Carnival rains on Peter's parade

Paul H. Williams, Gleaner Writer

For some time, Peter, an elderly Rastaman from Coopers Hill in rural upper St Andrew, has been selling huge stalks of honey-cone flowers at the intersection of Lady Musgrave Road and Seaview Avenue on Sundays.

Sales of the long-lasting flowers, which are acquired from dense bushes, are usually to female drivers. And business is not so bad.

But, yesterday, Bacchanal Carnival road march day, while I was waiting for the procession at the said intersection, I struck up a chat with Peter who seemed perturbed and, indeed, he was.

"The carnival a mash up mi business," he proffered.

Unbeknownst to him, Sunday, May 1 was going to be carnival road march and the place where he plies his wares was going to be closed to vehicular traffic from which he gets most of his sales.

So, as usual, he turned up yesterday to make some money to help support his two youngest children. What he saw was barricades.

Sodom and Gomorrah

In our conversation, among other things, he compared the notion of carnival to the biblical cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, and made it fundamentally clear that if his woman should decide to participate in such an event, he would leave her immediately. I told him the story of Sodom and Gomorrah was a fairy tale.

Then, suddenly, thunders started rolling and booming. The glorious sunshine was obliterated by dark rain clouds. "Yes, man, Jah!" Peter uttered as the thunder rolled some more, and heavy drops of rain hit the road.

At exactly 1:16 the skies opened, and Peter and I scampered to find shelter, while the revellers welcomed the rain on their parade with wines full of renewed vim.

After about 45 minutes of pelting rain, there was a reprieve. I went back to Peter's spot after sharing space with about 15 people under a bus shed. He wasn't there, but his plants were. I had waited for 15 minutes when I saw him coming from the direction of Vale Royal. Was that where he sheltered? I forgot to ask.

Upon seeing me, he laughed, obviously glad that the rain had come to "cleanse Sodom and Gomorrah".

Shortly after, a car stopped. The female driver negotiated the price of the flowers with Peter. He gave her a discount. As I watched them, the rain started round two.