Bellinda Bell 2

When Zenda Jemblyne McFarlene (Chipsy) left Clarksonville Primary School in the mid-fifties, it was not her graduation time, but during those difficult times for some school leavers in the rural areas of the country, many things could be overlooked. Because some children were more privileged than others. Their parents would try to find ways and means to get them out of the area to some cities or go to Kingston, Capital of Jamaica. It is the largest of the cities where opportunities are more available; but not everyone could afford to do so. There are choices; depending on what your plans and, interests are; and how efficient one really is what you can do, and the goal set in mind for the future. Leaving school in those days, graduation or not, there should be a set goal; whether to learn a trade like sewing, hairdresser, childcare, etc. if you are a girl, or go on to higher learning. With boys, or young men, there are tailoring, barbering, plumbing, etc. or return to a school to further their education. In those days there were few choices which were not in abundance like today. And those were just the tip of the iceberg if the interests and resources were available. ….. “Hello Mr. Bell!” A voice suddenly rang out. Chirpy and flirty at the same time, interrupting his thoughts. Bertie swung around as if he suddenly becomes a spinning ‘Top’, confronting him was the woman from the Records Office. Her dispositions were different, it was a much friendlier greeting accompanied by a tone of voice which was much tolerable, acceptable, and comfortable with outstretched right hand. The hair that was in a bun a few months ago, now lies teasingly on her shoulders in a style of dreadlocks. Zen flashed her locks, exposing a tantalizing smile, with a menacing twist of her shoulders in a provocative manner. The seventy-year-old woman exposed her pearly- white teeth grinning from ear to ear. Bertie had no knowledge whether they were dentures or her own. He tried to walk away, and the woman reached out for his left shoulder and smile a particular smile, that ‘influenced’ his memories of yesteryear. Something flashed across Bertie’s eyes, before he could regain his composure, the woman pushed her body so close to Bertie’s that he could smell her body odor and see the deep slit of the material that sheerly covered her voluptuous chest. Bertie took two steps backwards as his whole body tingled with mixed emotions. He clearly remembered the last time his body went into ‘spasms’, or electric shock and he shook with tears. Bertie’s memories slowly opened the pathway for Zenda to hug and squeezed him a little too tight. “Who are you and why do….?” Bertie was interrupted before he could finish his question. He tried to question through forced breathing. “It’s been a long time BB!” “Yuh nuh memba yuh Chipsy?!” “A lang time mi deh waate pon yuh “BB!” “Mi miss yuh so tell mi kyant hallah no moor!?” “Yuh nuh memba mi!??” (It has been a long time since I last saw you. I’ve been waiting on you BB. I missed you so very bad, I cannot stop crying.) The voice provocatively sang out. Bertie stepped back looked into the woman’s face and shouted Chipsy!!” “Chipsy!” “Chi…!” “!..Chip..c…!!” Suddenly Bertie Bell’s mountains of questions, his distance yearnings, his hidden urges, his infallible emotions were heading for a gigantic explosion.