It is too hot outside
here for her and the children, said Reverend Julian, I would not want the children
to feint from the heat. The woman chimed in, saying that they have been walking
from before daylight just to get to my home and that she and the children were
tired and hungry. Not my fault, I said, I did not tell you to start your
journey to come here! The children started yelling and the baby started to cry.
I placed my hands over my ears. Please, said the Reverend, they won’t go inside
the house, just let them sit under the tree by the gate and rest a while. The
baby stretched out its hands to me but I pretended not to see this action. I
refused to get sentimental. I reluctantly opened the gate and let them in. Maud
happily led them to the tree where I had built a seat that went around the
trunk. It was my favorite spot as I could sit and observe the people passing by
but they could not see me because of the hedge that grew along the fence. I
told Maud that if any of them wanted to use the toilet
they were to use the one
in the gardener’s shed and under no circumstances were they to come inside the house!
I ignored the look on the Reverend’s face. I also told Maud to give them
something to eat and drink. I then ushered the Reverend inside the house. When
we went inside I led him to the den as I figured that we needed privacy for
what he had to tell me. As I was about to close the door of the den the
Reverend stopped me. He said we should wait on Maud. Why? I asked, he said it
would be best that we have a witness to what he had to tell me. I heard Maud
footsteps and called her and told her that I needed her presence for at least
an hour so she should lock the front door with the key and come inside the den.
Once again I ignored the look on the Reverend’s face. Maud knew me well enough
not to argue with me. We went inside and sat in the chairs around my father’s
mahogany desk. Reverend Julian took off his glasses and wiped his face again.
He began to fan himself with his hands so I told Maud to turn on the air
conditioning. He pulled off his collar and began to speak; the story he told us
will forever change my life. I asked you earlier, said Reverend Julian, if you
thought anything good could come from Spanish Town. There is a reason why I
asked you that, it is because your Great-Grandfather came from Spanish Town. I
interrupted him and said, No, he came from Ironshore, St. James! The Reverend
continued as if I had not spoken. Your Great-Grandfather Charles was a Butcher.
He was a handsome chap and all the women in his district wanted him. One Friday
evening he was walking in Spanish Town when he saw this young lady who seemed
to be lost so he struck up a conversation with her. He discovered that she was
on her way to St. James but had gotten off the train at the Railway Station to
pick up her book which had fallen out the window, and the train left before she
could get back on. Her purse and her suitcases were on the train and she didn’t
know how she was going to get home. It was getting late so she was trying to
find the police station so she could at least have somewhere to sleep. Charles,
with a smile on his face, said that she could stay at his house for the night,
a suggestion that was immediately rejected by the young lady. Charles quickly
told her that he lived with his mother who would take care of her and she that
she was well taken care of. A policeman was passing by and called to Charles
who asked him to vouch for his character and confirm that he did indeed lived
with his mother. The policeman, after being told of the young lady’s
predicament told her that he himself would escort her to Charles Mother’s house
and ask her to put her up for the night because the stationhouse was no place
for a young lady to spend the night. The young lady agreed to go with them,
this young lady was your Great-grandmother Charlotte. Never heard of her but I had a Great-Aunt Charlotte, I said, while I looked through my window to see if the woman and her children
were still under the tree.
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