IN PRAISE OF THE INIMITABLE SALOME!

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his Salome of whom I speak, is  now a physically frail, beautiful Black woman of no less than Ninety-Six (96) years old, but with the soundness of mind and memory recall which could challenge that of her ageing children.

Salome is a proud woman afflicted with the degenerative diseases and physical mobility problems which are common to probably most elderly people. She is no longer able to move as swiftly and gracefully as she used to do in her younger years in both her native Jamaica and, later, in her adoptive country of England.

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his Salome of whom I speak and whom the gods have given additional years, is now the sole survivor of 12 children, born to Susan Bryan (who was born in the parish of Trelawny) and Charles Allen, in the village of Cascade District, ST Ann, Jamaica.

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alome, Aunt Sal, to some of her friends, like probably most Jamaicans and other people of her age and time, did not have the luxury of an easy life. Trained as a Seamstress by the couple she was apprenticed to  in her early teens, after leaving school, Salome would use the clothes making skills she learned to augment her measly income and clothed the children she would later have. Salome enjoyed her apprenticeship and spoke fondly of the couple she trained with for the year or so she trained for, spending her weekdays with the family.

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o more than 21 years old, Salome moved from the familiarity of her native ST Anne in 1941, to live with her suitor, amongst the unfamiliar people and environment of Hillside District, in the ST Thomas. This Salome of whom I speak did marry this man and they subsequently had to 6 children. In common with other men in the West Indies and elsewhere, Salome' s husband would soon leave her temporarily to go and work as a contract worker in the United States, before returning to Jamaica. Shortly after giving birth to the youngest of their 6 children, Salome's husband would leave her to look after their children and emigrate to England, from where he would regularly send the family remittance, which they would collect from the local Post Office in Seaforth, about 3 miles from where they lived.

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s well as having 6 children, Salome would, at the most recent count, have 13 grandchildren, 15 great grandchildren, and about 4 great, great grandchildren.

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t was just as well that Salome found the people of Hillside supportive, as the lack of transport - with people walking to most places, meant that she had very little opportunity to visit or be visited by her siblings, most of whom were living on the other on the norther side of the Island, in Manchester and ST Ann, or in Kingston, the capital of the Island.

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alome is and has been an industrious woman who, when she was working, had a good work ethic  high expectations of herself and of others, and a strong belief that 'things should be done properly', which can often mean the way she would do it. This is something which Salome still adheres to, and which can result in dissatisfaction between her and those she interacts with. Having to work hard for all her life, Salome expects the same of people, and tends to mistrust anything which 'is free.'

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alome often recalls how, when she came to England for the first time in 1956, and later in 1965, she had to work very hard in adverse weather conditions which she was not used to, doing two jobs, one during the day and one at night in her jobs, including as an hospital auxiliary.

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lthough the gods have blessed this Salome of whom I speak, with a long and, with some significant exceptions, comparatively health life, Salome has, considering her hard life, years of physical pain, and the losses she has suffered over the years, not been blessed with as much happiness and joy as those who love her would have wanted her to be been blessed.

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his Salome of whom I speak is  a very strong woman, of the kind which it is often said, 'they do not make them like that anymore'. This Salome of whom I speak is a proud woman who has tried to make the best life she could out of the opportunities and circumstances she had been and continue to be presented with; which is probably a good example to follow.

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his Salome of whom I speak, is, indeed, an inimitable person, who does not take things for granted and is worthy of the love and praises of those who are loyal to and love her!

OWOHROD