Yard Life

Liguanea Stop Light – Life on the Streets in Kingston, Jamaica

Matilda's Corner, Liguanea
Matilda’s Corner, Liguanea

This is the first of what I hope to be many in a new series of reflections on “yard life”.  As usual, your comments are welcome.


So what happen to your foot?

Car lick me down

So why you don’t get off the road and go do something else?

Yeah, I can read and write you know Ma’am…

So why don’t get off the road and do something else… drivers out here crazy you know.

We drove off.

The boy, now really a man, was someone I had seen/known “on the road” begging for over ten years now, from he was a child. He now looked to me to be about eighteen. He was hobbling along on crutches through the Liguanea traffic begging… still…

I wanted to have a longer conversation with him and ask him more questions, like how much money did he make per day? Did he go to school? Did he work anywhere? Why was he still on the road begging after more than ten years and now on crutches cause car “lick him down”.

But I only had twenty seconds or so of red light left.

The light changed to green and we said bye and sped off leaving him there again, while we were off about our lives.

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7 Comments

  1. February 16, 2018 at 1:58 pm — Reply

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  2. November 26, 2012 at 4:17 pm — Reply

    NOT

  3. Kymarly
    July 10, 2010 at 7:04 pm — Reply

    You know, when ever I see them on the road begging, my heart goes directly into “I pity you” mode. And I absolutely hate it. If I could, I would help them and sometimes its so hard; you put them in a home and the ppl at the home abuse them, or they run away…..
    What can I say the story of ” A runaway baby”
    Its sometimes so hard….
    I continue to pray!

  4. July 10, 2010 at 2:09 pm — Reply

    This corner in particular has the youngest and saddest looking beggars that pull at my heart/purse strings everytime.
    This is what they know and this is what works for them so they unfortunately would still be there into their old age.
    more should be done to keep them off the roads and safe!
    well that is my two cents anyway

  5. July 9, 2010 at 2:10 pm — Reply

    good idea from tami fo sho.

    that stop light certainly has some interesting characters. was in a car with a friend the other day who had a long exchange with an uptown dude who chose to be homeless. i was fascinated by his accounts of preferred rooftops to sleep on at night, and how it helped him to have an early start for the day since the sun would beat him to rise.

  6. July 8, 2010 at 3:02 pm — Reply

    Great idea Tami…will do!

  7. July 8, 2010 at 1:38 pm — Reply

    Me Likey.

    You guys need a Like and Do not Like button.

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