Women’s Chronicles

“I don’t love him. Let me tell you that man treat me like nothing.

“As educators we play the role of imparting knowledge to the nation’s children and as it relates to imparting knowledge, the job demands various roles depending on the age of the pupil and the level that we teach.

“Girl you want this bag?” the woman asked in an irritated voice as she glared down at the small child standing near her.

“When my mother left I was small. My father use to beat her up and she left me and my sister and took the three boys.

“Sometimes I remember it like yesterday, when he touch me…. At first like I didn’t understand what he was doing but looking back even though I was small I know it was not a good thing, I know it was not the right thing,” she said almost forcibly.

Some time ago I was seated in my parked car on Camp Street with my two sons when I overheard a ruckus.

“When I see she face, I know something wrong right away.

“I could remember vividly that as a child I would run from him because he would always try to touch my privates.

“I knew something was going on, but I could not put my finger on it.

“When my daughter write she get the lowest school in Georgetown.

I recently visited the women’s psychiatric ward of the Georgetown Public Hospital and I felt that were it not for the Grace of God I could have become mentally ill from just the appearance of the area and the depressing conditions under which its two patients were housed.

“My mom was not there for me, she would never support me with my homework and so.

“I got pregnant when I was 12 and my mother was angry, and she would beat me.

“There are always the memories, there are tears sometimes too. Quite a lot of memories, but I console myself with the fact that according to my faith in the resurrection I would see my son again under better circumstances.”

“Well some of my days are beautiful, and bright and energetic.

“I want a divorce. I don’t know if he is going to give it to me, because I believe he may want to give me a hard time.

“Some days does be trialling, but I had to throw pride and dignity behind and just do what I have to do.

“My daughter-in-law water bag buss since yesterday morning and she in suh much pain and only now dem preparing she to go theatre,” the woman said, worry etched on her face.

“I really don’t know how I get this thing and who give it to me.

“Sometimes I feel as if I am going out of my mind and then at other times I feel guilty as if I am not doing enough and I am failing them,” she said with a sad shake of her head.