YOUNG, GIFTED BUT BLACK

When Mebula Ramsandra

Was three years old

His mother told him, that if he wanted

To be a big strong man

He'd have to drink all his milk ---

And he did.

When Mebula Ramsandra

Was five years old

His teacher told him

That if he wanted

To go to a grammar school1

He'd have to try harder with his homework ---

And he did.

When Mebula Ramsandra

Was fifteen years old

His lecturer told him

That if he wanted to be a lab technician

He'd have to go to University ---

And he did.

So ten years later

When Mebula Ramsandra

Was twenty-five years old

A big, strong, clever, educated postgraduate -----

The man on the other end of the telephone said

If he wanted to work for him,

He'd have to be big, strong, clever, educated postgraduate ----- and

White.6

No. Questions Marks

A young Mebula Ramsandra was advised by his mother to consume (a) _________ if

he wanted to be big and strong. At the age of five his teacher warned him that if he

didn't put in (b) _______ work, he wouldn't be able to go to Grammar School. When he

was in his teens, he was told that he would have to go to University to be a lab (c)

_________. After ten years his job application was rejected because he was (d)

_______.  Surely the man on the other side of the telephone was (e) __________.