TRAIL OF ASHES TOUR: The adventure continues as Gerry G returns to Negril

[gerryg123]

I was not feeling as red-blooded as usual, so I was in a look-but-no-touch mood as I climbed the hill towards Scrub a Dub, which for the uninformed its a wild, wild club that's sort of a dance club and strip club all in one.

Anyway, it appeared there was something big going on cause as I neared the club of ill-repute, there were TONS of cars and tons of locals milling about, and 10 to 15 jerk stands, etc. Turns out, it was a huge local party with a live band playing there, a special event.

The event was actually just ending as I pulled up, so just everyone was leaving and streaming out in the street, mostly youngsters and NO tourists at all.

I figured I would peak in, see if my fav dancer from last time, Rochella, was there, but like I said, I was not into anything private or anything like that, and I only pulled like 25 dollars from my little pouch, left the rest in the scooter compartment.

Turns out, there were no dancers at all, as like I said everyone was leaving, lot of drunk folks enjoying their Friday night. These were regular peeps, not hustlers, and no one was grabbing me or soliciting me or anything like that, not even saying hi to me really.

I had a quick red bull, and put the change in my back pocket of cargo shorts, one of seven pockets including one shirt pocket on my button-down shirt.

Here's where it gets crazy .....

[gerryg123]

These young kids, maybe 19 or 20 years old, they come up and say hi to me -- the usual drunk, red-eyed fist bump, ya mon, how ya doin, where you from man-type of greeting. The kid was wearing a sideways Boston Red Sox hat, I remember that much.

So a few moments later, as I am making my way out there door, the kid kind of brushes against me, kind of invades my personal space, and I feel him reaching for my back pocket where my 21 dollars is.

I am like WTF, and I call him out on it, and he is really apologetic: "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry."

I did NOT want to fight, though I am a tough guy and there was a 50-50 urge -- at least -- to punch this fool in the face, and I nearly lost my cool and did just that. Instead, I mad-dogged him hard, just glared into his eyes and did not flinch, and he was scared, or so it seemed, cause I am like 6-1, 250, and he is like 5-9, 140, but I just did not want to see myself in a scenario of a 47-year-old tourist fighting a teen-ager (and maybe his friends? who knows) at 4 a.m. after a Friday night at a crowded club, know what I mean. (no security in sight, BTW, and they did not even charge me to get in.)

I reached back, felt my pocket, and the money was still there, so I figured, whatever, it's all good. So I am like, 'Get the Frick Out, Mo Fo', and he does. Still, lesson learned.

I hop on the scooter, feeling pretty violated -- how do you think this kid would feel if he had traveled 3,000 miles on a vacation and found himself with 500 whites and one of them tried to pick his pocket? -- so I motored back down the hill, then made a left back towards the roundabout.

[Iriesistah]

hanging on the edge of my seat......more...more

[gerryg123]

So I get to Mi Yard, because I knew my friend, John, from South Dakota, would be there -- he always is in the early morning. So I am telling him the story, and I casually reach to grab the money in my pocket just to make sure it's all still there, and I will be darned -- a $20 bill is MISSING. So he DID pick my pocket, just got the 20 and not the 100j, that little SOB .... Mind you, nothing like this has EVER happened to me before, even in California, where through the years I've partied with everyone from millionaire rock stars all the way down to crack ho's and real street gangstas.

So now I am amped up. My friend John says the same thing happened to him once in Negril, and they got 60 dollars from his little waist bag -- "I knew it was happening as he did it, three 20s," John explained -- so I was quite disappointed. Not upset, not mad, but truly disappointed to think someone would actually do this to me. Call me a fool, but the whole thing kind of put a chink in my faith in humanity.

[gerryg123]

Anyway, there was a big part of me that was actually relieved, because 99 percent of the time I am carrying hundreds of dollars. Very rare for me to leave money behind in the compartment of my scooter, but for some weird reason, this time I only was carrying a little bit of money, maybe a subconscious reaction cause I was so outnumbered in this place.

I jumped on the motor bike, scooted up the hill. I passed Sunset on the Cliffs. I passed Sea Star. I passed Rick's Cafe. It was black at night, only the stars lighting the sky, and I kept going. I went all the way to Westender Inn. Kevin, the worker, was there, and Jermaine too a few moments later, and Kevin rolled one up for me, and we walked together to the shore, smoking and then chilling on the loungers near the shore.

