It was my first time coming to America, June of 2015. I wanted to go shopping. My aunt gave me the address for a store. On my way to the store, I couldn’t remember the street. I saw two guys at a Car Mart, so I stopped and asked for directions. One of the guys said, “It’s not good to speak to strangers.” I told him I wasn’t going anywhere with a stranger; I just wanted directions.
Tag: Jamaica
A Stormy Night
Before the rain came down, the appearance of a dark cloud changed my entire mood. There was a continuous flash of lightning, thunder, and heavy wind. It was around 6 p.m. when I took my shower. I sat on the veranda, waiting to see what was going to happen.
A Funny Family Story
Mother told us how it was in 1969. She and Dad were raising three children in Jamaica. Dad sometimes traveled to the United States as a farm worker. We lived in a tenement yard. A lot of families lived in a big yard in different houses, but they all used the same toilet and kitchen.
The Rolling Calf
My name is Peter. I was 10 years old, living with my mom and dad in St. Catherine, Jamaica. We lived near the biggest butcher shop in the town. My mother used to tell me stories about what happened to dishonest butchers when they died. The butchers would turn into rolling calves.
Bank Robbery
I was on my way to the bank around 9:30 a.m. The traffic on the road caused me to arrive later than I planned. As I entered the bank and looked around, I realized that I would have to stand in line for the entire day. There were only two clerks on duty and a long line of customers. After I stood there for about an hour, my feet started to hurt. A male customer, who was third in line, was on his phone, texting and taking notice of his surroundings. It was his time to approach the clerk.
Ask My Mother to Sing
It was a hot summer day in the valley.
Me and my brother went to the pond to catch fish,
but it was too hot. We caught no fish, so we decided to go home.
On the way, my brother started us singing
a song Mom loved to sing.
Hidden Pain
My beloved dog, Rex, died a few weeks ago in Jamaica. I go about my daily routine as if nothing happened because I don’t want to deal with the fact that he is gone, and I wasn’t there with him. The memories of us having fun together are unbearable. When I think of Rex for …
When I Lost My Wedding Ring
I came home from work one day in March 2017. It was about 7:00 p.m., and I went into the kitchen to prepare dinner for my wife. As I started, I realized that I had not removed my wedding ring. I went to the bedroom, put my ring on the bedside table, and returned to …
My Coffee Makes Me Sad
Dear Coffee, You know how good I feel when I wake up in the morning, brush my teeth, and have my shower, knowing after that, just before I step out the door, I will be having a nice cup of you on the table, waiting for me. But for some reason or other, this morning …
The Dark Truth
It’s so easy to tell someone a lie/ It’s so easy to say I love you from the lips./ It’s so easy to make false promises./ But to say the dark truth, sometimes we lose friends, we lose loved ones,/ The world may turn their back on us.