A sign at the entrance to the quiet community of Rock Hall in rural St Andrew. - photos by Robert Lalah

It's a rainy day in Rock Hall, St Andrew, and on the steps of a rickety old bar in the town square, Lenky, a tall, dark and rather shifty looking fellow, is all agog about an upcoming dance to be held in the community.

"Mi tell Sheron seh mi a carry har go deh, so mi plan fi go down a di tailor man, meck him build a one trousers fi mi," he said to a short, stubby man standing beside him. This man was called Broom. Now, ordinarily, you'd question a name like that, but one look at his skinny fame and perfect posture and it was clear how Broom got his name.

"Den how yuh a build suit and yuh nuh pay mi back di nanny weh mi lend yuh from last month?" said Broom, his voice getting louder with every word.

"No man! Yuh nuh hear mi just a build a one trousers, man? Next week mi gi yuh back dat, man. When mi get pay fi di mason work weh mi get," was Lenky's reply. He looked nervous.

Broom raised his eyebrows and pursed his lips.

I interrupted the two men by asking them about Rock Hall. "Yeah man, yeah man, Rock Hall gwaan a wid a things man. We all have one big show a come up," said Lenky, seemingly thankful for the interruption.

"More time di place just quiet, but like how Independence time a come again, di place nice up fi di holiday," he added, grinning. Broom was still glaring at Lenky.

Shooting the breeze

A few people were moving about around us and there were a couple taxis parked nearby awaiting passengers. There here the attendants were sitting on wooden stools, just shooting the breeze, and an elderly woman wearing a hat, knee-high socks and tennis shoes kept staring at me. She was standing at the entrance to a shop next door and was making me rather uncomfortable. Broom spoke up.

"More time yuh nuh hear nothing bout Rock Hall people, you know. Rock Hall people nuh inna di cass cass. We just teck a hard life easy. Times hard though, so if yuh have a money, it hard fi really lend it out. But if yuh do lend it, yuh haffi meck sure yuh get it back!" said he, eyeing Lenky suspiciously. I nodded agreement and glanced next door to see the woman with the knee-high socks still staring at me.

By now it was getting to me, so I decided to bite the bullet and go over to her. I said goodbye to the two men and left them just as Broom resumed his grilling.

"Den if yuh can find money fi pay di tailor man, den yuh can find back mi nanny fi gi mi!" I heard him say.

I had gone over to the woman by now and had said hello. "Hello please," she responded, dryly. I could see my reflection in the thick lenses of her spectacles and by being that close to her, I noticed that she had near perfect teeth. I introduced myself. "Well mi is Dorothy. Mi did was a wonder what yuh was about, for mi neva see yuh around here yet," she said, cracking a smile.

No manners

"Miss Dorothy! Yuh find boyfriend! Hee hee!" someone in the shop behind her shouted. "Hello! Stop yuh foolinish! Di gentleman is here to mi on business. Nuh badda perplex mi today!" Miss Dorothy shouted back. She then turned back to me, looking cross. "Sorry, yuh hear? Dem pickney today don't have no manners. No manners at all!"

I asked Miss Dorothy if she was from Rock Hall.

"No Sar! I am from Cooper's Hill. Mi only follow mi friend Gene, come over here come attend to some business," she said.

"Gene, come here!" Miss Dorothy shouted into the shop. A skinny woman, perhaps in her 70s, came out. She was wearing a scarf and a floral dress with sneakers. "Yes?" she said.

"Seh hello to dis man. Him is asking about Rock Hall. Tell him dat yuh know about di place for yuh did was live here at one time," Miss Dorothy said.

"Yes Sar, mi used to live here. Rock Hall is alright. Young bwoy like you won't find much to do here though. Things not too hearty like one time," said Gene.

"One time when Independence time is coming, everybody excited. Now things just quiet. Is only old people like we haffi hold wi own likkle celebration, for we know di meaning of this time. When we ... " Miss Dorothy said before the tooting of a car horn interrupted her.

"Oh, there is Mr Brown. Come, Gene, him ready. Sorry, yuh hear, Sar, dat is our ride. We haffi run left yuh," said Miss Dorothy, pulling on Gene's arm.

"But come back come visit. I will cook some soup and we can spend some time!"