I told him what happened. He says the guy probably got the 20 first, then was going for a second score when I caught him.

I sat for about a half hour by myself, kind of mad but also kind of laughing about the whole thing because what can I do about now? Plus, like I said, it was only a little bit of money and could have been a LOT, and then I would have been really depressed.

So we say our goodbyes. It's a bit past 5 a.m., still pitch dark, and I start motoring bike. BTW, someone fixed ALL the potholes on the road and nearly all of them on the main west end road, too, so that's really nice. You don't have to worry about pot holes anymore, which sounds silly but it was pain on past visits cause it's REALLY dark at night up there.

Anyway, I am cruising back, near Banton's, and I hear the strumming guitar and the lovely singing of someone playing an acoustic version of "Touch of Gray" by Grateful Dead. Surprise, surprise, it's Rastagirl777, who used to tour around with Grateful Dead ...... Ha ha, just kidding. I just wanted to see if you'all were still reading -- there was NO rastagirl777 sighting!

So, back to reality, I am hungry after all, and I've calmed down some, so I go back to Mi Yard and have a fish critter (so good, but with a little spicy kick to it that I was not expecting) and some festival bread. Only like 2 dollars, Mi Yard is a great place for a late snack. I sat and chatted with John for awhile. He was so impressed that I still tipped 100j, I guess he thought I would be mad, he said, but what you gonna do? Stay mad at the world. You can't un-ring a bell or uncook an egg, it happened, and it's over.

Now that I am writing it down, I am pretty much over it, though I am sure I will share the story with like 10 peeps today. Also, I am just happy I am feeling better. Plus, when I put on a new pair of shorts and after taking a little nap in my room, I discovered some money in the pocket that I had forgotten about, so I am all even, right????

I want to go somewhere fun today.

[Rum-polephoreskin]

I'm pleasantly surprised when people behave well.

But faith in humanity (regardless of location) is a luxury I can't afford.
Don't mean to get all serious but wasn't Pol Pot a human(killed millions of his fellow Cambodians - 21% of the country)?

Here is Mark Twain take on faith in humanity (heed the closing phrase):
"I have no race prejudices, and I think I have no color prejudices or caste prejudices nor creed prejudices. Indeed I know it. I can stand any society. All that I care to know is that a man is a human being--that is enough for me; he can't be any worse."

I guess I'm trying to say don't let it throw you.

[suzengrace]

Alright Gerry..Count your blessings your only out $20.00(people have lost a helluva lot more than that) and the fact you didn't start a fight is also blessing..You could have wound up at Sav hospital or a whole lot worse-..No matter how familiar you are with the area and how many locals you know-got to remember your still a walking dollar sign to most and also an outsider (esp on turf like Scrub-a-dub)...I know you know this Gerry....Tread lightly ....

Ok..except for that bump in da road-glad your having a "goodtime"-keep the adventure rolling..I'm waiting to read more...

[Patty Sather]

A fabulous lesson learned " and for us all to learn by" Thank Gerry, glad your feeling better ,

Let your adventure continue ..and glad you didnt have to throw a punch ~

Rum ~ We are from a law enforcement background also and it trains you to trust no one to a extent especially with what you are not familiar with And not necessarily even what you see ,
As a woman we have it worse than men most times ~ Be careful~ Hey! dont forget your assignment in the cave..

[ackee]

...and you are in Jamaica.....giving details on how much money yu have, carry with you and where you visit. Be careful.....information get around ....

[gerryg123]

Well, after last night’s not-as-bad-as-it-could-have-been fiasco, today is turning into a nice day.

My cabbie, Shayne, picked me up, and we went to Rhodes Resort. It’s a really nice place, very calm beach and just a nice way to enjoy the ocean in relative privacy.

It’s Saturday, so there’s a big party at Seastar Inn of course. Technically, I won’t be checking in until Sunday, but I have been hangin out a lot, eating countless plates of spaghetti and today a nice lobster plate to deliver me from down in the dumps – it was so good, too, a nice big tail with melted garlic butter, potato a nice cup of soup, too. For $22, cooked perfectly, you can’t beat that deal when you throw in the ambiance of being at Seastar.

I guess there’s a wedding today here – I am assuming before the big show – so there’s lots of hustle and bustle as Chris, Francine and several of the workers are putting things together.