Dry Yuh Tears Chile, yuh Noh hear nutten Yet!
By Janice S Ramkissoon




Part 1.



My friend is here on holiday from Canada. We haven't seen each other for a long time, not since we both left Jamaica. She went to Canada. I came to England. When we met yesterday we talked about the old days back in Jamaica. She had recently been to Jamaica on a visit so she was also updating me on the latest events. But before we started talking she was so happy to see me that she ran and hugged me and you never believe what she did after that: She grabbed my hands (pulling me up from my seated position) and started to dance and sing:
 

"dis long time gal mi neva see yuh come mek mi ole yuh han..."


I was so exhausted after that I had to sit down for a rest. When I sat down she started to tell me stories about what was happening. First she told me about Uncle Sammy:


"Sammy plant piece a corn dung a gulley...an it bear till it kill po Sammy"


I listened silently as the tears rolled down my eyes cos Sammy was a nice man and he's always helping the neighbours. Bringing them food from the ground which he planted. Some days he was bringing yam, banana and plantain while other days he would milk the cow and send one of the grandchildren with pints of milk to the neighbours. He was a kind and gentle man. She continued as her voice trembled:


"... Sammy dead, Sammy dead, Sammy dead oh..."


That was a sad story, so sad I started to cry. We held each other and rocked from side to side, trying to comfort each other.  The atmosphere was calm again and she continued....


" dry yuh tears Chile, yuh noh hear nutten yet!"


She went on to tell me about 'Ole Maas Charlie', her next-door neighbour. She said mast Charlie lost his wife two years ago and after the funeral his only child went to live and work in the City. So, he got a dog to keep his company. Whenever visitors came by the dog would bark: 'woof...woof...woof, woof' then calm down. But sometimes the dog attacks. One day the dog went for a little boy's throat .... [by this, my mouth was wide open from shock]


"...and Maas Charlie got so frightened he nearly had a heart attack. Him shout an scream at di dawg but nutten could stop him. Mast Charlie had to get the chain and tie im to di big mango tree ina di back-yard..."


She said all the neighbours heard about it and whenever mast Charlie passed the square, a group of boys and girls (who always seems to be hanging out on the corner) would start teasing him by singing:

"...'ole mast Charlie, im have a bull dog ina im back-yard an when im get mad, chain afi chain im, chain afi chain im, chain afi chain im...."

She continued by saying:

"that's how mast Charlie come famous dung a yard".


Part 2



“So how is Canada" I asked. She replied:


"wait dey ... mi nuh finish wid Jamaica yet. Wait til yuh hear dis....Yuh know I used to sell red peas dung a market... well Mary-Jane and pigeon come eat it out one morning, so I went to Missa Potter to lodge a complaint. Me sey: Good morning Missa Potter Im sey: Goodmorning to yuh maam, I sey: A come to lodge a complaint to you now sir....I plant a piece a red peas, a red Sammy lan' but Mary-Jane and pigeon come eat it out Sir...


[Hear di feisty man to mi nuh]


'Come out a mi yard, mi neva call yuh yah....fa yuh house rent-money nuh done pay fa...'


But di ting is dat I couldn't afford di rent because mi neva have nuh peas fi sell. So I had to tink fast before im throw me out pon di street. I couldn't tek di shame of eviction. Den a remember Aunty Mary in England. Mi holla and bawl pon di phone and she tek pity an sen fi mi. A so comes mi reach a England."


It was all too much for me now, so I said to her "leave the rest for another time because I still can't believe Uncle Sammy dead....She didn't hear a word I said. I got up to get a glass of water and offered her some too. "I prefer coconut water", she said.... yuh remember dat folk song 'Coconut woman is calling out' [I joined in] ...an everyday you can hear her shout, "get yuh coconut water"...'. We both burst out in laughter and then she started to tell me about her journey to Canada. Finally, the Canada story:


"Well, yuh know I got dat British Council scholarship to the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. After I graduated I worked all over England, then I went back to Jamaica, teach drama to youth and adult groups both in social welfare agencies and for the University of the West Indies Extra Mural Department. I, then traveled a bit, and lectured in England and America on Jamaican folklore and music. There were reports in all the papers about me, saying how I help to save much of Jamaican Folk Material from extinction. I felt proud to be doing something for my country. I was getting a little disheartened hearing all the negative things the media promoted about Jamaica and I wanted to make a difference, so I publish many of my works poems, songs and anansi, contributing to Jamaican cultural life in a positive way. I received many awards so became quite known. I was now being approached by theatre companies and that’s how I met my dearly beloved, a well-known theatre personality in Jamaica. He now lives in Canada so we decided to make it our home and travel to where the work is.


Well, mi chile, Blue Mountain theatre is touring England for 'Black History Month' and they invited me along to start off each show with a series of folk songs and anansi stories. I will be here until 29 October so wi must meet again to have a laugh before I head back to Canada. I know yuh have yuh family now so I don't expect yuh to come support mi every night but a brought you a pair a tickets for tonight. I already ask yuh Ms Martha to keep di lickle one, she will be glad to spend some time wid har grandchild. And di ticket include backstage pass - so come an have a belly-full of laugh." 


I had such a good time, I didn't even realised she hadn't answered the question about Canada until she did her piece at the theatre.  I had such a laugh last night, I think it will last me a life time. But that’s ‘Miss Lou’ for you. She’ll make you laugh until you cry. That’s how she became Jamaica’s most famous comedienne. When we last saw each other she was simply mi frien ‘Miss Lou', now she is The Honorable [Mrs], Louise Bennett-Coverley, O.J.,. But it didn't matter what she was called - to me, she was still mi frien 'Miss Lou'.