Son of Rose

Chapter 1

As a child I didn't see the need to live.
There was nothing in particular that I looked forward to on a daily basis.
No toys,couldn't watch television and I could not go beyond the gate to my home at my own free will.
Which was a common thing among children back in the day and to the best of my knowledge, seemed like a universal rule. Though as a child, narrow minded and all we always thought it was because our parents hated us.
They'd used every example in and out of the book to enforce their notions .

One day I was coming from basic school with a group of children that lived in d community. I can't recall what transpired between myself and a boy in my class at the time but I can remember being spun around by my hand and was released just in time to have my forehead smashed into a "Marble-dashed wall" belonging to a neighbor called Jackie.

Jackie came out and screamed.
I was standing there looking at her clueless as to why but I just shrugged and started walking home.
I realized My vision became tinted as though I had on rose colored glasses.
Suddenly I felt my uniform sticking to my chest.
Thinking I was sweating, I looked down to see my shirt was no longer brown.
Cherry syrup-like fluids covered me. I tipped my finger on it ...
tasted, expecting some kind of sweetness but to my surprise it tasted awfully raw.

I started panicking,
flashing my hands as if I touched a hot pot cover on papa's coal stove.
Realizing  my forehead was dripping red, I started screaming running to Ms Dorine -the lady entrusted to be our caretaker -...
But I couldn't see as blood filled my vision .
Sprinting so hard and out of direction I slammed again . This time it was sister Annie's wall .

Luckily it was a smooth one or else I'd certainly bleed right to my death .
Ms Dorine saw wat was happening and ran to my rescue.
Lifting me from the ground I laid in shock . As red as my eyes were I still could see an angel with a Mattaron cigarette in the mouth's right corner, fuzzy natural hair and a smirk saying "see why u nuffi come outa di yard ?"

Thinking to myself : *but I went to school yow*
But too mannerable and traumatized to talk back.

I just smiled cause I know she was always my own special super hero.

No matter what,she was always there ...
I knew she was being paid to take care of myself and my brothers ; Kenny and David but she did it with such pure heart I thought she was my mother.

Kenny didn't really live with us, he stayed with my father but would come on the weekends and leave on a Sunday night when dad came for him.

Oh that was the (supernova) moment we all anticipated on sundays . To just sit on the steps and wait to hear the smooth engine of the coaster bus coming around the corner honking every single noun in sight .

I could hear the hails: "Jah B ! yooow Jah B wa gwan" fading in louder as he got closer to our gate .
All three of us would be on our toe points ready to race to see which of us will reach the gate the fastest . We always lost to our biggest brother and first child of our mother , David .

David who everyone called 'Putus', wasn't our father's son but dad accepted him and never treated him any less . We'd all get hugs , lifts and ice cream money but putus always wanted to buy Ringos instead and I didn't mind . Ringo, back then was the best cheese trix ever made. He would eat half the bag then crush the Rest, toss some sugar in it , shake and ate it with a spoon . I must say for us, this was a delicacy.
I loved it, I loved everything I saw my big brothers do. I loved them and for some reason I always thought I should give them anything I can.

One day I was at school on a Friday
And my uncle Popeye rode pass on his "wumba" bike and told me Kenny is back at the house . I was ecstatic but I didn't have anything to bring home for him, So I chose the next best thing.
I always thought I was a fast runner plus once i utter the word "vroooooom" I think I'm going 1000 miles per hour.
So I decided to go outside and catch a bee 🐝 for him. with no bag,paper nor glove I swiftly grab one and started 'vrooooming' 🏃🏿‍♂️
I was about 10,000 steps shy of reaching home when I felt this intense burning sensation in my hand. I had zero ideas what a bee sting felt like before that day and I was about to learn the hard way.

I went home with a melon for a hand,crying and sobbing . Told my brother I tried to bring a bee for him but it stung me
He laughed uncontrollably ...
until we both started laughing. little did I know karma was soon my friend ...

One day not long after my painful experience him and I were under the zinc shed
Matching dominoes because we had no idea how to play the game. He had on an old khaki shirt
With about two buttons undone and I was shirtless .

We were there minding our business when I saw a wasp lingering around my head , my reflex didn't allow me to remain calm ."SPLADAM!!"
I slapped it , neither of us knew where It went.

Then I saw a curious look on Kenny's face like he's trying to figure out what that pain was, suddenly he started treating himself like a beatbox.
Trying to get away from the sting that has already happened .

To this day I'm still being reminded and blamed that I "intentionally" slapped the wasp in his shirt 🤣
And no explanation he been valid so far