stave from bull and began to poke the victim.The spectators ran up to him and grabbed the weapon; they begged Bull to rescue Ball. “Who mo strong me, oh? “ Pointing to Ball fighting in the water. “Mighty Joe Young, me ah de strong man….Oh God me aam.” Bull laugh and pushed him aside; he plunged into the canal and rescued his enemy that had been a thorn in his side for years.But Ball was not thankful.He threw Bull into the water “Now who ah de king hey?” He beat his hairy chest “Ah me,all me! The dwarf still holding his injured shoulder crept up behind him and gave him another blow to his wet gonads. Ball dropped to his knees in deep pain.The dwarf hobbled away and hid in the crowd.still in tears ,babying his broken arm.Bull managed to pull himself out the filthy trench and escaped,all wet and stink. Ball got up and gazed around, “Ah weh de gaan? Cowards, ah glad to ketch that son-of- a-bitch walking on he knees.” The sun was setting,time to disperse, the drama was over. Ball limped home.

Bull stopped drinking.Ball fell sick and died of pneumonia.Bull was the first to lift his coffin.As he was so heavy.Bull migrated to the USA where he got a job as a chucker-out at a Guyanese bar.His sheer size kept would-be trouble-makers at bay.
As for Mighty Joe,he disappeared for good.Rumours had it that he died a lonely man on a deserted island in the Essequibo River.And the vultures picked his bones.It’s still a mystery as to why he lost both of his legs.

Rumour had it that he used to kick folks around in a remote village in Brazil and a rich rancher severed both feet.Though cut down in size, he stood up to “The Bulldozer.” He had a big mouth and courage to make up for his handicap.See this bully hustle around the market square.Always mischievous.But he was a strange character.Fun for us kids.He made market days brighter.I miss him a lot.I miss the battle of the giants and the dwarf — Mighty Joe Young.