Miss Tourist
by Mark James
Looking at the ordeal Mercy was frightened and curious all at the same time. There was so much blood. Octavia was born at sunrise the next mornin’. She never make a sound or cried for three days. Everybody looked at the baby girl believin’ that somethin’ was wrong. Every time she opened her mouth to breath, or yawn, all-ah-dem suck the air from the room and open dey eye like owl, bracing for what they hoped was natural. We called her Redd for short and Mercy was never more happy to be called sister. Poor Ms. Antoinette was never the same after that. Lawd know that woman was way too weak-bodied to have any more chil'ren. A woman need more than just a husband and some chil'ren’ to keep. She need a strong mind, support and understanding too. She ain’t no horse or dog to be breedin’ babies like that. Octavia was born in September. By November, Antoinette was pregnant again. Daddy wanted a big family and Mother wanted to please him. Ask me how I know all that...
morning market. “Gimme some cassava and pig tail please. Aftah dat meh money done.” She was talkin‘ to Mavis but everybody ‘roun‘ she could hear plain what she was sayin’. Miss Mavis lookin‘ nervous because she know dey lookin‘ at she as if she supposed to make Cleva hush she mout’. “ Ah mean, who does name dey chile aftah Jesus! What kinda crazy shit is dat? All I know is it wrong, somebody should tell she ‘bout she self. And Old Lady Dr. encouragin‘ stupidness, furthermore ah ain’t goin‘ ova dey to help she again. Ah wash meh hands a’dem people.” She shakin‘ she head left and right. She two lip push out. Dey leavin’ d‘market. She all d’way wrong for spreadin’ talk and she need to mind she business sometimes, even if some of it is fact. To tell yuh d’truth, aftah Criest come people start to murmur about the Norwood house and the people in it. They didn’t start acting like complete jackass right away, yuh know. Good God fearing Christians don’t operate like that. Daddy could care less, he was havin’ more chil'ren to be proud of. It solidify he manhood. Mother, on d’other hand was slipping gradually into a strange kinda sadness. Old Lady Doctor give she something to calm she nerves but ah not sure if it go work. It didn’t help dat people was spreading rumor ‘bout how Mayor traipsing ‘roun’ wid loose woman down by d’tavern aftah work. Every week he had less and less money to buy food and mine he chilren. “Any man who can’t take care of he seed is worthless in my opinion, ah don’t care how good lookin’ he is, jus speakin’ meh mind,” said Cleva
as she passed by the Norwood house. She and Ms. Mavis had come down d’road to go ‘cross d’ravine to buy eggs, so dey start up dat chat. Antoinette sweeping d’veranda so she was doin’ all dat loud talkin’ out of spitefulness. “Good Mornin’, neighbor,” Say Cleva. “Mornin’,” Say Antoinette, pausin’ long enough to adjust a headscarf coverin’ her hair. “Ah goin’ ‘cross by Mr. Braithwait to get eggs for in d’mornin’. How yuh keepin’?” Cleva inquired. “ Ah good, can’t complain. How Junior?” Cleva was thinking other thoughts but out loud she say, “He good, he home listen’ to a cricket match on d’radio. Yuh know dem man and dey sports.” Then the air get silent. “Well anyway ah go talk to yuh latah gurl, ah have a pot on d’stove,” say d’head wrapped woman. “Okay den.” Cleva stood at the Norwood’s gate to look Antoinette up and down before she walk away. Then, under her breathe she say: some people have no shame. She walkin’ back way she come from. Look like she forget she was going to buy eggs. Ms. Mavis follow behind she like she stray dog lookin’ fuh scraps.
The Trinidad Guardian and dey reporter man was watchin’ Doctor Eric Williams at his house on Mary Street. Apparently, he was makin’ plans behind the backs of the other Ministers in he cabinet. Hundreds ah kilometers away on Red Hill, people didn’t need no newspaper to bring news; they had Cleva.
Cleva, Ms. Patsy and Ms. Wendy standin’ on d’corner. Hands on hips, knee slappin’: They gossipin’. Cleva talkin’, “...if ah lyin’ God strike meh down! Yes gurl, Antoinette pregnant again but that is old news.” Wisperin’ and leanin’ close she take a look ‘roun’ creatin’ anticipation. “I hear dat dem Creole people who own dat land that Mr. Braithwait been squattin’ on, gurrrrl, dey sen’ him notice to get off dey property, Mmmhmm.” So then Ms. Patsy chime in, “Oh Lawd, dey really comin’?” Cleva say, “Yes gurl.” “My goodness,” Ms. Wendy shakin’ she head left and right, “Bacchanal in d’village.” Well, doh say ah didnt tell yuh, dis was bound tuh happen eventually. Commess comin’ down on we head, unexpected like bird-shit from above. Well, Mr. Braithwait say he not movin’. "D’powers dat be go have to kill meh. This is my land! Mine! Leh dem come fuh meh..." He cuss and carry-on talkin’ to himself, waving a cutlass dat he forever sharpenin’. So d’steel glistenin’. He ready for war. Some of what he sayin’ in Patois so Mercy don’t understand what he rantin’ and ravin’ about. Only old people does talk that talk. She walkin’ home from school. She fumblin’ to open the front gate to her parents house but she turn ‘roun’ just in time to see him goin’ back ‘cross d’ravine. Still cussin’ dem Creole an’dem. A fortnight later, Mr. Johnny Winston Braithwait would go missing.
