The watery goodness of Castleton

The girl was about six years old and her hair was full of colourful clips. She was carrying a bag over her shoulder and as we approached each other going in opposite directions on the roadway, she smiled.

"Good morning!" she said. Her voice was chirpy and she gave a little wave as I returned the greeting. With that, she continued up the hill.

The girl and I passed each other just outside Castleton Gardens in St Mary. It was a sunny weekday morning. It had rained the night before so the grass and trees were still wet. I was walking toward the entrance to the Gardens when I spotted another figure heading my way.

He was a dreadlocked man whose hair was so long it was nearly dragging on the ground behind him. He was slightly hunched over and even though he was walking slowly, there was a bounce to his steps. The man was dressed in a long, red and green robe and held a wooden cane painted in the same colours. His eyes were red but friendly. He wasn't wearing any shoes and I could hear him singing softly. "Rastafari give I strength," were the only words I could make out before he spotted me. He held the cane high over his head.

"Hail I!" he said. It sounded more like an order than a greeting so without thinking I put my hand over my head and called out: "Hail!" Somehow it didn't sound right when I said it.

The man grinned. I quickly changed the subject.

"Er, where you heading?" I said. The man waved his cane.

"I ah trod it up di hill yah. Rasta guide di I for I gone leave yuh," he said and continued up the hill. He resumed singing as he walked. "Rasta guide and protect I."

I walked up to the entrance to Castleton Gardens and went inside. The sound of the river was the first thing that I noticed. The recent rains meant the river was rushing. Perfect for river lovers and clothes washers.

All along the banks of the river were small groups enjoying the water in different ways. There was a prayer group of about 15 men, women and children standing in the water, holding hands and praying. About 20 feet from where they were, three boys were taking turns diving while to their left, five women were busy washing clothes. They were laughing loudly and seemed the merriest bunch despite their seemingly tedious endeavour.

I walked over there and let out a hearty hello.

All five women looked up and smiled. They were all dressed in long skirts and T shirts and had clothes pins attached to different parts of their clothes. I introduced myself and the women offered me a seat on a large rock beside them. I obliged and asked them if they visited the park often.

They laughed.

"Yes man!" said one of the women. She seemed the eldest of the lot and had unprocessed, greying hair.

"Even when we not washing, we here. We might come wid we prayer group or even just fi cool out when we ready," she said.

Splash! One of the boys nearby had just jumped into the water. The woman who had just told me of her visits to the park looked in the direction of the splash.

"Eldridge!" she yelled, looking bothered.

"Ah tell yuh ef yuh lick yuh head pon one ah di rock dem I gwine lef yuh in deh meck river muma nyam yuh!" she shouted.

The boy climbed sheepishly out of the water and went to sit on a rock while the other boys swam around.

I asked the women if they lived nearby. Another of the group, this one a younger woman with broad shoulders put her hand up like a child would in class. I didn't know what else to do, so I pointed to her.

"Yes sah, I live nearby. Ef mi did have time mi would carry yuh go know mi aunty but mi busy," she said.

Splash! Another boy had jumped into the water. The woman who had earlier sent Eldridge the ominous warning looked in the direction of the splash to ensure he was not the offender this time. Eldridge was still perched on his rock, so there was no need for her to say anything.

I told the women that I thought the atmosphere at the Gardens was inviting.

They all laughed again.

"Yuh must come back, man. Come back one day meck wi cook some food and have likkle enjoyment," said the eldest woman. "Castleton deh yah fi everybody. Nuh meck true it deh fur yuh nuh get fi yuh enjoyment outa it."

Where should Robert go next? Let him know at robert.lalah@gleanerjm.com