Walking with Gadford in Cane River

He was a lonely figure standing on a bumpy road in the hills of rural St Andrew. He had dreadlocks, the kind that takes a lifetime to grow, and had on a blue shirt and waterboots. Taking a break from picking susumbers from a plant growing wild at the roadside, he told me of his plans for that evening.

"Yeah man, some cartwheel dumpling I gwine boil and eat wid dem here. Mind sharp mi look bout some yam too. Real food dat, man," he said, his excitement obvious.

The man told me his name was Gadford. He was one of the few persons I came across while in the Cane River area that Wednesday morning. Cane River is close to Bull Bay.

Gadford told me that he's a farmer and that he had worked up a hearty appetite tending to his crops that morning.

"Yuh haffi wake up early and deal wid yuh ting. If yuh wait till sun come out den dog nyam yuh supper."

I had been walking along that roadway for a while, looking over at the river below. The river appeared to run the entire course of the road. I asked Gadford if that was Cane River.

"Yeah man, it run from up inna di hill and go straight dung," he said.

I looked over at it. Though it wasn't exactly a raging river, there was enough water there to make a gushing sound. Gadford filled his pockets with his newly acquired susumbers, apparently satisfied that he had at least a bellyful.

"Yeah man. Me dis now," he said, slapping his palms together. 'Mi going up to mi house now," he said, pointing up the hill. Since I was also heading that way to see some more of the river, we walked together for a while. I asked Gadford to tell me about Cane River.

"Is really a far out place, yuh know. Dats why when mi see yuh mi really teck notice, cause is not every day yuh really see somebody who yuh don't know," he said.

"More time if yuh nuh go town fi a week yuh nuh see no new people fi di whole week."

I noticed a number of burial plots along the way. They were all near to the river. I asked Gadford about them.

"Yeah man. If yuh really dead and ting den is a good place fi bury. It cool and di river water mek yuh sleep sound. Yuh nah go get up and walk street," he said, his face deathly serious.

We came upon two women walking in the opposite direction. They were carrying plastic tubs full of clothes on their heads. Gadford bellowed a greeting.

"Woop!" he exclaimed. The women smiled and waved. We all stopped.

"Mi just walking wid di gentleman to show him likkle of di river. Him new to di place," said Gadford.

The women chuckled. I wondered out loud if the weight they were transporting on their heads wasn't a terrible burden.

"No man!" said one of the women. Her nostrils were shaped like a giant M and her hair was partially grey.

"Den yuh must see when we walking wid all four tub one time!" she laughed. The other woman nodded, her eyes wide.

Gadford rubbed his stomach. "Alright, we gone leave yuh," he said and started walking. I waved goodbye to the women and caught up with Gadford. I mentioned to him that it seemed the people of Cane River were quite friendly.

"Yeah man," he said. "But more time when yuh hungry dem waan chat yuh out. Cho! Dem nuh know fi just wave and walk," he said.

Where should Robert go next? Let him know at robert.lalah@gleanerjm.com