Jamaicans are known for their adventurous spirit and their open mindedness to experience different cultures. It is often said, that no matter where you may go in this world, you can bet your ackee and saltfish that you will surely find a Jamaican. Jamaicans are like natural astronauts, they tend to go where "no man" has gone before.

Therefore, it was not unusual for Jamaicans to have relatives living abroad in faraway, obscure places. My Granny was no exception. It was in the middle of July when Granny made her announcement that her good friend Flossie Hannigan was traveling all the way from Syria to visit with Granny and Grandad.

I remember Granny acting like a flustered school girl running around trying to get the house in order for Ms. Flossie, as everyone called her. Apparently, Granny and Ms. Flossie were childhood chums and managed to maintain an ongoing friendship over the years, through postcards and letters.

Flossie Hannigan's parents were missionaries along with a few of Granny's Aunts so it was not unusual for them to travel all over the world spreading the gospel of the Lord.

Granny told me that Ms. Flossie was always a free spirit. One day she just woke up and announced, "I'm going to Syria to live". At first, everyone thought she was joking, but after her bags were packed and she jaunted off to the airport, it wasn't long before the Town figured out, that she meant business.

Granny and I spent days preparing for Ms. Flossie's visit. She wanted everything to be spotless. Granny went to Solos Market to buy the freshest fruits and vegetables, because Flossie Hannigan had become a vegan over the years. Granny understood the concept, especially since she only ate chicken herself. However, she couldn't understand how Flossie got on without her Jamaican food for so long. It had been thirty-five years since Flossie Hannigan had left Jamaica. Through her postcards, Granny had learned that she had taken up with new age healing. She had become a fanatic of yoga and the Mediterranean diet.

After receiving a letter from Flossie Hannigan, I could always hear Granny muttering, "Now what would possess, an ailing arthritic senior citizen to go and make up herself like a pretzel doing yoga? Flossie is my good friend but sometimes I think she not too righted."

I would question Granny, "What do you mean that she not righted?"

"Dearest, I think my friend might be a little cuckoo."

"Really, Granny."

After that conversation with Granny, my overactive imagination conjured up a woman , with hair standing on end, chanting peace, love and serenity, while occasionally contorting herself in uncomfortable positions. I even imagined her stuck in the lotus position and calling Granny long distance to pray her out of it.

I guess you could say, I pretty much had a a notion what Flossie Hannigan was all about.

Granny was a bit nervous as to how they would get on, because they hadn't seen each other in years and it seemed as if they had chosen different paths. Granny was the bible toting religious icon, while Flossie was this liberal, new age guru. Even I knew, that this visit was going to be a blockbuster worth remembering.

The day before Ms. Flossie arrived, Granny took me to the side and said, "Now remember, that Flossie Hannigan is a dear, old friend of mine, so please call her Auntie Flossie, ok?"

I answered, "Yes, Granny."

In Jamaica it is also customary to call friends of the family or cousins who are much older than you Aunt or Uncle. It is a symbol of reverence and respect. So, although, everyone else called her "Ms. Flossie", I didn't question Granny's request when she asked me to address Flossie Hannigan as "Auntie Flossie".

Although I thought it might be quite interesting for our visitor to find out that she had a house full of extended relations waiting to greet her. On the day of Flossie's arrival Granny sent two vehicles to fetch her from the airport. As Granny recalled, "Flossie doesn't travel light, I never saw another woman who could travel which such bag and pan like her."

It seemed as if Flossie had earned a reputation as Mary Poppins. According to Granny, she always came prepared and made sure she was not lacking the comforts of home.

Granny laughed, "When Flossie and I used to travel, the only thing she never brought was the kitchen sink. Although she did try to bring a bath pan one time."

Granny and I waited with baited breath for Flossie Hannigan to arrive. I began to imagine that over the years she had turned into this glamour puss, then I imagined her to be a Mother Theresa look-alike, then I thought, she might be a senior citizen hippie. After a while I got so exhausted from all the persons she could be, that I fell asleep on the veranda.

I was suddenly awakened by the screeching of wheels, I looked up from my restful position and there I saw, an elderly lady dressed from head to toe in fur. I thought, "The Ice Woman cometh", I could not fathom who the creature was emerging from the vehicle.

I called, "Granny, please come quick!"

Granny came out to the veranda, she took one look and began, "Lord Jesus! The Avianca has landed! Praise god! Flossie reach safe."

"So this was Flossie Hannigan...., " I murmured.

Flossie reminded me of an Eskimo, I kept wondering if she wasn't boiling in all that fur.

My grandmother was overcome with joy. Granny went to help her with her bags and flossie remarked, "I have no bags, I only brought one duffle bag."

Granny looked at her confused, "Are you sure? So how you going to manage? What happen? Did they forget your luggage at the airport? Don't worry I'm going to call them for you and you will have everything in two-twos."

