Social commentary. We see him all the time on Mandela Highway sitting on a makeshift wooden chair in the heat of the day or in the pouring rain under an umbrella.
At nights that chair and umbrella become his bed; day after day, night after night he’s there. Many speculated…his wife was involved in a fatal hit and run at that exact spot…ever since that’s where he stayed. A true Jamaican love story or not.
Curiosity got the better of me as I drove up to this stranger, hoping that he’s not crazy and attacks me. He stood there in the harsh heat of the sun where I shaded my face to say hello.
‘Good day,m’am’ I breathed easy again, introduced myself, revealed my purpose.
‘Some sey a man, some sey a woman, which one yuh believe?’ he asked. I laughed and replied ‘Neither, tell me your story’.
‘Well dem spread nuff propaganda pon mi but none huh true. Some even sey might mad’
His name is Basil Parchment, 75 years of age and he’s been homeless for a year. The sidelines of the busy Mandela is now the only place Mr.Parchment calls home.
If is not how rumour has, why is this skilled painter sleeping on the streets? If you want to know then watch out for Part 2 next week.
