Everyone is familiar with the phrase "Home is where the heart is", however, this saying rings true especially when one has visited away from their domain and the experience leaves them with a new found appreciation for the comforts and solace of their dwelling space.
This situation was very true for my Grandmother, although she was not a person who often strayed from her humble abode. There were times when she would receive invitations to spend Holidays at her friends' homes, but Granny was always reluctant to accept their invitation.
 
One friend in particular, Ms. San Tropez had a beautiful home on the outskirts of Port Royal near the beach. She was always asking Granny Gheets to come and visit her, but each time she asked, Granny always declined graciously. Granny's grand children often thought Ms. San Tropez to be a bit weird and eccentric, so we affectionately called her "Ms. Misanthropey". She was a self proclaimed recluse, who kept herself barricaded in her house which somewhat resembled a Fort. She did her own gardening and had only one servant in the lavish home she lived, because she found it hard to trust anyone. She was always plagued with the theory that the Butler would eventually run off with her silverware, and whatever goodies he /she could get his/her hands on.
 
Granny had been feeling a bit malaised, and yearned to have a few day off to herself, so when the widow San Tropez called upon her one afternon, it was easy for her to wear Granny's stalworth stance of leaving her Kingdom down. She was in need of some Rest and Relaxation. Although, Granny had refused to have an overnight stay several times before with Ms. San Tropez, her need for a change of scenery was more overwhleming. Therefore, it was a monumental day for the two women when Granny finally accepted.
 
Granny Gheeta asked me if I wanted  to join them, but I refused because Ms. San Tropez always made me a bit uneasy. Everytime she visited Granny's house it was always episodes of drama. She often forgot her glasses and would have everyone in the house conduct an all out search , and then she would call from her home a few minutes later to say, they were on her head the whole time. Granny would subject the grandchildren to an inquisition, wondering if any of us in our mischievous moments "toyed" with her glasses and forgot to put them back. One time, she bought a bag of groceries and left them on the top of her car, driving with them all the way to Granny Gheeta's house, she began to offer us some of the fruits she had apparently purchased, however, when she went to get them from her trunk, the grocery bag was not there. She started yelling, "Someone stole my groceries!"
 
Granny Gheeta happened to be looking outside the house at the Star Apple tree and noticed a brown paper bag on her car, Granny called out...."Livvi. look there, what is that on the top of the car?"
 
In embarrassment, she laughed, "Oh yes! That must be the bag....Silly me."
 
After she had drawn a crowd on the street, all Granny could do was motion to her friends, making the universal symbol for insanity. Nevertheless, of her shortcomings, Granny found a good friend in Ms. San Tropez. She never hesitated to be there for Granny whenever she was ill or needed a consoling ear. "Ms. Misanthropey" may have a been a bit whacky, but she was always entertaining.
 
 Granny felt that a few days of sea, sun and fresh air would do a world of good for her psyche. However, I was a bit ambivalent about Granny's decision, knowing that the two women had very strong personalities and Granny Gheeta liked to be a free spirit.
 
Despite my reservations and pleadings with Granny, she wanted to go on her holiday anyway. She mentioned to me, "Magli, it is only for three days, those days will go by so fast. Not even Ms. San Tropez can create much excitement in three days."
 
In my mind I was saying, "Wanna bet Granny?" But I smiled endearingly, helping her pack her things for three "wonderful" days at the beach. Jokingly, I said to Granny, "If I were you, I would take a few crackers and some milo, just in case "Ms. Misanthropey" is on one of her fad diets."
 
Granny smiled, "You may be right, I will do that."
 
A few days later Ms. San Tropez came to retrieve Granny, she was in quite a hurry to get their days of relaxation started, and Granny Gheeta was most excited about having a few days to go swimming in the ocean.
 
The first night Granny spent at Ms. San Tropez's house, Livvi San Tropez insisted that Granny Gheeta and her have beauty treatments and feast on junk food.  Although, Granny Gheeta was a beauty in her own right, she was not the "girly-girly" sought of woman who indulged in long beauty rituals and slumber parties. Granny knew that junk food was for the young and that when people became elderly they had to eat sensibly. Ms. San Tropez had an affinity for junk food, therefore Granny was thankful, she had taken a few bags of excelsior crackers and a can of milo. Granny figured out that it was easy for Ms. San Tropez to stay up all night,  becaue she was being fueled by her sugar rush. She wanted to keep Granny up all night talking about how the butcher had overcharged her, and the neighbors' dogs had ruined her garden. The difference in their opinions led to a miniature fuss.
 
