DAY 4 PART 3

We get to Black River with the intention of doing the Black River Safari and doing it this way opposed to coming in
on a tour bus well it’s a 50/50 it’s slow season no one really knows when exactly the next bus is coming in but the
woman at the front desk is a peach! She said that as soon as the bus arrives she’ll call Andre so that we can move
around Black River and get back to jump on the next tour. So we walk around a bit and we come up to a small bar
there is a pool table a domino table and cold Red Stripe!! Liquid breakfast, Liquid Lunch why not. So we order a couple
of drinks a flask of rum and Andre is bragging about how great a pool player he is.

”Can you play pool Manda?”

“Not really, I mean I’m not very good I don’t play that much.”

“What about you Jacko?”

Jacko shakes his head adamantly apparently Jacko has never played pool and today will not be his first day.

So Andre and I start playing and I’m not surprised that he’s the biggest sh&t talker and so what he won but not
by far and Jack n Barber are impressed with me. I beat Barber and we just have the best time at this little bar in
Black River the Red Stripe is cold and they are going down quick the rum is good with Ting and we’re laughing.

The wonderful woman at the front desk calls to tell us the tour bus has arrived but I tell Andre I’m just having too
much fun right here in this little bar in Black River, Crocodiles can wait until tomorrow.

Jacko turns to me “So you really haven’t seen Andre in 13 years because he told us this last night and we don’t
believe him”

“No we haven’t seen each other since highschool”

”How come you guys act like you seen each other every day”

Andre and I look at each other then we look at Jacko and I swear we simultaneously say “dunno” and Jacko
just sort of looks at us and laughs. But this is what we said to each other in Negril. How come it’s like a day hasn’t
passed? And not only did we notice it but so does Jacko and Barber apparently.

Jacko turns to me “your coo Amanda”

This might not have been much of an affirmation but it meant a lot to me.

”When you comin back?”

”Ya babes when you comin back?”

“The spring”

”That was a quick answer you comin back for a wedding?”

I give Andre a weird look… “A wedding? Who’s wedding?”

”Our wedding”

I look at Jacko n Jacko and I look at Andre

I feel Andre’s forehead “you feelin okay Andre”

Jacko can’t stop laughing now

”Aite Manda you got jokes, can I have a kiss then?”

Now I’m kind of taken back I’m in a bar with Andre n his two friends and now Barber and Jacko are both looking at me.
But alright why not.

Andre and Jacko decide they want to play Dominos and since I’ve never played before I decide I’m going to watch.
Andre keeps hitting those dominos down on that thin board table so hard that I swear my ears are ringing and Jacko
insists after a few games that I have to play.

“So how do I play?”

”Just match up the numbers babes”

“Well there is a strategy to this, process of elimination ??”

”Yes but that’s too much to explain you’ll pick it up just match up the numbers”

So we play and the games done and Jacko is looking at me like I’m an Alien, Barber is laughing and Andre is
hanging his head, the dominos are collected and Andre shuffles them.

”Okay we’re playing to 6 love!”

“Wait what just happened?”

Jacko turns to me “you just beat both of us and you didn’t even know??

Ha! I love this game.

And I get 6 love and now neither Jacko and Andre don’t want to play with me anymore  I feel like that kid that
gets picked last in gym class but truthfully I’m beaming because I just beat them both at their own game and
what woman doesn’t love that

We’ve spent a few hours in the bar and we get the bill 1500JA.“THAT’S IT??!!”
I’ve had over 5 beers we’ve had 2 flasks of rum 5 games of pool 1500 JA; now this is what I’m talking about!

We decide it’s time to get back up the mountain and we drive through Holland Bamboo “Bamboo Avenue” and we
take a quick stop on the side of the road for Pepper Shrimp.

Jacko and Barber have almost finished there’s and I’m still staring at this back of shrimp wondering how the hell do I
eat this with their heads on. I’m use to de-veined, no shell shrimp .. there are eyes looking at me and feelers sticking
out and Jacko’s telling me the eyes are good. I really don’t know about this and there are all munching on heads and
I’m picking my shrimp apart. You’re a trooper Amanda you can do this .. okay no I can’t I rip the head off and stick the
rest in my mouth.

OMG! IT’S HOT!

Now I like hot food I like my Caesars to burn my lips I put Tabasco on everything but this, this was like 5 alarm fire in
my mouth but I’m not telling anyone.

I kind of choke out “Mmm this is good”

Omg where is the water!! Wait I haven’t had water since I left Canada okay where is the Red Stripe! Damn my nose is running.

I look at Andre and I motion the bag towards him so he can have another.

”Nahh babes that’s **** too hot!”

Ha!

Back on the mountain and Jacko says that I have to come to his home and see the view. I get to meet his girlfriend
Kadesha and their baby girl Chrissy. I feel great that he feels comfortable enough to bring me to his home and we all
sit in side and chat, correction. Andre chats sorry correction preaches. About everything and anything and Kadesha and
I just keep rolling our eyes at each other and it feels good just being here. I don’t feel like a tourist I’m their guest and
they’re happy to have me and it feels great!

Now the view … I saw the cliffs in Negril.. I saw Lovers Leap and I didn’t think it could be topped I swear to you that from
the view at Jacko’s house you could see all of Jamaica and he points out Treasure Beach and Black River and it looks as if
there is only one higher peak on the whole island. It’s a bit early for the sunset and Jacko promises me that we’ll return for
a sunset before I have to leave because it’s something that I can not miss. Now the rains been off and on and so it’s a bit
cloudy and I can only imagine what it’s like on a crystal clear day but this is incredible. I’m just in awe but it’s time to go
because I’m starving and apparently we’re going out tonight.