SUCH JOY: Mrs Ida Linton having a hearty laugh
SINCE recently everytime 101 year-old Ida Linton goes out, she either gets hit down or falls down. But it will take much more to stop her.
Linton who lives in Western Park at Denbigh, Clarendon, told THE STAR that since beccoming a centenarian last September, she has had a few accidents.
"Mi put on one high heel boot fi guh church last month, but when me a try come outa di house inna it, mi dis tumble dung. Mi drop an get a lick right yaso ina mi head," the old woman said, rubbing her head side,".
"A short while before that me did a guh buy food downtown an when mi reach the road mi nuh se nutten. Mi look top mi neva si nutten, mi look bottom mi neva si nutten, but as mi step out ina di road, boops, nuh one man come lick me dung wid bike, mi seh mi get a piece a lick mi drop a grun an lick up mi head."
Linton was born at James Hill, Clarendon on September 1, 1898. She recalls attending Main Castle Elementery, a school in the district. After leaving school she said, she worked as a domestic helper with a rich family of 'white people'.
"Them go all over the island, Montego Bay, Falmouth, Linstead, May Pen and everyweh dem guh, mi there with dem a cook and wash," she recalled.
She said the family owned a citrus factory where she went regularly. It was there that she met her late husband, Tony Linton, who worked at the factory. They were married for 30 years before Mr. Linton passed away 15 years ago.
Linton says she has a sister and a brother but she doesn't know where they are. "Dem nuh look fi mi an mi nuh look fi them," she said.
The centenarian boasts of knowing National Hero Alexander Bustamante. She says he often dined with the family she worked for and she would always take the opportunity to sit and chat with him.
She has never travelled abroad but was once given the opportunity to do so. An uncle had sent for her. "Mi wouldn't go, Mi tell him seh mi nah leave me country and mi wa'an stay an tek care a mi people dem."
Why has Mrs. Linton lived so long? She says:"Me care mi body afta mi nuh run bout," she said. "Ah did love drink liquor and mi love eat rice, when mi buy all 12 pounds a rice, it only serve me two days an mi eat every kinda meat except fi pork."
Claudette White, one of Mrs Linton's tenants, told THE STAR the centenarian is a nice person, though miserable at times.
White says from time to time, she cooks for the elderly woman, washes for her and helps her to sort out any problems she has with her utility bills.
Ian Allen Photo
