“Dweet fi di music”

“Gyal! Gyal! Mi nuh tell yuh seh mi nuh waah hear yuh a play dem ole slack music deh inna mi

house?! Look ya gyal!” shouted a furious Miss. Williams as she shook her head in disapproval

and unplugged the little radio that was standing on the chair of the kitchen. “Mommy a wah duh

yuh suh, yuh tink mi a ole woman? Mi haffi listen mi good up music, mi nuh ole woman enuh”

hissed Jackie as she disappeared through the kitchen door and ran out into the community to see

her friend. “Wah sweet nanny goat aguh run him belly” sighed a frustrated Miss. Williams as she

shook her head in disapproval and went about dinner.

Seventeen (17) years old Jackie lived in an inner-city community in Jamaica and spent her free

time listening to Dancehall music as to her, it was how she would “bill a vibe” especially with

her favourite artiste, Alkaline, who she vowed she would do anything he promoted in his music.

“Lata mommy” shouted Jackie as she left for school on Monday, “lata mi pickney, do yuh bes’ a

school” replied Miss. Williams beaming with pride.

As Jackie entered the schoolyard she saw three of her friends and went to greet them. “Gyal yuh

a come a di pool party tinite?! Nuh badda say no cause mi know yuh an’ yuh mada cho” said

Sarah, Jackie’s friend of five years. “Mi nuh think mi can go enuh dawg, mi SBA nuh done plus

mommy aguh tell mi seh mi cyaa go” retorted a disappointed Jackie while staring longingly into

space. “Yuh a ediat! Yuh cyaa miss dat deh party, yuh nuh hear seh Dexta Daps aguh pass chru?

Mi only live once enuh an’ as Alkaline seh, a now a di time fi wi fulljoy wiself”, the words

penetrated Jackie’s mind and she reluctantly replied “Yuh know seh a tru doe, mi aguh mek a

step… yow a class time, me wi link unuh lata.”

At 11 o’clock that night while her mother was sleeping, Jackie snuck out of the house clad in her

tank top and shorts and scurried down the road to meet her friends and arrived at the party about

twenty (20) minutes later. “We can move mountains when wi a touch gyal” the music boomed as

they entered the party. As Jackie danced, she noticed she was being gazed at by a handsome

young man standing at the entrance of the party. Jackie’s heart raced as he walked over to her;

“can I dance with you angel?” he said softly while smiling at her, she smiled approvingly, and

they danced… After a while, Jackie complained that she was tired and wanted a drink, the young

man took her to the bar and they drank and talked…

The next morning Miss Williams woke up to see her daughter’s bed empty, she went about her

morning duties as she figured that Jackie went to wash her clothes at the river. After a couple

hours Miss Williams realized that this was unlike her daughter and went to search for her – her

efforts were futile as Jackie was nowhere to be found. She informed the police and prayed

earnestly for her daughter to return home; she went to church that morning and informed

members of her congregation that Jackie was missing. A visitor to the church, Miss Parcel

consoled her “Do not worry yourself my beloved, she will return home safely”, Miss Williams

replied, sounding defeated “Thank you Miss Parcel, these words really give me comfort” and

with that she headed home hoping her daughter would soon return.

Jackie, who had been asleep for two (2) whole days woke up early Monday morning and found

herself laying on an empty sofa in the corner of the bar, clothes thrown on the floor and note that

read “Hi, I didn’t get your name, but I had a great time last night. Thank you.” A devastated

Jackie got dressed, took a taxi, returned home with a heavy heart and quietly entered her house

and got into bed. Her relieved, yet angry mother woke up to see her in bed sound asleep that

morning “mek she sleep, caz when she wake up, a kill ar wid lick in ya”…
For the next couple weeks, Jackie was depressed and remorseful of how she allowed herself to

be used all in the name of Dancehall music. A month later, she woke up to a burning sensation in

her genital and felt extremely sick, she got dressed and went to the doctor… When the doctor re-

entered the room, Jackie’s life changed forever… she was HIV positive and pregnant. It was at

that moment that she realized that all the warnings of her mother were for her own good, as

Jackie walked out of the doctor’s office in tears, the question “what I have done?” plagued her

mind. It was the dawn of a new life for her…