A TENEMENT YARD IN A DE - CHAPTER 4 -

Behind the quarters to the left of the tenement yard is a small secluded area where the men of the yard would meet to smoke and discuss politics or their latest conquests. The area was called Headquarters and women and girls were not allowed there. You could stay at the front of the yard and hear the loud guffaws from the men when whatever they were discussing took a humorous turn. The smell of cigarettes and marijuana would permeate the air on a windy day. The youths of the tenement yard

A TENEMENT YARD IN A DE CITY - CHAPTER 3

It is Monday morning and Sissy is going to work. She was going through the gate when she heard her name being shouted out by someone. It was coming from the back of the yard. She turns around and sees Mrs. Leana approaching her. Sissy looks to the sky and rolls her eyes because she knew that there was going to be a quarrel with this woman this morning and she had no time for that!

A TENEMENT YARD IN A DE CITY - CHAPTER 2

          Black Boy, called thus because of his very dark complexion, returns to the yard after Mr. Vincent left. Tall, dark and handsome, Black Boy is an aspiring Singjay who hopes to ‘bust’ one day. Singing Bob Marley’s “Duppy Conqueror”, he smiles at the other tenants. He stops, takes an unlit spliff from the pocket of his shirt and lights it. He puts the spliff to his mouth and takes a 'draw', blowing the smoke into the air. Taking the spliff from his mouth he shouts out,