The Britain to which Tio travelled in 1956 is barely recognisable by comparison to the one that exists here in 2016. Some things have vastly improved, some things have declined, some things have remained pretty much constant. Precisely what has improved or declined differs according to whom you speak.
One thing that has almost certainly improved has been the extent to which former inhabitants of regions such as the Caribbean have now become woven into the fabric of the nation. I deliberately refrained from using the word 'accepted' there because using that word is predicated upon acceptance being something that can be granted or denied, rather than something that is shared.
The drama of integration and acceptance is played out chiefly between two men - Tio Mourillon and Ted Barnes. Ted, through hubris or entitlement, sees it as his right to test whether Tio is sufficiently grateful to be embraced within the bosom of the mother country. Tio has no interest in passng any such test. He works hard, pays his taxes, obeys the law. So long as he does so, he accedes to no further demands to pay homage to anyone, especially those who disrespect him.
Taking such a strident position exposes Tio to criticisms for which there is a readily on-hand lexicon. He has an 'attitude problem', 'a chip on his shoulder', or maybe just an alternative and very legitimate point of view. His West Indian compatriot, Oswald Lawless from Barbados, chooses a different survival technique - to go along to get along, to 'snuggle' rather than 'struggle', and is rewarded with an easier ride and a more agreeable experience than that afforded to Tio, so long as he is prepared to accept the status quo.
Years ago, Tio was taught by his father to take note of the established boundaries of his inherited land and to tend his own patch well. Now, far from the place of his birth, he learns to define and defend his personal boundaries. It is therefore no small irony that this incomer from afar perhaps epitomises stoic single mindedness and independence of thought that the island to which he has travelled often prides itself.
