Before I get into rambling – to those of you who are following this – thanks for sticking with me. I realize that this is a different slant on a trip report, and I get it that it is of absolutely no interest to lots and lots of boardies, but I also know that there are a few boardies who roll like I do when in Negril, and it is for you that I write. Lately I've come to realize that I have de-volved 'out of the mainstream' - I think it's an age thing. I will finish this TR, but it will be my last contribution on the board, after this I will be a lurker.
Staying in Negril for 34 days is a privilege – I know that. And it’s been wonderful being here and having people arrive and greeting them and doing things together and hanging out and all that. Great. But, I’ll tell you what, every ‘hello’ has a corresponding ‘goodbye’, and saying all those goodbyes is a be-atch. This morning my daughter Alex and her beau Josh left for home. That was the toughest of the goodbyes so far. It put me in a melancholy mood that I’m still feeling, even after an intentionally long, cathartic workout at the gym. Alex was here for eight days and ‘wow’ did it ever go by fast and it was a blast.
But I’m getting ahead of myself because I still haven’t caught up on all the things we did – which I will do in due time.
So in the meantime, let me tell you about our housekeeper, Janet (she from another planet). When I introduced Janet to Alex she smiled widely and looked at me, nodded and said, “Yah, mon!” I then introduced her to Josh. She looked Josh carefully up and down and then asked him, “Are you treating dis girl proper?”
Josh said, “Yes!”
Janet said, “You bettah, ‘cause if you don’t Papa is going to kick your a$$.” Yeah, Janet always speaks her mind.
I mentioned that Lady Saw performed at a concert here last week. The day before the concert I was in the room when Janet was cleaning up. I asked her if she was going to see Lady Saw. She stopped mopping immediately, looked at me and said, “Lady Saw comin’ to Negril?”
“Yes,” I said, “tomorrow night at Waves.” Janet got really excited. She fished he phone out of her uniform pocket. A quick conversation in rapid patios ensued – I picked up only a fraction of it, including – ‘Lady Saw - Waves – Ticket’
“So, are you going?” I asked after she put her phone away.
“Me t’ink so!” she replied. She started back at mopping and singing Lady Saw tunes, she was very happy. A couple of minutes later her phone rang and she answered it. “Me going!” she said. Then she was up on her tip toes, like she was wearing five inch pumps. She danced, hand on hip and used the mop handle as a microphone - ‘Let me take you to the seaside’, she sang. She said the song was very popular and “was selling like hot bread”!
The next day when I saw Janet she still had her hair up in her concert do and was still sporting her wrist band. She was tired but happy. She said Lady Saw sang until 3:22am.
No, I didn’t go.
Here’s Janet.
Francis, manager at White Sands - you couldn't meet a nicer guy.
Here’s the veggie truck that stops at White Sands twice a week.
A Negril event that you shouldn’t miss. Free tatts and piercings!!
