Roy The Politician

 

My life as a politician was a pure coincidence. The year was 1990, and I was operating a very successful fitness center in Bridgetown, the capital of Barbados.

I was not into politics but was sympathetic to the Barbados Labor Party, which had been voted out of office four years earlier. The chosen and ideal candidate had disqualified himself due to conflicts of interest. The late Henry Forde's party leader called me and asked if I would be interested in helping the party. I said, "Anytime, how can I help?"

He said he had listened to my radio program "Fitness Line," had watched my TV show "Fitness Line T.V," and thought I had something. He hinted that I might need to represent the party at the upcoming general elections. He added that I should think about it and that he would send someone to see me that afternoon. 

The minister of parliamentary affairs came to visit with me that day. He was a client at my gym. So our conversation though very serious was less than formal or intimidating.
The party assured me that because I was a political "neophyte," they would provide the assistance I needed. 
With my radio and television speaking skills, I would be ready in less than two weeks with good coaching; campaigning was a lot of fun though very exhausting, through November, December, and even on Christmas Eve.

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In Barbados, people express their likes and dislikes very openly, so after I visited many households, I knew how they would vote.
One older lady whose words and how she expressed herself have stayed with me to this day. She told me in her uniquely Barbadian accent, "Mr. Callender, I always watch your show pun de  T.V, and I always hear yuh pun de radiah, but I have to vote for Mr. Weekes. You are nice too, but Mr. Weekes do a lot for my family: "not fuh everybody. But fuh dis household. I wish yuh luck."
I lost the election in a close race. I left Barbados shortly after accompanying the Barbados bodybuilding team to the Central American and Caribbean Championships.