Jitterbug... after 10 years back I have limited memory. You can only administer abuse to your brain cells for so many years and then they just shut down like an overworked donkey!
continuing....
We pulled out of Sav in high spirits after sharing a few laughs over fire trucks in a station and no hydrants to connect to if a fire should start and the other three were eating fresh coco bread from a local store. The ladies were settling in for the ride after gaining confidence in Linston’s driving. The only thing on my mind was my impending homecoming and spending the night in my own bed in my own bedroom.
At Ferris Cross the road was new without potholes all the way past Whitehouse making for a smooth ride. Around Belmont we took a brief break to imbibe in herbal supplements to properly align the mind in synchronization to the smooth road. Mission accomplished and we were nearly half way to our destination.
Middle Quarters, Holland Bamboo and finally Tombstone at Lacovia where we turned North towards Maggotty and then Accompong Town. We were now in my neighborhood travelling through Haughton and Newton. I am getting more excited by the minute.
At the roundabout outside of Maggotty where the back road to Montego Bay branches from the road to Appleton, we saw the first Accompong sign. Jitterbug asked, “How much further now, Bill?” and I said about maybe 10 miles or so. Of course, over those 10 miles we have to climb about 3000’ so the roads become steep, curvy, pot hole ridden and narrow with drop offs right from the edge of the road some 1000’ straight down. Maybe I should have added that but I didn’t.
We reached a shortcut at Tranail Road where the road suddenly started a steep climb with cutouts in the road for water to go across. When Linston went over some, the underside of the car would scrape. Linston and I laughed when he said his mechanic asked why the bottom of his car was so clean. Now we know why. Jitterbug was not so amused and it was then that I sensed she was a little uncomfortable but we pressed on scraping several more times and meeting a vehicle or two where only inches were the clearance between the vehicles and sometimes the edge of the road. We were still only about half way there.
Steep walls on our left and drop offs of 1000 feet or more made for beautiful scenery but uncomfortable for some people. We entered the small village of White Hall and Jitterbug asked Linston to stop because she didn’t want to go further. She would have been more comfortable driving but even then she indicated that she would have probably have turned around some miles back. Linston was reluctant to leave her there but I knew (and Jitterbug agreed) that she would be just fine there in that Maroon community where I have many friends to await Linston’s return.
Some sharp turns, switchbacks and steep inclines later we entered Accompong Town. A couple of residents tried to get us to pull over and register as visitors until they saw me and said welcome home. Through the village we continued with friends waving a greeting until we pulled up in front of our house where Marshall was waiting on the verandah.
The house had been completely tiled since my last time home and I just couldn’t help admiring how good it looked as Marshall greeted Jitterbug’s friend and Linston who he already knew from last year. I could see that Linston and Jitterbug’s friend were anxious to pick her up so we said our goodbyes and they were back down the hill.
I was home where I belonged and I instantly felt that old familiar feeling that I was missing in my life. Marshall cooked some pumpkin rice with ackee and a piece of fish. Ahhh… Could life be any better?
Thank you for reading. I will post a couple of short pieces later when I get to November 10 and the Mystic Bowie concert at 3 Dives and a stop before I leave Jamaica for South Florida next year. I will also post a link to the continuing story at Living In Jamaica when I get to that point.
Peace and Guidance
Originally Posted by captaind & Linston
