The Fall Of A Black Teen || A Jamaican Novel

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            The Fall of a Black Teen
          
       

     

Today isn't ordinary, it's not a day to sit around and smoke, drink and gamble. It's a day where us Jamaicans go out and fend for ourselves, to support our children, to start gaining responsibilities. We work, we hustle.

I stood outside the building it's just 8:15 am, and I'm here, ready to work, ready to show Roger that I don't need to depend on him to feed his child. I looked in the mirror to see my attire one more time, my plain black skirt rest a little above my knees with a baby pink sheer blouse tucked neatly inside. My coffee black panty hose accompanied with my black pumps. I put my hair in a neat up do bun with natural color makeup.

I wave at one of the lady that's inside, she came over and open the door ajar. "Yes?"

"Um... good morning, I'm supposed to be working here, starting from today" I announced her setting my bag on my shoulder then scratched the nape of my neck.

She opened the door and motioned me to sit on one of the sofa. Ms. Wallace was already at work around her desk, typing away.

"Good morning Ms. Wallace" I sat on the sofa that looks more comfortable. The rest of the workers piled in on their own accord. Ms. Wallace stopped what she was doing and came over to me, she took a seat opposite mine, her face had make up but her small bumps could be seen, her short cut hair was curled.

"Good morning Ms. Stephens, um what I want you to do for today is to help the customers to find what they want, accompany them, let them feel welcomed and you go on break any time starting from 12 o'clock, it's one hour" she smiles at me and I didn't budge to return it. It was almost time to open the place, she quickly introduced me to the rest of the staff then said a prayer of thanks, for covering, good business day and a good state of mind for everyone.

I walked around the floor looking at the many appliances: washing machines, stereo system, refrigerators, microwave,  irons and much more in different brands ranging in different prices. The workers took their places around their computers, upstairs and behind their desk. The one responsible for the floor, Michael took out one of the speakers suddenly, loud blaring noises starts to boom through it.

Janet, the janitor came down with her dust cloth to wipe the appliances. She looks like she's in her fifties, her eyes a bit droopy like she's tired. She approached me and said. "Don't act like you can't do anything, she's watching you"

I looked at her unbelievable, how could her staff say something like that to someone, someone who's new. She wipes the stereo system swiftly. "Don't talk anything personal with these people, they love gossip and wants to sink any new worker, it happened already."

I nod at her taking in what she said, the first of the morning went by rather smooth, I took care of the customers basic needs like helping them with the price, which one of the brands I would use and so on. Some of the customers were great and some were not even looking at me when I offered them help, they would say *I'm fine or I just want to speak with one of the ladies. * it didn't matter to me because less people,  less work. At one point due to standing and walking up and down, my feet hurts I had to take my shoes off. The cold tiles was my savior, it eased the hotness raiding off my feet.

I was at the restaurant buying lunch when someone pull beside me, dressed in a wash out jeans and dark blue shirt with black convers. His fair complexion matches his honey brown eyes. I look at him intensely,  think I know him from somewhere but my mind is clouded by thick black fogs, he looks so familiar, I've seen him before but where.