
An honest youth
The Gold Laureate
About a year ago I lost my gold necklace; it was a gift from my husband. I could not recall where I lost it…though I was convinced that I removed it at my hair dressers’ while fitting a Lignum Vitae necklace that I later bought from a male peddler. I knew that my husband was going to be disappointed with me for losing the special gift. I told him the truth about the incident and resigned myself to accept the hurt by telling myself that the necklace was only “material.”
The Car Wash
My husband took my car to the carwash today; it was overdue for a thorough cleaning. I continued with the clean up from the Sabbath dinner while he waited on the car. About 5:00 pm my husband walked into the kitchen, placed his hands on my shoulders and asked me to close my eyes. I obeyed, because I remembered that wives will be “submissive” to their loving husbands. I felt the cold metal touch my warm skin at my neck and I decided not to protest…not anymore.
“Why did he go out and buy me another necklace? That’s the last thing I wanted. I would have preferred if we took another trip down to Jerusalem and checked on those boys instead.” I tried my best to control myself.
“Ok, open your eyes.”
I obeyed and looked across to the French-door-style cupboard that served as a mirror. I was disappointed that my husband went out to buy me another gold necklace but I controlled my feelings. I stepped closer to the cupboard where I was loading the clean dishes and soon noticed that the new necklace looked very familiar. IT WAS MY LOST GOLD LAUREATE!
We both laughed as I asked myself, “Where did he find it?”
“Well?”
“The young fellow who cleaned your car found it underneath your seat, apparently when he blew out the car with the air hose. He placed it on the back seat and left it there. I did not see it until I returned to the parking lot at the hospital; that is when I saw it on the back seat.”
“What? He found my necklace and left it in the car for me? Oh God, there is hope in Jamaica!”
Let us go back down there and thank him some more,” my husband said with deep respect and appreciation.
Jevonie Maxwell
There he was. Only eighteen years old. He has been washing cars here at the foot of the hill for a year now. I asked his permission for my husband to take a photograph with us standing by my car. I shook his cold shriveled hands and held him around his damp waist as we both smiled for the photo. His boss passed by and smiled. We all knew that Jevonie was an honest kid and with some more opportunities he would be going places.
A small gift for Antonio and the other boys
Miss Puncie’s street-side market was still open. I met her daughter and her young son tonight (Sunday night)…they are so beautiful. I asked for the boys and Miss Puncie willingly went to get them across the playfield.
“I brought you a little something…it is not much.” One of the boys took the black plastic bag but did not open it. Like a mother Miss Puncie took the bag and inspected the contents while the boys watched.Antonio seemed sad tonight. He said he tried to call me today but got no answer. I told him that I saw the missed calls and I tried to return the call but got no answer.I asked him in semi-privacy if he knew about the “Possibility Programme” (for street boys) but he seemed unaware.
“Would you go there (to the ‘Possibilty Programme’) if they have space for you?”
“Yes, I would go anywhere right now?”
”Ok, I am not making any promises but we (Tamian, Allison and I) are going to try our best to work out something for you.”
He was happy to hear Tamian’s name. His face lit up for a brief moment when he spoke about Tamian.
”I will tell Tamian that you would like to hear from him.”
In a whisper I asked Antonio a question that I had in my mind from the day I met him at the Pegasus…I thought I heard someone said that he was sleeping on cardboards…I wanted to know for certain but I was hesitant before.
”What are you sleeping on Antonio?”
”Cardboard”
”Do you have a blanket?”
”No”
I looked at Miss Puncie with all the children around her and she looked at me…we exchanged a few words as woman to woman.
Tomorrow is day 20. How much longer will he have to wait? I will look around the house for a blanket and pray hard tonight that he will have a home soon-soon (very soon).