I’ve always been loyal to my country…..I’m no Nanny of the Maroons but I’ve always been Jamaica’s champion, was one of those who wouldn’t stand for external harsh criticism of my ailing State and would seek to slam anyone who did not subscribe to the sun and sand, No Problem veil which the island wore. When things got bad I believed in my people to rise above the pressures of inefficient governance, corruption, cronyism in contract awards and fat cat scandals. They didn’t and to date haven’t, risen up.
The only sliver of hope I had was planted within the confines of complete trust in the generations to come…….. to lead the charge and in fact overcome. I was wrong.
The events of Monday last, broke my heart and signaled the end of my love affair with this island paradise. Now I scour the Canadian immigration website hoping to find my qualification listed so that I can escape to a better border, more productive borders…..colder than a wife scorned, but hope nonetheless.
Monday evening as I and a girlfriend demonstrated a part of the break down in our society by heading into Island Grill in Twin Gates Plaza to feed off partially seasoned chicken and fish and soup to buss di gas, we were accosted by a yout, he couldn’t have been more than 10 years old. “Beg yuh sumpthing miss?” he asked. “Not today sweetheart” I answered and continued on my way.
After taking forever to get the fast food, we walked back to the car, chatting bout dis and dat, until my friend realized her festivals were not packed. I continued my journey, as she rushed back, and settled eventually in the drivers seat waiting to leave to guh eat cause Wolmer’s brainwash mi well, all now I caan eat pon di road.
Eventually I saw her hustle in an almost trot toward the vehicle, the same likkle yout matching her steps, hand outstretched asking, pleading for something. As she bungled into the vehicle I locked us in and proceeded to pull out of the parking space. I came to an immediate halt as the ‘youth’ started banging on the car window….I’m a girl who easy fi cross, especially after my wake-up call at Stewarts to service mi likkle V6…I could only imagine how much it would cost to replace a window, suh mi win’ down di winda an’ tell the yout fi step away before a really get vex.
In my anger I wrapped it up and listened to the roar of the engine as I did my reversing with earnest and pressed out. On approaching the stop light to enter onto Constant Spring Road, my friend said she saw the yout bend down and pick up sumpn. I didn’t believe, cause di yout couldn’t be more than 10 yrs old….’Im couldn’t suh bright. Anger went to fear partially but again, di yout was 10 yrs old and must know seh him cannot piss around wid big people. I was wrong.
I sat at the light watching the yout fume and mumble….mi steel mi nerve, but part a mi did feel it fi ‘im. I grew up poor too, but fimi madda woulda kill mi if she knew seh mi deh a street a beg…..yuh mad. I noticed too that he was looking at the light and then at me, so I followed the same path, watching him , watch me and di light. As I saw green a step inna di car fi guh pon di road. All I coulda si was di yout han’ raise and a stone fly inna the side a di car. In anger, disbelief and a burning need to paan a big stick an bruk it cross him back, I slapped on my hazard, parked in the di middle a di road and alight…..not sure to do what, but that was how vex I was…..Some men started shouting to me “ a weh him duh” then before I could answer, they took off after the likkle yout. Its amazing how Jamaicans can band together in crime, cause is a man up di road hol' him. Di likle yout did sipple, suh him get weh and start run down di road. All this time I was scared stiff and chose to jump back into di vehicle. The likkle yout ran straight into the men running up di road and they proceeded to beat the living daylight outta him. Mi drive weh, cause yout fi know demselves.
I couldn’t help feeling absolute remorse though…I had become one of them. I didn’t stop the beating, I just drove away, not knowing if he survived, afterall, it was jus’ a yout….but mi did vex.
As I pulled into the driveway of my girlfriend’s house, I felt lucky, since there was minimal damage to the car, so I whispered a prayer for my soul and the likkle yout….that was a hard way to learn a lesson. As I uncapped a Heineken to settle my nerves and called a brother, who wished he were here to put on two lick pon di yout to, I struggled for composure.
With no sign of calm returning to me I thought about getting a hug…..being wrapped in a man’s arms to restore the feeling of safety…but then the reality hit…I only had bredrens, who had lives elsewhere and therefore could be unavailable. To call and not get answered would have just pissed me off more, so I suffered in silence.
I will hang up my superwoman cape and accept that the time has come to look to greener pastures even if they are in Recession.
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2 comments:
that is scary! glad you guys werent injured but yea when you have things happen like that it makes you wonder about living in a place
Wow! that is serious indeed! Most of the time I tell them no when they beg, I'm not heartless, but sometimes it just gets to me, like I have a be me sign around my neck. It's a pitty there is not a system in place to take these children off the street and charge the parents... if they can be found. Now as for that youth's action, he woulda nevea see reverse hitch like that, cause I woulda certainly mek sure him nuh do nothing like that again.
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