Granny began to feel as if she had made the wrong decision. Ms. San Tropez and her seemed to have many differences, such as beauty regimens and dietary needs. Granny realized that if she stuck around for three whole days, she would eventually end up in a diabetic shock. So, like spoiled, school girls the two ended up going to bed, thoroughly miffed at each other.
 
Ms. San Tropez had  lattice-grilled doors on every bedroom door in her house. Granny began feeling claustrophobic while retiring to bed. She  had notions as if being abandoned in a forsaken castle. She couldn't understand how anyone could live that way, especially being elderly. Granny wondered if there was an emergency, how would anyone undo the 12 locks that Ms. San Tropez had on each door. Granny knew that crime was bad in Jamaica, but the way Ms. San Tropez acted, one would think she was living in a war torn territory in Kinshasa.
 
In the middle of the night Granny was awakened by the grumbling sounds of Ms. Livvi. Granny got out of bed and peered through the room door. Ms. San Tropez had pulled down the whole house, digging and gradging for her dentures. Apparently, she had misplaced them somewhere. After a few hours or so, a sleepy Granny was awakened by a euphoric "Eureka!"
 
Ms. San Tropez had found her dentures under her sleeping pillow.
 
The next day, Granny felt that things would be much better, she was feeling more relaxed and positive about her visit. The ocean waves were soothing, the birds were chirping and the sun was shining. Granny Gheeta felt it was the perfect day for a swim. Granny eagerly got up, and dressed in her bathing suit, hoping to have a quick swim before the regular beach crowd. As soon as she was able to extricate herself from the bedroom, she proceeded downstairs where she saw Ms. San Tropez reading the gleaner.
 
Granny told her she was going for a quick swim and asked her to join her, and then the sermon started.
 
"Gheetie, I don't think you should go for a swim. There are sharks in the water. It is dangerous out there. No, I think you should stay in and read the gleaner with me."
 
Granny looked at her in disbelief, "Since when, there are sharks in Port Royal? That's news to me...Where are you getting your information from Livvi?"
 
"I read it in a magazine somewhere, besides the sun is too strong, and you can get skin cancer from the sun."
 
Granny laughed, "Eventually something kills us, I am going for a swim, shark or no shark!"
 
Ms. San Tropez was not happy with Granny's decision, but she was curious to see what Granny found so enticing about the beach. She hated the beach, because the sand got everywhere, it made her home messy and the water was too salty. Since her husband died, her will to experience life had dwindled, and she found the negative effects of life more overwhelming.
 
Llivi and Granny ventured to the beach where Granny dived into the water and swam out as far as she could go. When Ms. San Tropez could not see Granny, she called the Life Guards and the Coast Guards and as usual, there was plenty of excitement on Port Royal Beach. Granny, who was an accomplished swimmer, came back to shore, finding a search party frantically running around..
 
Granny Gheeta, called out, "What is all the theatrics for?"
 
"Oh, Gheetie, I thought you had drowned, I couldn't see any activity for miles. You had me frantic."
 
Granny shook her head, "Livvie, I hate to break this to you, but by nature, you are a frantic person...Or shall we say, "High Strung"
 
"Call it what you want Gheets but the world is a dangerous place and you can't be too careful."
 
Granny began to realize that eventhough she had wanted to get away to relieve stress, her stay with Ms. San Tropez was creating more stress for her, because she had to worry about Ms San Tropez, worrying about her.  It suddenly occurred to Granny that she could have created her own oasis on her verandah, minus the DRAMA. Although she had appreciated the gesture of "Ms. Misanthropey", Granny realized it was best that she return to her humble kingdom.
 
Granny gently broke the news to Ms. Livvi as soon as they returned to the house, informing her that her diabetes was acting up, and she refused to be a burden to her. So without delay, Granny packed her things up after a night and a day, and headed straight back, to Home, Sweet Home.
 
Granny was deeply saddened by the turn of events, because she realized that Ms. San Tropez had become traumatized by life and the only way she could enjoy anyone's company, was unless she ensnared them in her world of fear. The thought was uneasy and frightening. But, she also came away with a more keen understanding of Livvi San Tropez. She was a woman that had grown very dependent on her husband, and when he died, her sense of curiosity and exploration died with him. Therefore, everything had become a big deal or dramatic event in her life.
 
Her theatrics were designed to get attention and keep life interesting.
 
Granny was elated to have returned home, and vowed that she would never set foot away from her little paradise again. She elaborated by saying, "You never know how uncomfortable you can feel, until you are not in your own surroundings and things start feeling strange."
 

Granny always said, "Whether your home is a shack or a mansion, there are very few places you can roam to, that will offer you the comforts and solace of your own home". Granny was also very grateful to me for advising her to bring goodies, it was a sure rescue from having a diabetic episode. 

Tags: Granny Story: The Night at Ms. San Tropez's House