Jamaica

You may ask what is a "session"? Well, a "session" is a Jamaican terminology for a real happening party. My story begins when I received an invitation to a party and I was undecided if I would go or not because I was a bit under the weather. It was my cousin's birthday party and I just wasn't feeling in a festive mood. Granny was visiting at the time and she always made it her business to find out what activities her grandchildren had planned for the evening. Granny came by my room because she saw me looking a bit melancholy, she said "Sweetheart, you not going out tonight?" I said, "Granny, I don't feel that great but I want to drop off a gift. Maybe if I had company to go, I would re-think my decision."

Granny answered, "My dear child, I don't know what to tell you, my arthritis is really bothering me." I sighed for a second and then she said, "Alright, I will just go with you and wait while you drop off the present." In twenty minutes Granny was dressed and ready to go. It took me a while to get myself together but I figured I wasn't planning on staying long, so I would make my self presentable and be on my way. While on the way to the party, Granny was giving me directions to my cousin's house and we got delayed because she read them incorrectly. Turns out she forgot her reading glasses. So we drove around for a good forty-five minutes before we arrived. Upon arrival, I said, "Granny, I'm just going in to say howdy-do, give the present and leave." She said, "Yes, my child I understand, you dont feel good, I'll be right here in the car."

As planned I went in, said hello, gave the gift and said good night. I noticed the party was really rocking and the music was really good, but nevertheless I decided to stick to my original plan. I get back to the car, Granny is not there. I thought maybe she went in to say hello or to use the bathroom. So, I went back into the house and guess what I saw? Granny dancing in the middle of the dance floor and everyone clapping around her. She managed to do such a good job that she cleared the dance floor. I said, "Granny, remember you have arthritis, it's not good for your bones." she answered,"The Lord is taking care of my bones while I have good time." I just took a seat and watched. After a few dances she came over to me and said, "Cheer up honey, maybe if you dance a little you will sweat out the illness." Then she went over to some guy and said, "Are you single? My granddaughter is right over there, why don't you go over and cheer her up." By this time I was mortified with embarrassment, my Granny was not only the belle of the ball, now she was becoming everyone's matchmaker at the party. Then if that wasn't enough, she looked around and saw that all that they had for food, were chips and dips, liquor and aerated water. She then declared, "No, man, this is no good, you children need some real food, I'll be right back, I'm going to whip up a little something in the kitchen." My cousins and I were besides ourselves, Gran had taken control of the party and there wasn't anything we could do. An hour later she emerged from the kitchen with jerk chicken, fried fish and curry goat and to top it all off, she made rum punch. Needless to say, by this time she was the queen of the dancehall. She was relentless at her dancing and in between rests, she tried to find my cousins and I, beaus.

Finally, after we began to adjust to the idea that she had taken over and couldn't surprise us anymore, she started her very own limbo line. It seems as if Granny's arthritis was cured miraculously. In all my years, I had never seen Granny do the limbo. I can't even do the limbo dance. I was not only startled but I was getting tired. I told her, "Granny we have to go it's almost 5 a.m. and it's a haul back home. She uttered, "Geez, you young people need to drink more herb tea, it gives you strength and stamina."

Not feeling like arguing, I just said, "Yes Granny, I'll get some tomorrow, but right now I'm very feeble and tired". we left the party with everyone loving my grandmother and asking her to attend several other parties planned for the season. What can I say? She was the toast of the dance.

We made it back home and Granny was overjoyed with her night out. The next morning I awoke and it was very quiet in the house. I thought, usually Gran is up cooking breakfast or reading her Bible, where is she? I gently tap on her room door to inquire about her morning, She muttered, "Darling, Granny don't feel so good today, my arthritis is acting up I can't get out of bed. Would you be a dear and rub some liniment on my legs?" What could I say? except, "Granny you know something, you are priceless." and I laughed heartily as I rubbed her with the liniment.