Rationing Austerities
p. 17 · Read in the full issue
rE austerities of Fiji “rationing” are not without their relieving humour.
We were rationing out the company’s small stocks of kerosene. Timoci, the butchery ice-plant boy, was late for his share, and was out of luck. An oil less, light-less night was his.
Next morning, I sent to the butchery for some ice. The butcher was away, sick; Timoci, importantly, was in charge.
Timoci served a few customers before coming to my boy, who waited his turn.
Recognising my humble servitor, Timoci asked: “What you want, Toni?”
“One shilling ice for Mr. Jones,” said Toni.
“Ice, for Mr. Jones! You tell him to go to hell! Me no get no kerosene, he get no blurry ice!”
So our “rationing system” rolls on.— A.R.