“I first got the taste of prison in 1971. I was only 15 years old at that time. While walking in the streets of Port-Louis, I noticed an illegal manifestation taking place. Trying to be too curious about what was going on, the police came and arrested me, together with people forming part of that movement. I spent a few days in prison due to my carelessness.
A few years later, I rebelled against my parents and walked out from home. What I thought would be a new adventure that would make my life simpler and better, turned out to be a nightmare. I could hardly afford myself a daily meal and soon, I had to resort to stealing to fill my stomach. I had no place to stay. My life was a complete mess and I would often go in and out of prison for different minor offences.
What I thought would be a new adventure that would make my life simpler and better, turned out to be a nightmare.
Today I’m 60 years old and I have left the world of crime for good. I am working in the shop next to me right now. The owner is not here at the moment, and the shop is full of goods, even the keys of the till is with me. Perhaps if it were in my younger days, I would have already taken some cash from there. But now, I don’t even have that thought to touch something that’s not mine.
I always pray and ask for forgiveness for the bad I may have done to some people. But I guess I have already paid for it. How? I have not been able to found a family and I have wasted almost 15 years of my life behind bars. Yet I feel that I’m lucky to be still alive and to have been able to get back on the right track. I am able to afford myself food and shelter. And all I want now is to spend the rest of my life peacefully because from what I’ve experienced, there is nothing worse than not having the freedom to do what you want.
“Premie fwa mo’nn konn prizon, ti an 1971. Mo ti ena zis 15 an sa lepok-la. Mo ti pe mars-marse dan Port Louis, ek mo ti trouv enn manifestasion ilegal. Dan mo pe fer mo kirye pou kone ki pe arive, Lapolis inn pran mwa, inn aret mwa, ansam avek bann ki ti dan manifestasion-la. Akoz mo inpridans, mo’nn pas de-trwa zour dan prizon.
De-trwa lane plitar, mo’nn rebel kont mo bann paran ek mo’nn kit lakaz. Mo ti kwar ki sa pou rann mo lavi pli sinp ek fasil, ler gete mo’nn viv enn kosmar. Pou gagn enn manze par zour ti bien difisil. Ek ase rapidman mo’nn bizin koumans kokin pou ranpli mo vant. Mo pa ti ena okenn plas pou reste. Mo lavi ti enn gran dezord, ek souvan mo ti pe ale-vini dan prizon pou bann tipti ofans.
Seki mo ti penser pou ene nouvo laventure ki pou fer mo la vie vine pli simple ek zoli, ti vine ene cauchemar.
Zordi mo ena 60 an ek mo’nn aret sa lavi vagabon-la definitivman. Mo pe travay dan sa laboutik/magazin akote mwa la. Proprieter-la pa la pou lemoman, laboutik-la ranpli ar lartik, mem lakle lakes ar mwa. Kapav si mo ti pli zenn mo ti pou inn fini kokin inpe kas depi lakes. Me aster la, mo mem pa gagn lespri pou tous kiksoz ki pa pou mwa.
Touletan mo priye ek demann pardon pou dimal mo’nn kapav fer dimounn. Me pou sipoze mo’nn fini peye pou sa. Ou pou demann mwa kouma? Mo pa’nn kapav fond mo fwaye ek mo’nn gaspiy preske 15 an mo lavi deryer baro. Me mo santi mo ena lasans, parski mo ankor vivan ek mo’nn kapav retourn lor enn bon sime. Mo kapav aste mo prop manze ek mo ena enn twa. Ek tou se ki mo anvi zordi se viv enn lavi trankil akoz seki mo’nn finn viv, pena nanye pli pir ki pena liberte fer seki ou anvi.”