The people did come. About a dozen or so come drivin’ down the hill in two fancy car. They look white but dey not white. Dey have good hair and dey talkin’ good French talk. Dey don’t ask
anybody nothin’. All dey say to Mother and Daddy was “Good Morning.” At least they have manners. Dey walk near the ravine and start pointin’ and talkin’ to one another. For a week dey come, dey talk fancy talk and take measurements, and dig up d’land. Dey knock down Mr. Braithwait wood house but keep he chicken. To this day, nobody know where Mr. Braithwait gone to. Regardless, the men went to work, and the women did what women do. The chil'ren stayed in dey place did what dey were told and only spoke when dey was spoken to.
Mayor and he wife was arguin’ more and more everyday. He stay gone last night, come home d’next mornin’, change he clothes and walk out d’door and didn’t say a word to anybody. Antoinette was eight and a half months pregnant now. Old lady Dr. say she have to stay in bed because she not well enough to move ’roun’ like dat. By the time the baby start to come the woman was delirious and talkin’ nonsense. Mercy was helpin’ bring water to the old woman when she notice her face frown up. “Go and get Father Cummings fuh meh chile, please.” By d’time Mercy come back with the priest, Mother was dead. The baby was squealin’. Daddy was nowhere to be found. We name her Evelyn Ann Norwood.
Mayor get up one mornin’ talkin’ ‘bout the people ova’dey by ‘cross the ravine makin’ too much noise fuh he to sit down and read he newspaper in peace. But that was just another excuse for he to walk out and leave the chil'ren so he could go out and do he business. It been a year now since dem people come and start to build. Now that Antoinette dead and bury in d’groun’ everybody in Red Hill say dey comin’ to see how Mayor doin’. Especially all dem unmarried, man-hungry, fast-ass woman. Some say dey comin’ to visit Old Lady Dr., since she only one house over from the Norwoods. Liars. Look at dem: “All yuh cook today? Ah bring some fry bake and shark.” Next one come, “Mayor, yuh know if yuh need meh tuh come and help wid d‘chilren is ok wid me.” Or, “Ah was just passin’ through to get some ointment from d‘good Dr.” But is not dat, dey jostlin’ for position, makin’ dey’self available just incase Mayor get lonely and want to slip up under dey dress for a night, maybe more.
Today, dey cuttin’ ‘way all that bush on the other side’a d’ravine. So people comin’ to see d‘unveilin'. Since none-a-dem kya talk fancy french talk dey figure as long as dey eye-witnessin', it be d’next best thing. That house was like ten house put together. D’kind dey does call mansion or estate. Old Lady Dr. say it look like slave house minus d’slave to wok in it and the cane fields in d’back of it. Plenty goin’ on ova dey. Bridge buildin’ ova the ravine now so dey goin’ and comin’ just like dat; deliverin’ materials and garden plantin’ and chandelier climbin’ to the ceilin’. But nobody livin’ in it yet. It was such a big distraction. People walkin’ past here before they go to church, just to see what else put up and paint up, lord forgive dem. Mercy was big girl now. She was nine; lookin’ like Antoinette look in that black and white picture where she makin’ first communion or somethin’. Evelyn is the only one who don't seem to care ‘bout who that is in d’frame. Mercy, Redd, Criest, and Evelyn takin’ dey cues from Daddy. He don’t even mention Mother. he just work, eat ,shit, sleep and drink. So everyday for the last year, Mercy stay focused on keepin’ a tidy house and seein’ to all who in it. Then she walk up d’road and do the same for Old Lady Dr. The routine was set. Uninterrupted. Mercy over by the old lady helpin’ she kneed flour to make dumpling. The elder, peeling provision and soakin’ pig-tails so dey could make soup. Is Monday. Just like dat, Old Lady Dr. gettin’ bad feelin’ in she body. She stop what she doin’ open d’Bible flat on the table and smoke out d’house to ward off bad spirit. Dey leavin’ to go take some soup ova for Daddy, is lunch time now. Talk been goin’ ‘roun’ ‘bout Antoinette sudden passin’. Some say is Mayor who break she heart and kill she, some say is natural that she body just couldn’t take all dat jammin’ from makin’ baby all d’time. Another mouth say is d’twin babies dat come back an’kill she.
Six o’clock d’next evening, the same two fancy car pull up outside. Old Lady Dr. drinkin’ she coffee. Mayor eyes heavy wid sleep from working early mornin’ construction job. D’chil'ren playin’ in d’yard. Hear dem talkin’ in foreign. A man wearin’ a white shirt-jack and blue pants step out from d’back seat of d’second car. He a white man, or at least he look like one. He walk ‘roun’ to d’left side of d’car, dat facing we front yard, and open d’door. Is a woman, we can’t see what colour she is; she have on too much clothes for d’heat, black, boots, long sleeve blouse, leadin’ to lace gloves on she hand and long skirt for ballroom dancin’, or funeral, down to she ankle. Big wide-brimmed hat on she head and a long veil that go past her shoulders. Dey start walking toward d’new bridge. That is when Old Lady Dr. drop ,and break, she teacup and saucer.
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