Flogged

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Yuck! Callaloo...hmm. Cho!

With a disappointed look on her face, Lizzie joined her two brothers at the table.  As Lizzie sat down,  she noticed that her brothers were halfway through their dinner.

Lizzie slouched her tiny six years old body miserably into the chair and before you knew it, she angrily stabbed her dumplin with the fork as though it had done her some harm.

Staring coldly, Lizzie raised the fork to her mouth and made a big bite.

Watching intently from their seats, her brothers, Al, who was one year older than Lizzie and Romeo who was still four years old, chuckled and teased:

"if yuh nuh eat off yuh dinna yuh nah come wid we dis evening."

They both laughed as they stuffed more food in their mouth.

Lizzie rolled her eyes at them and said:

"me nuh affi come nuh weh," and continued eating.

"Unuh ready?" Shouted Emmy from the passage of the house.

Emmy was an elderly lady and also a friend of the family. Emmy came by religiously on week days to wash, cook, iron and sometimes clean when necessary. Emmy was like a grandmother to the children and they loved her dearly; so much they always want to have sleep-overs at her house.

The children did not mind the long walk to her house because to them, it was nothing short of fun and adventure. Moreso, Emmy always had stories of all sorts to share with them along the way.

"Unuh nuh done eat off unuh dinna yet?" Emmy asked as she walked into the kitchen where the children sat.

"Me ready!" Exclaimed Al, the eldest of the three.

"Me to!" Romeo blurted out with excitment, forcing the last bit of yam in his mouth.

Al and Romeo hurried from the table and quickly stuffed their plates in the sink and made a dash to the bathroom to get their hands and mouth clean.

"Suh what happen to you, you nuh done eat di likle food weh mi gi yuh?" Emmy asked Lizzie.

"Mi cyah manage it," replied Lizzie.

"How yuh mean yuh cyah manage it, a jus waa likle piece a yam, one dumplin an' one finga a banana mi gi yuh! Wha' inna dat fi yuh cyah manage!" Emmy exclaimed.

Sadly, Lizzie hung her head, almost in tears as sadness engulfed her. She knew that she wasn't going to make it to Emmy's house...Again!

By now her brothers were ready and eager to go. In their hands, they both held on to their little plastic bag that had their rags, toothbrush and their night clothes.

Lizzie watched sadly as Emmy, Al and Romeo made their way to the front door. The sight of them leaving was too much for poor Lizzie so she quickly turned her head before they could close the door.

Lizzie continued eating, even slower than before now that her brothers were gone with Emmy. 

As Lizzie poked the last piece of food in her mouth, a bright idea came to her. She jumped up from around the table and quickly ran to the bathroom.

Moments later, she too had her little bag packed with her toothbrush, rag and her night clothes. Lizzie quickly ran and clothes the back door then made her way to the front door. No sooner than she started down the lane Lizzie stopped suddenly as in deep thought and quickly turned around. 

She ran back to her house, through the short cut leading to the high way for fear her parents or anyone would see her had she continued down the lane.

Lizzie continued her journey through the bushes until she came to a paved road.

Lizzie came to an abrupt stop and looked right and left to ensure there were no vehicles coming and definitely no one to notice her as this would spell trouble.

By now Lizzie had made her way onto the high way, away from the bushes that made her skin itch.

Lizzie continued the long walk all by herself to Emmy's house. Fears of what could happen to her along the way didn't seem to bother Lizzie at all.
She was just too focused and determined to go to Emmy's house, so much she didn't seem to care one bit. 

As Lizzie came onto the street where  Emmy lived, she could see her brothers and Emmy a long way off at the gate of the house.

Lizzie continued walking along the quiet neighbourhood, looking at each house she passed and listening to the quietness of the evening which was interrupted by  the sound of an old, worn down van as it grumbled down the narrow road. 

Lizzie watched the van intently as it made its way closer to her. 

Thoughts began streaming through Lizzie's mind as she watched the van as it bounced up and down and rocked from side to side on the bumpy, dirt road.

Seeing the distance between the van and herself, Lizzie made her way across the road, then back across.

Lizzie skipped back and forth joyfully, until She heard:

"LIZZIE!" Emmy's voice echoed over the neighbourhood as the van trackled almost to a stop as it got closer to Lizzie.

Frightened, Lizzie froze and the van stopped picking up some dust off the road.  The driver of the van allowed her to complete her journey across the road. By then Lizzie's heart was in her throat while her mind raced with thoughts.

"Likle girl, you nuh know seh yuh mussen play inna di road?" Said the driver of the van.

"Yuh muss stop when yuh si vehicle coming an' mek it pass before you move or try cross di road; Yuh hear mi likle girl.  Cyar wi lick yuh dung!"

Then the driver sped off down the road mumbling to himself angrily.

The old van sent dust flying all around so much Lizzie had to cover her face with both hands.

By now,  Lizzie knew she was in deep trouble and slowly made her way to Emmy's gate.

When Lizzie finally got to the gate of Emmy's house, her brothers blurted out in a chorus:

"yes now, Spanish Town...Emmy a guh beat yuh wid di do-do stick."

Emmy was in a rage as she scurried around picking switch to beat Lizzie for what she did. 

"Why yuh never stop when yuh see di van a come?"

Emmy asked as she grabbed Lizzie by the hand. But before Lizzie could say a word, Emmy asked another question:

"Yuh madda know yuh come roun' here?" 

"No" Lizzie replied.

Emmy was now even more furious than ever. 

"An' you a play inna road infront a vehicle, eeh!"

With that said, Emmy started whipping Lizzie on her legs and bottom with the grass switch while chanting:

"yuh nuh fi play inna di road. Next time yuh si vehicle a come, yuh fi stop and wait!" 

Lizzie bawled on top her lungs as the switch penetrated her body.  What was suppose to be an evening of fun and adventure was nothing but regrets, horror, pain and tears.

Emmy was very disappointed and pained by the events that played out in her sight that evening.  She somehow felt guilty for not taking Lizzie along with her and her brothers.  This bothered her for a while but she soon shook it off. 

Early next morning Emmy brought Lizzie and her siblings home and reported the matter to their mother.  Emmy recounted what had happened, not sparing any detail. 

On hearing the disheartening news, Lizzie's mother grabbed Lizzie and put her across her lap and gave her a fine whooping.
 
With the first slap, Lizzie's mouth popped wide open but no sound came out until moments after there was a great wailing sound. Lizzie cried and cried.  No sooner had Lizzie's mother released her, she ran into her room, dived in her bed and buried her face in her pillow.

Lizzie vowed in her heart that she would never do such things again and she never cared much about going to Emmy's house for a very long time.