Flossie smiled serenely, "No love, this is it! I'm traveling light these days."

Granny shrugged, "Ok then, well let me get you settled in the guest room and unpack your things in the drawers."

Flossie responded, "I will be sleeping under the glorious stars and moonlit skies, it's good for the soul."

Granny commented, "Stop your stupidness Flossie, if the dog and mosquito them bite you, you won't even have time to find you soul. I am going to help you unpack your things at once."

"Alright ,if you insist V."

Flossie looked at me, "Who is this dear child?"

"Oh, excuse my manners, this is my little grandaughter Mags, my constant companion,"

"She looks very bright V."

Granny answered, "Bright is not the word, my dear, nothing passes her. She's like a an old soul."

She grabbed my hand and said, "Come along child and sit with us."

I watched intently as Granny unpacked Flossie's bag. All I could say was, " OOPS!"

Granny unpacked a very skimpy bikini, a few pieces of lingerie and jeans.

Granny looked at Flossie, "You poor dear, you must not be feeling well. Tell V, if you're experiencing bouts of dimentia."

"No, I'm quite fine. As one gets older they have to indulge their true self."

Granny laughed, "So does part of your true self include getting pneumonia and hook up with pain? Sweetheart at our age, there is nothing appealing about flesh hanging out."

Flossie commented, "That's a Jamaicanism, all is well with the Universe."

Granny and I looked at each other, desperately trying to hold back raucous laughter, but we contained ourselves as we exited the room.

Granny and I sat in the Parlour trying to decipher the creature that had just landed on the doorstep.

Gran thought, she looked like Flossie, sounded like Flossie, but she had changed dramatically.

Granny remained optimistic though, she said, "After a nice bowl of gungo soup, she'll be her old self again."

Flossie Hannigan was scheduled to spend a week in Jamaica. Granny did not know what life was like in Syria for her, but she was going to make it her mission to transform Flossie back to her old Jamaican self.

Granny began a marathon of "Jamaicaness", she cooked Jamaican food, morning, noon and night. Then she took Flossie to every Pantomime and church service against her will. Granny read the scriptures to her every chance she got. I must admit, it was a battle of wills, sometimes "The fur was definitely flying" but Granny was convinced, that her dear friend Flossie had been taken over by an evil cult.

Granny prayed and doused Flossie with Holy water and Jamaican white rum every chance she got. The two of them were constantly bickering and getting on my Granfather's nerves that he offered to send them both to Psychotherapy. Granny refused to give up. She was going to make sure her friend was saved no matter what.

Granny was able to convince Flossie that she had to extend her visit because her phlebitis was acting up. Flossie was not too thrilled, but Gran did make a very convincing argument. Granny's tactics to change Flossie became more aggressive, so after several weeks of prayers and gathering of the church sisters, dear old Auntie Flossie had made a miraculous transformation. She went from a fun-loving psychedelic Granny to a demure, serene older woman. It seemed as if my Grandmother had won the battle over the devil.

Finally, Flossie felt comfortable enough to confess to Granny that she had become a member of the "Groovy Syrianas" a very liberal group who accomplished the most outlandish tasks by brainwashing innocent, unsuspecting people.

Granny announced, "Well, as far as I am concerned, you can tell the "Groovy Syrianas that you are no longer doing the devil's work."

Even I could not believe the dramatic change that had occurred with Auntie Flossie, It was like she had reverted to her old self. She had become the person that My Granny used to know and love, and always talked about.

Flossie's stay eventually came to an end and it was time for her to travel back to Syria. She was so thrilled with her unauthorized change that she told Granny that she had created enough hell in Syria, she felt that she wanted to try living in Venezuela. She claimed, the weather would do her arthritis good.

Auntie Flossie had become a new person, but her free wheeling spirit was still alive and well. She was about to begin a new adventure in her twilight years. So just like that, Auntie Flossie bid us adieu after burning her skimpy, flamboyant attire. She then set sail for Venezuela.

Granny and I spent many evenings on the veranda reminiscing the first days of Auntie Flossie's visit. We laughed as we recalled a couple of moments when Granny almost made attempts to toss her from the veranda with her new age mumbo-jumbo. Then one day we both got a postcard from Auntie Flossie. It read, "Love it here! La Vida Loco!" By the way, although I'm having fun, I'm back to doing my missionary work. Thanks again V. Tell Magsie that they've named a village after her...Margaritaville!

I chuckled, "Auntie Flossie was a character, and she had a way of adding her special flavor of excitement to any situation." Her little postcard made my day.

Another miracle created by Granny. It was said, that my Grandmother could make the devil do penance for his evil deeds. She also believed that every soul was worth saving no matter how far they had traveled into the Twilight Zone. Granny was able to save her friend with a little help from the Bible, some Jamaicanisms and her sometimes cantankerous spirit. Oh! Not to mention the spiritzing of Jamaican white rum which is said to scare the devil out of anyone..