When Mercel and Esmie had their first set of children, life was a
lot simpler, yet they were very happy together as a couple.
During the 50” s through the
early 70” s, most Districts in Jamaica did not have electricity, running
water or phones. Life was a lot less complicated and children were a lot
happier. They played together and stayed together. Relationships were a lot
more binding and respectful.
When people died the body would
stay no longer than two days before being buried. It took two days as the
coffins had to be built by a district carpenter. At nights the body would be
taken out of the house and put outside as it was much cooler. During the days,
coffee would be burned underneath the bed to suppress the scent of the decomposition.
Then in Craighead there was a
town crier, Miss Larry, a poverty-stricken widow who was more than happy to get
her payment from just being given a whole lot of coffee to drink. If someone in
the District was terminally ill, a lot of people would stay at the house every
night to await the passing. Once this person passed and news got to Miss Larry,
she would do the very loud crying to alert everyone in the District.
External communications were
through telegraph only. There was a line connected to each District Post Office
and the Post Mistress would receive a brief message, the Post Mistress
would write the exact message on a pink form and have a person hand deliver it
to the home of the recipient. Messages were very brief as each letter cost
money and the system wasn't built to have long communications. Message, such
as," Come at Once!"
There were no taxis to commute
back and forth and busses only ran once or twice during the day and at specific
times, either early in the mornings or late in the evenings. If that bus was
missed, then one would have to travel the next day.
There was so much love in the
Austin's home...so much love that whenever their children reflects on these
memories, it put smiles on their faces.
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