There and Back

We had a ten-day window free, so we seized it, took a plane to Jamaica. It was partly a surprise visit to see Karleen's granddaughter on her 21st birthday; but also to catch up with many old friends. It was too long since we'd last seen that extraordinary island,  Karleen's home for more than fifty years. I once thought it might be mine too. I'd pulled her away; now the elastic was pulling us back, and we let it take us. We didn't have time to play tourists. The closest we got was 2 nights at the pretty Ocean Palms Hotel in Ocho Rios, one of those resorts where cruise liners unload their passengers for beaches and tours. We could look out at the sea from our balcony.  

I liked the Art Deco style, the restaurant jutting out . . .  

so when you went for breakfast . . .

you could look over and see the fish . . . . . . and watch the real tourists pass by The only reason we went to Ocho Rios was for a reunion with St Hope Earl McKenzie: poet, painter, writer of stories, philosopher, academic. Karleen knew him well from when she worked on the University campus, and typed his manuscripts, being one of the few people alive who could read his handwriting. I was another, and shared this important burden when I spent six months in Kingston in 2004, without meeting him till now. Karleen wanted to meet his wife Trudy as well. [caption id="" align="alignleft" width="1200"] Vincent, Earl, Karleen, Trudy[/caption] Our visit to Ocho Rios was near the end of our stay after many adventures, of which the high spot for me was seeing my step-granddaughter on the day she took flight into adulthood . . . There is much more to show and tell, next time.