Low temperatures, High spirits in Hagley Gap

"He ... he ... hello," I managed to say to the woman as I walked into the small shop/bar in the area, last week. A weather condition created low temperatures all across the island and I, for some reason, chose then to visit Hagley Gap in the Blue Mountains, a place known to be chilly even on the average day.

The woman, who was wearing a black sweater and jeans, looked me over, curiously.

"You alright?" she asked. I was immediately struck by how unmoved she seemed, even as gusts of icy wind kept branches of nearby trees dancing.

I was not about to admit that I was near collapse from the cold, not if she seemed so comfortable.

I gave a smile and waved off her concern.

"Is first mi see yuh around here. Is somebody yuh come to?" she asked.

I took a seat on a metal stool in front of the counter in the shop and told her I was just visiting Hagley Gap to see how things were going there.

"Not too bad," she said. "Mi just open di shop and decide fi start clean up likkle," she said.

A skinny boy, no older than eight years old walked in. He wasn't wearing any shoes and, to my surprise, was sporting short pants.

"One big oil and two Supligen!" he shouted. The shopkeeper, who later told me her name was Francine, took the items from the shelf behind her and collected some tightly-folded bills from the boy.

"Tell Miss Jackie seh she short $20," Francine said to the boy. He nodded, took up the items and walked out into the cold.

Francine looked at me. "Ahm, yuh sure yuh alright? Yuh want mi to close di window?" she asked. I realised that it was perhaps impossible to hide my discomfort any longer, so I casually told her she could close the window if she felt it was necessary. Thankfully, she walked over to the wooden window and bolted it shut.

'Breezier today dan normal'

"It likkle breezier today dan normal," she said.

Grateful for the opening, I spoke up.

"Yes man, very cold," I said.

Francine chuckled. "Mi know seh yuh did cold, man. All yuh ah gwaan. Mi see it pon yuh long time," she laughed.

I asked if she wasn't cold as well.

"Well, it cold, yes, but we used to it around here, yuh know. When unnu down pon di flat ah burn up, we up here nice and cool," she said, smiling.

I asked her if farmers in the community didn't have a hard time working outdoors in such chilly conditions.

"No man. Remember yuh know, most people who live around here, live here from dem born. Dem used to it. Di farmer dem wake up before cock crow same way and go out go do dem ting," Francine said.

I noticed some colourful decorations on the shelf behind her. I asked her if she was looking forward to Christmas.

"Mi love Christmas," said Francine. "Hagley Gap people dem love Christmas."

Francine told me that residents often come together on Christmas day, cook food, share drinks and get rowdy.

"Like who have goat will kill two goat. Who have pig will kill pig," she said.

"Like di boss fi dis shop now, him will give like couple bottle ah liquor and everybody just enjoy demself," she said.

"Mi love Christmas. Mi can't wait till it come."

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

Feedback

Brrr. I was
convinced my eyelashes had already turned to icicles. My ears were
burning from the cold and my nose was as red as a fire truck. Now this
wasn't the impression I wanted to make on the curvy shopkeeper I met
moments earlier in Hagley Gap, St Thomas, but the unusually frigid
temperatures hardly left me with a choice.

The following are some of the feedback letters received from readers of last week's edition of 'Roving with Lalah'.

Dear Robert,

Why
you give me stitches everyday?! You are the best when it comes to
capturing the true Jamaican spirit with your clever use of linguistic
variations, engaging dialogue and authentic reflection of my Jamaican
brothers and sisters. Keep them coming man.

- Raqnel

Dear Robert,

I
visited Jamaica - my one and only time - for eight days in 2003. The
memories of that time are still vivid and I thank you for that. I have
read Roving With Lalah for as long as I can recall, even
searching past columns. Your descriptions make my days on the island
still current in my mind. The winding country roads, the street life of
both Kingston and Brown's Town, history contained in Falmouth, and even
the taste of ackee! Thank you for keeping Jamaica as real as it
continues to be for me.

- David Watts

New Brunswick, Canada