Robert Lalah, Assistant Editor - Features
Public transportation in London is, let's say, a bit different from what it's like in Jamaica. - Photo by Robert Lalah
Standing in line at a small takeout restaurant in Greenwich, London, I noticed a tall, dark man with dreadlocks, standing about 20 feet away. He was the first dreadlocked fellow I had seen since arriving in England. The man was wearing green pants and a black sweater with army style boots and had a stern look on his face. Beside him was a short, slim, Asian woman who was staring blankly at the menu on the wall in front of her. They were holding hands.
The restaurant was packed and noisy, so everyone was talking loudly. The time had come for me to place my order and, like everyone else, I had to shout it. When I was done, the dreadlocked man walked over to me with a big grin on his face.
"Mi did a wonder if mi know you. But now mi know why mi did feel so. Is because you is a yardy!" he said, chuckling.
He introduced himself as Derrick and mentioned that he was from Old Harbour Bay in St. Catherine. He said he migrated to the United Kingdom (U.K.) more than a decade ago.
Grabbing the opportunity
"Bwoy, you waan hear seh is just a likkle opportunity reach mi and mi just haffi grab it. I was a fisherman in Old Harbour still, but things wasn't going too well. I had some family up here in the U.K. and they were trying to help me out. When the papers come in, mi never really want to leave, but mi did have to think about the money. In Jamaica, all mi a work mi couldn't see anything so even though mi love mi country, mi did have to leave it," Derrick said. He called over the Asian woman who was standing in line with him earlier and introduced her as his 'dawta'.
She smiled and shook her head quickly and then walked back to where she was before.
"I come up here in 1995. Since that, I go back home about three times, but because of the work mi nuh really able fi go more than that," Derrick said. He now works at a car wash in Lewisham where he also lives.
"Is hard work when you come to England still. But you see because you know that when you work, at the end of the day you will see you money, you nuh feel any way. In Jamaica, sometimes mi used to have to wonder why I was working so hard. Couldn't see anything," he said, shaking his head from side to side.
I asked Derrick how his lifestyle in England differed from when he was living back in Jamaica.
Depressed sometimes
"Bwoy Rasta, a waan tell you dat is a complete difference. Right now, mi really miss home still, but because of the opportunities and the money, I cyaa go back home. Right now, I wish I coulda deh pan a beach wid mi honey and gwaan relax and eat some good food. No place nuh nice like yard, nuh matter what anybody want to say. Jamaica have the nicest life. Is just because a certain struggles why people like me haffi leave. If it wasn't that, then we woulda prefer to stay home. Trust me, living so far from you home get depressing sometime, especially when it cold," Derrick said.
I asked him what was the most striking difference between life in both countries. "Well, is just the way people look at you sometimes. In certain place you go, as people start suspect you as a Jamaican, then dem start treat you different. You find that the woman dem will start clutch dem handbag closer under dem arm when you stand up close to dem on di bus or di train. It used to bother me at first because I am no thief, but after a while, you realise that is just so dem stay and you nuh make it bother you," he said.
"You deh a people country you just have to accept certain things. In some ways, it help mi still because inna Jamaica mi was a ignorant bredda. Yes man! Nobody couldn't talk to me certain way, but when you live a England fi a while, it cool you right down. You caan gwaan wid certain things over here, so it force mi fi just easy mi self."
Derrick said he still has family in Jamaica and sends money to them as often as he can. "Well, mi know the struggles a yard so whenever mi have a likkle change, mi send it fi mi granny and two cousin dem. Is a good feeling because one time I used to have to depend pon my family a New York fi help me. At least now mi can help out too," he said.
It was here that Derrick seemed to be overcome with thoughts of home. He started asking me how things were before I left.
"Bwoy, people nuh realise how much you miss even the likkle things, when you so far from yuh home. The sun, the people and even di likkle minibus dem dat mi used to hate, now mi miss dem bad bad! Is true man. If mi win some money today, tomorrow mi deh pan a plane. Mi nuh care who waan talk bout first world country. Jamaica a mi yard and a deh so a di nicest place fi live. Believe me," Derrick said with a broad smile.
robert.lalah@gleanerjm.com
