Bab Elon moved to the British Virgin Islands a few years ago, chasing the promises of warm breezes and opportunities in a land foreign to his native Glasgow, Scotland. Widowed and of modest means—by Caribbean standards—Bab made his living doing odd jobs around the island. Despite his reclusive life, he was a man of bountiful beliefs, tethered to superstitions he had collected like his seashells over the years. His most prized possession was a scrap of green paper with the number eight etched into it, tucked into his pocket as a talisman for attracting wealth.
But recently, it was his son, Babalon, or Bab Junior as everyone called him, who consumed Bab’s thoughts. A bright boy of sixteen, Bab Junior had always been diligent in his studies. His teachers predicted glowing results in his CSEC exams, with Grade 1s across the board—a feat that would set him apart in the Caribbean education system. Yet, when the results arrived, Bab Junior failed to secure five subjects, flunking even Mathematics. Just like more than half of Trinidad’s candidates in 2024 (45.55%), he fell short of the five-subject benchmark required for further academic opportunities. (1)
Bab did not believe these results. “Iz not he fault,” he muttered as he walked the village streets. “Dat boy know he mats. Iz the evil eye of the village an’ dem. Always staring, always wishing bad ‘pon we.” He felt the weight of neighbors’ jealousy in every sideways glance.
Bab Junior’s wart—a stubborn, unsightly growth on his dominant hand—became Bab Elon’s obsession. It had appeared during the run-up to the exams, and Bab Elon was convinced it was no coincidence. To him, the wart was a manifestation of the evil eye, a physical sign of the malevolence directed at his only loved one.
Convinced that ridding his son of the wart would reverse his fortunes, Bab Elon turned to an old remedy. Late one night, under the glow of a full moon, he peeled the potato, saving the skin in a small mortar. He crept into Bab Junior’s room, careful not to wake the boy. Rubbing the potato peel over the wart, he whispered, “As this potato rots, so shall this wart disappear.” Then he buried the peel deep in the garden soil flourished with his fresh faces, confident his act would ward away the curse.
In the weeks that followed, the wart began to shrink. Bab Junior noticed it one morning and joked, “Must be the power of positive thinking, eh, Dad?” Bab Elon smiled but said nothing. He knew better. Coincidences didn’t exist.
As the wart faded completely, Bab Elon set his sights on appealing Bab Junior’s results. He penned letters to the education board drafted by ChatGPT, convinced that with the wart gone, so too would be the curse clouding his son’s future. His confidence grew with each passing day. To him, the wart’s disappearance was a sign—a prelude to the reversal of Bab Junior’s fortunes.
Bab Junior watched his father with a mix of amusement and unease. “Dad, you really think they’ll change my grades?” he asked one evening.
“Oh, they will,” Bab Elon replied, his eyes alight with certainty. “The evil eye gone. I have willed it so. As above, so below.”
Weeks turned into months, and the appeal process dragged on. Bab Elon’s faith never wavered. Whether or not the education board acknowledged the reversal he hoped for, he remained steadfast, trusting in the power of rituals. And even if the grades never changed, Bab Elon would always believe that, in his small act of will, he had given his son a fighting chance against the occult forces in their island.
What causes warts?
Warts are little bumps on your skin caused by a virus called HPV, which stands for human papillomavirus. This virus gets into your skin through tiny cuts or scratches, and then it makes the skin grow extra cells, creating the wart. Warts can happen to anyone, but they’re more common in kids and young people. (2-4)
Do most warts get better on their own?
Yes! Most warts will go away by themselves. Your body’s immune system—the part of you that fights germs—usually gets rid of the wart, but it can take a while. For kids, this might happen within a year or two, so being patient is important.
What should I do if a wart doesn’t get better?
If a wart sticks around for a long time or starts bothering you (like if it hurts or grows bigger), it’s a good idea to tell a doctor. Doctors can use special treatments, like freezing the wart, or give you creams to help get rid of it faster. But remember, most of the time, warts aren’t dangerous, just a little annoying!
Where can I get more information about warts?
As with all our articles, reviewing the references is a great place to start. Asking a doctor is another useful resource. All the best!
References
1. Ministry of Education (2024) Preliminary Analysis of Trinidad and Tobago’s 2024 CAPE and CSEC Results Port-of-Spain: Ministry of Education. Available at: Link
2. National Health Service (NHS) (2024) Warts and verrucas. Available at: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/warts-and-verrucas/ (Accessed: 18 November 2024).
3. DermNet NZ (2024) Viral wart. Available at: https://dermnetnz.org/topics/viral-wart (Accessed: 18 November 2024).
4. Mayo Clinic (2024) Common warts: Symptoms and causes. Available at: https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/common-warts/symptoms-causes/syc-20371125 (Accessed: 18 November 2024).
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