“Bill?” “Are you sleeping?” “Not now”, I mumbled as I rolled over to face my wife’s tear-filled eyes. “I can’t sleep”, she says. I knew she was having the same tugging at her that I experienced up at Peter’s place only this time it was a little more private and personal. She fell in love with this place. “You know, we really need to move on”, I said gently. “I know but I just can’t help feeling so sad”, she continued, “I know I could do so much good for these girls”. I thought, “My little Margaret Mead in Samoa”. I was so lucky to have her as my wife.
I couldn’t go back to sleep and I could see the gently lightening of the morning sun though the tent’s roof. I could also hear muffled voices coming from Jah Mike’s verandah. It seems a growing number of voices could be heard. My wife could hear them too. We started assembling our possessions and re-packing our backpacks leaving only the tent to take down and pack as we grabbed a light and exited the tent.
I could make out about a dozen people either standing or sitting on the verandah wall. Suddenly, Beverly came running off the verandah and hugged my wife which started them both crying. I knew they would be friends forever. I continued up to verandah and greeted the rest when I saw Jah Mike’s girlfriend approaching with coffee and some roasted breadfruit from the kitchen. My wife joined me with Beverly in tow and we enjoyed our breakfast amidst our new friends.
I looked over at the tent where two youths were taking it down and trying to figure out how to pack it in the little bag. Smiling, I wanted to intervene but realized how important it was for them to do it by themselves for us. Jah Mike broke into my thoughts. “I think it is time to go up by the road”. I agreed and went over and completed the packing of the backpacks. Once completed, the two youths grabbed them up and carried them up to the road. Jah Mike, my wife, and I followed along with the cadre of our new friends totaling now about 20 or so. We were both feeling quite emotional and that feeling seemed to be prevalent in our group.
We all stood talking for about an hour or so until we heard the distinctive sounds of the old country bus climbing the hill towards us. It seemed like everyone was waving for the bus to stop for us as we said our final goodbyes and made promises to return one day then entered the bus going to the back seat where we could, again, wave our final goodbyes.
Everyone on the bus seemed to be turning towards us wondering what all the commotion was about. Up to this point in our lives, we had never been so happy yet so sad at the same time. Happy for the time here at Sealawn Coral Beach and sad to leave.
We settled back for the long, long bus ride to Negril.
