Paul Williams, Gleaner Writer

Glenroy and Sanya had a brief sexual relationship, after which they went their separate ways, with Glenroy believing that the 'fling' was over and done with. Until, he got a casual telephone call from Sanya, saying she was pregnant.

He was disappointed with her for becoming pregnant, at that particular time, and under those circumstances. The disappointment then turned to shock after he asked her the million-dollar question. "Then a who yuh goh mek breed yuh now girl, yuh noh suppose to a breed ... who yuh goh mek breed yuh now? "Sanya replied, "Suppose a tell yuh, a talking to him on the phone?" Glenroy was the father, she claimed.

His "sympathy" for her flew out of his heart immediately because he knew what happened between them. He asked her a few pointed questions which she answered in the affirmative. Being satisfied with her answers, he told her in no uncertain manner to go and find her child's father.

Two months later, Sanya called Glenroy and apologised for purporting him to be her child's father. He asked her, "Who a the father fi the youth, yuh find the father, who a the father?" She told him the father was a cricketer, to which he said, "Good, go now and sin no more." Sanya went, but she didn't heed Glenroy's warning.

After two years, she was back on Glenroy's phone to tell him the cricketer was not the father. The cricketer, who was a married man, had been supporting the child, but Sanya wanted more. She put the man's marriage into a tailspin. So, he went to do a DNA test. It turned out that not only was the cricketer not the child's father, but further tests had shown that he wasn't capable of getting a woman pregnant. Sanya had sinned.

Haunting past

And Glenroy's past came back. But, he was not moved. He decided to lay the matter to rest by taking a blood test. He went The Blood Bank. "When I went and I did the test, I never have anything to worry about. Mi know from the outset say is not me, for more reasons than one." For the two weeks he waited for the result, he was by no means worried, but when he got the results he was bowled over.

Glenroy: "When the blood test came and I went for the result, I was shocked. The blood test said (I) cannot be excluded, most likely to be the father. I looked at the man and hissed my teeth, and said, 'Doc, how is this possible?' "

He was told the blood test was not conclusive, and that he had O positive blood which most men in Jamaica had. He suggested the more precise deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) test in front of Sanya, but she protested, being satisfied with the blood test result. She went away promising to mess up Glenroy's life.

Soon after, as it was getting near to September, Sanya reappeared, this time asking for money for the child. Glenroy rebuked her, and flatly refused. However, he decided to buy the child a pair of shoes and a school bag.

Glenroy: "I have two children and I am a loving father not only to mi children, but to other persons' children." But, Sanya wanted money, and Glenroy's acceptance, so she was back on the phone quarrelling and threatening Glenroy.

Still adamant that he wasn't the father, and tired of the harassment, Glenroy went to the Family Court to seek advice, which he got. As he left the office, he saw Sanya in the waiting area". He was "surprised and happy". He pointed her out to the counsellor, who had a talk with them. Among other things, she was advised not to harass Glenroy.

But, the telephone harassment continued. Glenroy: "The woman a call call me every minute ... and a tell mi say boy, it noh have to go so far, it noh have to goh court. When mi hear that now mi realise say more than anything else she doubt herself." She was reported and warned again.

Court hearing

At the first court hearing, the judge asked Glenroy why he refused to support the child, and he told the court what happened between them, and why the child could not have been his. Glenroy: "I remember I told the judge, that Your Honour, me is a father. If it was my child nobody would have to take me here because I have two children, and I love them very much and nobody has ever seen it fit to bring me down here." A DNA test was subsequently ordered.

Three weeks passed, and it was now time, time to face the court to know the truth or to confirm it. Yet, the results were not ready. Glenroy was still confident. Another return day was set.

On that day, when he appeared, he was given the result of the test to read aloud in open court. Glenroy: "When I read it , it said based on the test results, it is not possible that this man is the father of the child. They gave the probability to say why I could not be the father. When I saw it, I smiled to myself, and said, "This is not a surprise to me Your Honour."

The court decision

The judge asked him how much he had paid for the test and he told him. Sanya was then ordered by the judge to refund Glenroy the money. But, Glenroy said to the judge, "Your Honour, it's OK. I don't really need the $10,000 ... Let her take it and do something for the little boy. And the only unfortunate thing here is that there is a little boy out there that doesn't have a father." He subsequently learned that Sanya had brought two other men to court for the same boy, who lives in the same area where Glenroy's father lives.

Sometimes, whenever Glenroy visits his father, he sees the boy going from house to house seeking lunch money, but says nothing to him. The boy himself avoids Glenroy, but communicates with Glenroy's father, whom he regards as his 'grandfather'. Glenroy: "To be honest with you, is one of the toughest situations, 'cause I don't know how to relate to him, so I don't relate to him at all, which is unfortunate because I relate to any other little youth who come cross me, but that one, I don't know how to relate to him."

And to other men who find themselves in a similar situation, he said, "Don't be afraid of the Family Court. Regardless of what go down there, don't be afraid. If yuh in doubt, check it out ... Forget about the stigma and everything and go deal with it. There is nothing like knowing for sure in your heart that is not you, and if it's you, go deal with yuh responsibility."

paul.williams@gleanerjm.com