Pear-ed

Growing up on the island has its pros and cons. I get to say I am from one of the most beautiful and talked about Caribbean island- Jamaica. On the down side of that, when non-Jamaicans hear my origin, they bran me as this weed smoking type of gangster. Two traits that have nothing to do with me.

It's okay though, I just let it go over my head.

Many Jamaicans are realists, a trait I do possess, but I also have a wild imagination that creates this idealistic world that threatens to revoke my card.

I like to think it doesn't hurt to dream. Until I had a dream that actually hurt.

When I was a child, my friends and I use to play this game called Scratchy or Dandy Shandy as many others call it.

This is a wild game that requires a lot of running and movement, but it is also fun and exciting.

I was not grown as a typical female in the house playing with dolls. A matter a fact I think the only doll I've ever received was through the pen pal program at my primary school.

I didn't feel like I missed out on anything though. I thoroughly enjoyed the outdoors. I played marbles, water war, stone jumping challenge. I spent ninety percent of my waking hours at the river everyday with my male friends.

One night after we had a hectic river day, I went to bed all happy and dreamed about playing this game. I did not know the name, but I vividly knew what the actions were.

The next morning my mother commanded me to stay home. I did not. I know you didn't either.

My friends came to my gate and I planned an entire escape routine. I take it back that I am not a gangster Jamaican, because this was some gangster move.

This is how it went down. I went out to meet my friends and I loudly told them my mother said I shouldn't leave the house. I could see her smiling, but as she left the window I ran inside to remind her of what grandma said.

"Hey mummy, remember mama said I should bring her the dutch pot"

"Oh yes, I completely forgot. Please bring it"

I took the pot and gave it to a friend to bring it and I went to play the game.

Before we started, we formed teams and my opponents went over the rules. Your job is to run up and down away from the ball but between both of us. If the ball touches you, you are out. Then his partner started screaming, "win if you can".

I was glad he didn't call my name, because I was two houses away from my house, and to my mother's knowledge I am at my grandmother's house.

This game went on for hours, we were all so good. I am impressed because it was my first time.

When we realized we would be at the game for at least another five hours, we estimated ten more throws.

We won the game, and it was exciting.

The other team was mad, they didn't think when they said win if you can, that we would actually win.

Being the sore loser that they were, they wanted to play run down and catch to solidify the win. They said if they caught me and my team mates, we would have to surrender our win to them.

I was determined not to be caught and in the midst of running away and looking behind me, I ran straight into a pear tree.

I felt like I had super powers to how fast my head back touched the floor. By the time I opened my eyes, everyone from the opponent team was standing over me laughing.

As I was about to get up, I saw a familiar face. That stretched her hands out to pick me up.

"Didn't I send you somewhere?"

Needless to say, I got a whooping.

So much for, "it doesn't hurt to dream".