Suffering fools gladly.

A Jamaican friend shared with me a story in the Gleaner of September 2 (see report), that points out how my peeps are dealing with the ravages of tropical storm Gustav. I'm sure that people will remember for a while the image alongside of the lady being carried over the river like she was on the back of St. Christopher. Cost? J$200 for the ride (US$2.75). But really a priceless experience. Better than a bobsled ride on Mystic Mountain, near Ocho Rios? I'm sure there was also someone nearby offering to clean the lady's clothes, and maybe redo her braids. Anyway, she had some stories to tell when she reached her job. Puts a new meaning to hill and gully riding.

A word to the International Olympic Committee. If the Games can have synchronized swimming why can't they have piggyback riding? Very simple event and it probably needs no instant review. We could include irritating judging based on opinions on artistic interpretation--imagine piggybacking and dancing "Nah linga". But, IOC, are you afraid that Jamaicans will bolt to the lead in this event too?

The image of another lady having her legs wiped off with disinfectant and then reportedly having lotion applied, after she had waded through muddy river water, will also be an image that should last for the ages. Cost of that "treatment"? J$20 (about US 30 cents). Another priceless experience? Better than an afternoon at the spa at Barbados' Sandy Lane or Kingston's Jencare? In the US, this would probably have led to a law suit for sexual assault. Someone in Jamrock may see the opportunity to offer this kind of service on a wider basis and have "bus stop spas" dotted around key points in the city, such as Half Way Tree. Why not offer a mani-pedi or facial freshen up after having to rub up against Marvin and Martha on a bus in the heat of the day? I give the ideas for free.

It is a well known fact that we in the Caribbean are creative people, and know how to deal with a range of adversities. Nothing against Americans and not belittling those in New Orleans at this time, but when they get hit by some natural disaster, it quickly takes on the proportion of international disaster and we all hear how "dem a suffa". When year after year we in the Caribbean live under the multiple beatings of tropical storms and hurricanes and volcano eruptions, we get barely a "Oh, look at those poor people where we took our beach holiday, John." Sure, we have fewer people at risk and ironically because we are poorer and less developed, the value of property damage is much less, but "we a suffa bad too".

We move on and try to make the most of life's daily challenges, and put a lot of trust in God. Meanwhile, we batten down hope that we have all of our loved ones safe during the oncoming onslaught of tropical storms and hurricanes: Ike is coming, and Josephine is forming (see names for 2008 and beyond).