Thoughts of a minibus traveller

DMTrott [ CC BY-SA 4.0 ], via Wikimedia Commons Breeze Sun is out. December breezes cooling Kingston, not far from the Police Headquarters at Eve Leary. I am standing looking around waiting for a woman to collect a book from me. "Excuse me.. I aint see you a long time man, like you went to the States" Man in his mid thirties. Cap. Low beard, lightly trimmed. Belly big like mine. Comfortable tee shirt - like mine. Faded. Jeans, Boots. I wait for the next line about wanting a help.  And say "Nah man, I went and get deport" Man smiles. Looks me in the eyes. Nice demeanour "I checking to see if you want any pills or so... mally..ecstasy "   I not sure what to say.  The woman comes up to collect the book. I mutter something about the street and the wrong street.  She takes the book. I feel weird. I see the man tell a woman in a car to hold on, but the woman seems to ignore him. I remember a conversation with some community activists in

Cutlass "Do you have a cutlass to lend me?" the woman asked me.  She had taken the money from me, fingers slightly curled. Skin on her hands, like the skin on her face and arms, kind of golden brown and wrinkled. Her eyes shine in the face. She does not say much usually. Sometimes I hear thanks. "I will bring it back.. " she says. The woman stands under the tree and looks at the house. When there was a jhandi flag in front of the house sometimes I saw her praying in the direction of the flag. She has been coming for a few years. She stands under the tree. I think sometimes she calls. The security guard opposite had said that she comes often, waits, and then moves off.  She has some brightly coloured blouses and skirts. She wears a headtie, wrapped like a rumal.  She always has a bag, wearing on the right side. Slippers. She is about 5ft tall, slightly bent. Thin.  She never comes on the bridge to hit the gate. I give her money. She has never asked for m

Wake up and realise that I had slept dead through the night. It has been a long time since that happened. Not sure if the panadol which I took for the pains from mental stress and internal sources helped with the dead sleep. The light  through the window is from the sun rising and the night light next door. It is nice to watch the sky lighten through the glass. I see the sky is lightening through the window.  Place is cool, I want to lie in bed some more, not get up. And I think, no get up. Go, do the surya namaskar. You have not done at sunrise in years.  Back stiff, body in pain.  Get up though and try. I think no, what is the point. Lots of surya namaskar done before but body still stiffened up . Surya namaskar in airport prayer rooms or in the airport lounge - coming off flights or while waiting for flights. Surya namaskar on the Mall in Washington after coming off the night bus. Surya Namaskar quietly in rooms not to disturb room mates.  Slipping out of bed inste