ROSEMIS LEWIS: A WOMAN OF SUBSTANCE
ROSEMIS LEWIS: A WOMAN OF SUBSTANCE
Never again will you find such a woman as my grandma, grandma Worz, a lady of character a woman of substance a woman of great virtue, my grandmother was a heroine and time was her only enemy for in time she became short sighted but never lost her sight on life journey, At five in the morning you could sniff in the air the smell of flour cakes, as she gentle turn the last one over she would say to us you boys have to move fast I have but a short time before leaving for the country five miles from whence she live, take me with you I would always say to her and as usual she would reply one day when you are much older
Grandma Worz. My favorite gal the country
Finally, that day came when Grand Ma said to me, we are all going to the country tomorrow, the road was very narrow and muddy you could hardly call it a road at all it looks more like a track, over tree trunks and under makeshift bridges across muddy ravines we push on to finally arrive in a large field, at the end of the field were several bread fruits trees from those trees’ grandma would pick her fill of bread fruits
Of course, by now my one thought in my mind was the trip back, I do not believe I could carry any load back with me I said to her, nonsense child she replies here take that one she said giving me a medium size breadfruit, she then forces herself to lift a heavy bag of food onto her head and off we go back on the trail that would take us home to cannels, by the time I arrive at the house I had thrown my one breadfruit down so many times that it was covered with mud, we will cook that one first grandma would say as she laugh out loud, she never showed any signs of fatigue, I thought my grandma must be the toughest woman alive and was also as strong as a lion, I admired my Grandma.
No sooner had we arrive at the house she would put on her head kerchief and striking a short stub of a pipe on the palm of her hand empty it she would then fill it with tobacco and set it aflame, grabbing her large straw hat and firmly securing it to her head she would call out to us saying ‘’ I will be in the field down in the valley if you all need me’’ how I long to know what was in that field that could not wait for grandma to rest her poor tired body, ok grandma I would say half out of breath
My next big adventure with Grand Ma was soon to introduce me to the secret that lies in the field, armed with her machete and several yards of twine she calls out to me saying I am taking you with me today, where to Grandma I said, come along child you will soon see. We set out towards the ocean a place call Pwindaykye or Honeymoon beach, I could tell because on the way we met several fishermen carrying back the days catch, you could also hear the ocean waves dashing on the rocky shore, I wonder I said to myself what kind of fish is caught with a machete and those twine she is caring.
Finally, I heard she said we are here, looking around I could not see the sea are you sure Grandma I call out to her, oh yes, she said look around you, we are here to collect those leaves, pretending that I know what she meant I said alright. Grandma went on chopping until we had a large bundle which she then secures with the twine, make one for me I said to her to which she replies maybe someday but now you are too small for such a trip here carry the machete.
We arrive at the field at back of grandma house I was very surprise to see her laying on the ground was hundreds of such leaves, throwing down the bundle of her head she immediately started turning the leaves over, I jumped in to help her not knowing why I was doing that, what are these for Grandma I turn around to inquire of her, why to make the brooms she reply they need to be turn regularly while the sun is hot, it was then I now understood the secret of the field below, Whether it was food five miles away brooms or coals Grand Ma Leslie performed her task with precision perfection for my grand ma was a rose, the queen of the roses. Next time readers I will take you down my boyhood days with Grandma Leslie the rose.
Grandma Worz. My favorite gal Continue.
It is only five am in the morning out of the corner of my eye a figure slipped out of the house, rushing up to my feet, running out the back door I dash to the little track behind the house to see who it was, to my surprise it was my grandma wearing her large straw hat, one bucket in each hand, her waist tied up holding up a large water proof pants, almost up to her breast, what gives I shouted to her, turning around she whisper to me go back to bed child… to be continued
