Robert Lalah, Assistant Editor - Features

The view from Terry's little shop on Skyline Drive, St. Andrew. - Robert Lalah photo

He was a short fellow with graying hair and wrinkled skin. Even his arms were wrinkled, yet he walked with great agility and purpose. He wore a pair of khaki pants and weather-beaten sneakers. He had on a baseball cap and carried a machete wrapped in newspaper.

I met him as he was walking up an incline on Skyline Drive in St. Andrew that was so steep, it caused him to bend forward. I was walking down the hill and as we came up to each other, he smiled and lifted the machete in the air. "Howdy, Howdy!" he said. I returned the greeting and introduced myself. He told me to call him Pops.

Pops explained that I was standing in one of the best spots to get a view of Kingston. "This is Skyline Drive. It lead right out back to Papine. People dem did was call it dat because is like you standing on the skyline. You never see a view a town like dis inna you life!" said he. We were standing in the middle of the road and there seemed to be nobody else around.

I had stumbled upon the area quite by accident and, before Pops, saw nobody to ask where I was. I asked the kindly old man about this. "Di people dem what live around here most of dem do dem likkle farming an dat kind of thing. At this time of the day you will find dat dem deh a bush a tend to dem crops, whatsoever it is dat dem growing," he said.

No 'boogy yagga'

"But even if you come inna di afternoon when everybody come from bush, you still nah go find a big crowd round here. Not so much people live around here and who live here more keep to dem self dan anything. You nah go find no boogy yagga around here," said Pops.

The sun was out in full force and I noticed a few beads of sweat trickling down Pops' forehead. He took his baseball cap off and wiped the sweat from his face with the back of his hand. He started to fan himself with the baseball cap. I noticed that Pops was eyeing a small building nearby that had a poster of a popular local beer on the front door.

Dropping hints

"Bwoy, mi woulda hold a one whites inna di day yah," he sighed. I realised that he was dropping hints. "But bwoy mi not even have two shilling inna mi pocket fi buy it," he said. He looked longingly across at the building, then at me, then back at the building. I got the point, so I offered to buy the friendly fellow a drink. "Well, yes man, I will be happy to," he said, his face now bright.

Together we walked over to the building. From the road, it seemed vacant but as we walked up to it, I realised that there was a young woman standing behind the counter inside. She was sporting dreadlocks and had a piercing below her lip. She wore a pair of slippers, jeans and a black sweater.

"What happen Pops? You find husband fi mi?" she said to my companion. At this point, I could see myself turning and running for the hills, but I managed a smile instead. "No man. Is mi bredren. Him come fi buy mi a whites!" said Pops, clearly excited by the prospect of getting the drink.

Multiple piercings

"Oh, mi think is me him was coming to. Him look nice eeh!" said the woman. I was growing increasingly uncomfortable, as the woman with multiple piercings looked me up and down like a pair of designer jeans on sale at a thrift shop.

I introduced myself and asked her to tell me about life on Skyline Drive.

"Well, you see, this is the best place to see all of Kingston and even St. Catherine. People from all over come up here to look down and tek picture. In fact, look here," she said. The woman, who said her name was Terry, walked over to a closed window at the side of the shop. Meanwhile, Pops had walked behind the counter and was helping himself to a drink of white rum. Terry opened the window and then beckoned for me to come closer. "This is what everybody come here to see," said she.

The view was magnificent. You could see parts of Portmore in St. Catherine, the airport and even Port Royal.

"Yes man. When you wake up a morning time and look pan dis you nice," said Pops from behind the counter, sounding a bit more relaxed.

Terry went over to him. "Alright Pops, tek it easy, just go have a seat," she said. Pops walked over to me. "So what more you really want to know about Skyline Drive?" he asked.

I asked him if they had any trouble with crime there.

"Well, no man. You see when you so high in the hills nobody gwine really come up here fi molest you. Is just every now and den you have some likkle idlers and pickpocket bout di place, but otherwise everything all right. You see, we haffi mek sure we keep it peaceful, for we deh closer to God dan everybody!" he chuckled.

robert.lalah@gleanerjm.com

FEEDBACK

The following are feedback letters to our very popular Thursday feature 'Roving with Lalah'.

Dear Robert,

I found your article about the Linstead Market rather refreshing. Your narrative is so simple, yet it flows so beautifully. It presents a picture that makes the reader feel like a part of the story. I'm a regular reader of your stories and hope to see them more often in the paper.

All the best!

Regards.

- R.C.

Dear Robert,

Your articles never fail to bring a smile to my face.

Thanks!

- S.M.

Dear Robert,

As always, another well-written article. You sure know how to make readers like me have a good laugh! Good job!

- J.N.

Dear Robert,

Hi there! I read your article in The Gleaner online on the Linstead Market. It was only a few weeks ago that my mother compared the busyness and movements on Oxford Street, London, to Linstead Market. How she got to that comparison I do not know. One thing's for sure is that when I'm visiting my family in Jamaica, Linstead Market on a Tuesday morning is the best!

Cheers.

- V.C.

Dear Robert,

Thanks for your most enjoyable and informative stories. The taxi ride in particular was so good, my wife and I laughed until "mi belly almost buss".

I have saved many of your interesting stories of your travels. Thanks again for sharing your Jamaican experiences with us, they never fail to give us a taste of home.

Thanks again.

- E.A.