There she was singing quietly to the music on the radio as she cleaned the interior of a corporate entity I visited recently. I couldn’t help but comment that she was enjoying the music as she did her work.
“I grow up on dem music,” she said of the old school reggae that was being played.
In my mind I wished her well and also said to myself that it is a pity that so many don’t seem to enjoy their jobs, or at least are happy as they work.
“It is my first day on the job,” she said, coming closer as I waited to be attended to.
I smiled then because I said to myself ‘Oh that is why she seems so happy’ but to her I said, “Good luck and I hope you really enjoy the job.”
“It is my first day ever working,” she continued. “I never work before you know and today I just happy to work.
“I never work, I start making children early and then that was it. It was like working all the time at home and no money, work, work. So now I decide that I want to work and he [referring to her common law husband] said go and work, so I working now.” She smiled.
“I tell me friend that I just want a break from the house you know,” she said to me.
I told her I understood how she felt because housework never ends. And sisters you will agree with me that if we were to really take it seriously, we would be working nonstop at home. At times we just have to tell ourselves enough is enough and move on to something else.
“But you know me friend tell me is still work. But I tell she at least I would get to take a break sometimes and now just have to be working and looking after the children all the time. At least I get to put on clothes and come out the house because is like every day I just deh home all the time,” she continued.
I kept nodding as she talked. And she continued.
“Now he say he will stay home and look at the children,” she told me.
She must have seen the look of surprise because she proceeded to explain.
“Yea he say leh me go and work now and now is he time to stay home. He guh stay home and look at the children and everything. So I working and I want see how long he will be able,” she continued.
“I didn’t get to write CXC because I want to do me own thing. You see when you young and you think you know everything wah does happen to you? Me mother try to talk to me, you know. She say study and go to school and be somebody in this life. But I say wah she know and I just continue.
“Next you know I pregnant and then it was like baby after baby. I still can’t believe at this age that I have five children.”
I asked her if they were all for one person.
“Yes is just he alone, but I can’t tell you it was good, you know. Is punish we punishing and I grow up punishing and now is the same thing for me children and I sure when they meet a certain age they mightn’t want listen to me like how me nah been listen to me mother,” she said sadly.
I told her she has something to do about it as she needs to encourage them and ensure she builds a relationship with her children so hopefully they will listen to her when they grow older.
“Yea, I know. I does try. Three a dem in school and I does tell them to take them education because mommy and daddy don’t have none. Me husband does do job here and there, he don’t have a everyday job so it does really be hard,” she added.
“And then this job is just for two weeks so me guh see how it go go. Dem tell me how they just need me fuh two weeks because like the other person gone pun leave. But me hoping that, you know, I might get keep on or if not me would look for something else.
“I really want work because you know like everything I have to ask me husband and it don’t be nice and then every time he say he nah get money. I know is not plenty money but at least is better than nothing. We deh in we own house and suh so we nah gah study rent,” she told me.
As I write this piece I wish I could talk to the sister again as the two weeks ended last Saturday and I am hoping that she somehow was kept on. I also hope that she endured up to the end of the week as well because my honest opinion is that her husband did not survive her not being there and leaving with the children.
“For the week I get up early and cook and suh because I have to get lunch and the children have to get food to go to school,” she told me.
I sighed, at least the husband did not have to wake up and cook so maybe, just maybe he made it to the end of the two weeks. And I am hoping this sister is still working and in the end she will find a permanent job and one that she enjoys.
