May 07, 2004

Which one to believe?

This evening, after getting a haircut, I went to one of the many pharmacies in Liguanea.

I'll go off on a tangent for a bit. I stood at the counter waiting for a phone card, when a tall gangly fellow walks up to the counter and says to the clerk "You look like you married". She looked up in surprise and looked at me with my surprised look as well. She asked the guy why he said that. He said she just look that way. I said "how she look? Miserable?" Then I turned to him and said "and what do I look like? Divorced?" Har har guffaw.

Ok, so back to the story. I walked outside to go to the car when a little boy, pint size thing, approached me very respectfully and asked for money to help his blind mother. As I normally do, I started to ask questions. How come she blind? Does she know that you are out here begging? Where you live? Waterford.

Waterford? But that's far! How come you came all this way?

"Miss, ah was in Half-Way-Tree and somebody seh mi fi come up here". I said "why? because people up here have money?". Yes miss. Innocently.

Ah bwoy. Anyway, I gave him some money and told him that I have no way of knowing whether what he said was true or false, but that if I found out otherwise I would be very disappointed (me sounding like the stern school marm!). He said thank you.

He said he goes to Waterford High. Do you know that's the same school that Jermaine Lawson went to? No miss, who is he? You don't follow cricket? Yes miss, but I only know Chris Gayle (the miserablist of the West Indies players - take that from me). He got some catching up to do. I bet even Dr D knows who Jermaine Lawson is.

Now while talking to the boy, a grown man comes up. He reminds me that he knows me from the garbage truck (where?). I say hi anyway and he says he want to talk to me when I am finished with the boy. I tell him he can talk to me now. He begs for money to help with his asthma. I tell him that I've just given all my money to the boy.

Afterwards, I wondered who to believe. But I'd go with the boy. That man is always out there which leads me to believe that he's fibbing.

Posted by yamfoot at May 7, 2004 11:59 PM
Comments

Aaaah Yammie...love how you posting nuff entry! :-)))) Keep it up, I'm sure that when Mad Bull gets around to dropping in, he will be happy to read and lick you wid some comment.

Re: the guy who asked the married Q.....Hmmm. Can't say I have ever really thought of how a 'married' woman would come across. De yute is probably using some sort of stereotype...something which I believe we are all guilty of doing from time to time. Stereotyping people. But we really should not. And, I should hope that not all married women look or feel miserable. Come on. Then again, his chupid Q asked for a response like that.

Now the little fellow begging.... You know, there are just too many children on our streets begging. The stories that they relate...though sad at times I have become very skeptical about. But, like you I give in sometimes. As you seh, if is lie dem telling, time will eventually ketch up wid dem. To their parents (though they won't hear me) I say, DO NOT HAVE CHILDREN YOU CAN'T AFFORD FE LOOK AFTA!!! (Sorry, but this wanton breeding of unwanted children gets me VERY annoyed!)

The adults now don't often get my sympathy...in fact many o dem set me off and may get laced wid some claat! There is one in particular who in recent years hangs out at the traffic light at the intersection of Olivier Road and Constant Spring Road in front of Discount Pharmacy. If not, I buck him up at Constant Spring Post Office. Him tall and fairly well built. I am tiyad of getting the story that him have leukaemia and jus come from KPH for his radiation treatment and need money to buy food. One day I told him dat him mustn't tell lie pon sickness.....how him is the healthiest looking leukaemia patient I have ever come across and dat God going send a sickness him way one day. (Of course, I never told him in the Queen's English......I sold him plenty fabric....) He still approaches me with said story only to be ignored by me.

And BTW, yes. Me know 'bout the Jermaine Lawson fellow...at least me know de name! ;-))

Tinking 'bout passing chru Lime Cay today....if I reach, any chance of me seeing dem sexy toes in the hot Cutex in the sand??

(Sorry to tek up so much space in you comment box.)

Posted by: Dr. D. at May 8, 2004 10:07 AM

well you've made up for the others who read but don't post!

I went to lime cay once, and don't have to go again. I'm not much of a beach person. When I reach to the size I want to reach, then I might be inclined to show off the bod. Until then, I keep it under wraps. Mi not like some large women who dress skimpily....I don't find it looks good at all. Same for men. Don't take off your shirt if you have big belly!

Posted by: Michelle at May 8, 2004 02:11 PM

Guess what, Mich... you go to the beach for yourself, not for those who might be ogling you. If dem doh like how you look, dem fi look elsewhere. You have no obligation to provide dem with any kind of scenery. Is a nice salt water bath you a look, you simi? The same goes for men wid big belly. Doah mek them enslave you. Slavery abolish long time. Be free, woman.

Doc, a which beggar yute you a chat bout, di one who always doing the painting by Olivier Rd. Light? The brown one whe look like him come from good home but get coke out?

Posted by: Mad Bull at May 8, 2004 10:15 PM

well the thing is that I don't want anybody to look on me and say "lawks, a wha dat?".

and no, I don't go to the beach for the sea water. I don't go in the water much. I go for the sun tan (seriously). I'm not a big swimmer and it's no fun when you can't see so I usually go in the water with mah glasses, then I can't put my head in the water. So doesn't make much sense to go in.

it might sound like gibberish, but I know what I mean to say! (smile)

Posted by: Michelle at May 8, 2004 10:18 PM

Yes Mad Bull, said one.....if him ketch you down by Post Office him come wid the leukaemia argument...no use fe him!

Posted by: Dr. D. at May 9, 2004 08:56 AM

Mich, there is a man in the Mona, Lig, Hope P area who uses the 'Hi I am your garbage man story, you dont remember mi' line. He usually then goes into either (1)child who has asthma attack or (2)children who need books for school.I usually do not help the adults. What I do is if they beg outside an eating place or supermarket, I will buy a patty or banana and see if they are still around when I go pack in the parking lot. Believe me when I say this....one or two have actually refused the food!!!! So you know exactly what 'higher calling' they need the cash for.

Posted by: gesmith at May 10, 2004 04:42 PM

dats de same one, him same one. he came with the asthma story.

Posted by: Michelle at May 10, 2004 07:09 PM