me check under the bed.” To her absolute horror, Jason’s small duffel bag of clothes was gone, and in its place stood a stack of schoolbooks in two small piles. “He took his clothes. He scampered out when my back was turned in the kitchen.”
Cleo went out to the portico that looked onto James Street. It allowed for a clear view of the roadway as far as the public road. She stood there hoping she might perchance see Jason and his duffel bag making the turn onto James Street. Her heart skipped a beat every time she observed movement from the public road. Several hours passed, and there was no sign of Jason. Neighbor Gloria, coming in from a late-night movie at the Regal, was surprised to see Cleo outside at this time of night.
“Mother Cleo, what are you doing out here at this time. It’s past midnight.… is something the matter?”
Cleo, adrift in her thoughts, retorted after some time. “Is Jason. He ain’t come home after school. It look like he plans to go off on his own. He took his clothes. I don’t know what’s come over this boy lately.”
Neighbor Gloria entered the gate leading to her house, all the while petting her dog that jumped up at her excitingly.
“This rice eater I got here is one lovey-dovey. I don’t know what to tell you, Mother Cleo. Boy children, when they grow up, can be a real problem if they follow bad company. He was nice when he first came. Lately I notice he gets broody. You try your best with the boy. God knows you look after his every need. Don’t fret yourself. When he sees the world outside, he must run right back.”
Cleo was lost for words. Her throat felt parched, and she could barely speak.
“I hear you. I’m going in.” And with a slight wave of the hand, she retreated into the house.
After four long days of hoping and praying, Cleo decided to visit the schoolmaster at Charles Secondary School. She thought of going first to the police but changed her mind.
“Ain’t no use making a scene about Jason. If he wants to play a man, let him go right ahead,” she mused when neighbor Gloria made the suggestion.
The news at the school was not good.
“Jason has not been in class for the entire week. We all thought he was ill,” Schoolmaster Benn informed her.
That night, Cleo, with a heavy heart, sat down at the breakfast table and wrote a letter to her sister, one which she dreaded to write:
Dearest little sister,
It is with tearful eyes that I write you about Jason. He left for school on Monday, and he did not come home. Today is Friday. Not a glimpse of him since. Schoolmaster says he’s been absent all week, and besides, he walked off with his clothes.
Recently, I noticed a change in the boy, with his late arrivals home and talking back. I thought it was the usual rebellion that many growing up boys have, and he would catch himself. I try my best with him, I do everything I know to keep him in line, but to no avail. I am sorry to disappoint you. I took him to church, give him anything he ask for. I am so sorry. I got to leave it in God’s hand. I am praying for him and also praying that God will comfort you and John at this time. Anything further, I will let you know.
Lovingly,
Your big sister, Cleo
John and Mary received the news about Jason with much consternation. Their first inclination was to leave Tenaboo and search for him. But where to begin? Then they toyed for a while, with the idea of placing an ad in the Georgetown daily paper, the Guyana Observer, that Jason might see or hear about. Eventually, they did neither.
“If Jason cares for us, he knows where his auntie is and where we are,” John remarked. However, they continued to hold out hope that sooner rather than later, he would turn up. It was difficult for them to accept that he would just walk out on his family and their lives without looking back or stopping at some point to reconsider his actions. For the present, life had to go on. Their love for him dictated a resilience in their ability to cope without knowing the whereabouts of their prodigal son.
Meanwhile, Mary was slowly dying. This much she knew. Her night sweats became more frequent, as did the coughing and fevers. It had become clear to John that there was something his wife had not told him. She lost a lot of weight and complained often about how tired she felt. She stayed long hours in bed, and the spark in her eyes was gone. Clothes were left unwashed for long periods, and with failing strength, she baked bread twice a week.
John was at his wit’s end. Returning early from Dalgin on the day of her fiftieth birthday and finding her in bed was about all he could take.
“Mary, you’re not telling me the truth about what’s the matter with you. You’re getting worse. You’re becoming a shadow of your former self.”
Mary was in tears.
“John, don’t get mad with me. I didn’t want to tell you because we couldn’t afford the treatment. We barely had enough to run the house and keep Jason at my sister’s.” She continued as she wiped her eyes with her dress.
“The doctor in Georgetown told me I showed early signs of lung cancer and that he could treat it. I asked him what it was going to cost for all the medication and radiation and so on. I can’t recall the amount. It gave me one serious headache. I said at the time it was a choice between me or my boy getting a chance to make himself something. I chose him.”
John said mockingly, “You sacrifice yourself for that ungrateful boy. Little good it did you.”
Mary was unapologetic.
“I’ll do it again anytime if I had to. I wouldn’t have felt good if I didn’t at least make the effort to do what I did. Someday Jason’s going to realize his mistakes. I might be in my grave, but I know it for certain.”
“All well and good. We’re closing this house tomorrow, and I’m taking you to see that doctor before it’s too late. You are all I got. The bread baking will have to wait.” And with an afterthought, he added, “I’m going to Bruckship to ask Mr. Cornelius to carry us to catch the steamer tomorrow.”
“Okay, John. I wouldn’t fight you.”
*****
They were met by a surprised Cleo.
“You could have informed me you were coming. Anyhow, make yourselves at home. You’re not strangers. Mary, you look pulled down.”
Mary slowly reclined on the Berbice chair.
“It was a snap decision we had to make. I come to see the doctor. I think I’m getting worse.”
“Let me get a warm cup of Ovaltine for you and John.”
As if by design, they did not discuss the continuing saga of Jason’s absence. They talked about silly old stuff like only sisters do until the wee hours of the morning while John slept comfortably on the Berbice chair. The next day, it would be the doctor and tests and more tests.
*****
The doctor was visited, tests were done, and the Allicocks returned to Tenaboo. It was just a matter of time.
*****
Joan Walton grew up in the
