Every man in Roswell district wanted Cherry for himself, but I thought I was a mile ahead of everybody since is me and Cherry grow, and now Cherry was a plummy 18-year-old, ripe and ready to be picked. I was a mile ahead I thought, that was until 'His Compassionateness' showed up.
Some people have special titles. The judges are 'Your Honour', the queen is 'Your Majesty' and the prime minister is 'The Most Honourable'. But since Clevan Wilson come to Roswell district, all Cherry could talk bout was how she love "his compassionateness". So I give Clevan him own title, just like di judges, di queen and di prime minister. I call him 'His Compassionateness', or HC fi short.
'His Compassionateness' was one of dem humanitarian people dat travel all over di world and see a few more tings dan me, who had never even been on a plane. But did he see when me and Cherry used to bathe together in di river as children? Was he di first person to teach Cherry how to pack hamper pon donkey and ride it go to market? Or was he there when my modda, Miss Mattie, use to exchange pone pon Christmas, with her modda, Miss Clemmy? No, he wasn't there! So who did 'His Compassionateness' tink he was, to tink him can come water Cherry garden before me?
No one knew why 'His Compassionateness' came to Roswell. Some people thought he was on leave, some say he came to vacation in di district, all I know is dat one day, him jus come, and plant himself in Maas Charlie two- bedroom old house.
Some people even speculate dat he was one of Maas Charlie's many outside children. Maas Charlie was a wealthy man that had several properties all over di island, and was also a womaniser, wid a penchant for young gal. Anyway, all we know is dat one Sunday, 'His Compassionateness' jus drive up in him Pajero and start settle in Maas Charlie place.
Is di quickest I ever see people from Roswell teck on to an outsider. All 'His Compassionateness had to do was open him mout and start talk bout "Ho I feel di spirit, he who has compassion on the poor lends to the Lord, and he will repay him for his good deed". Dat was it, and Roswell was taken up with 'His Compassionateness'.
But HC wasn't happy wid just winning Roswell's heart; he wanted Cherry's heart too, as well as other parts of her anatomy.
One day we had a little get together at Cherry's place. Me, H.C and two odda man was licking some domino when, out of di blue, mi hear HC sey, "Ho, I feel di spirit", and start talk bout how as a humanitarian him help feed how much starving, bang-belly pickney in Haiti, provide how much shelter for di poor in Managua, save how much premature baby in El Salvador, and help how much Hurricane Ivan victim in Portland. When him done, Cherry jus a look pon him like dreamy puss. Me was leading the game 2-0, but when him start di speech, mi no stop lose.
HC won di next four games, and then Cherry bring a round of beers for us. Then when Cherry a pass di beer to him, the fool no hol on pon Cherry hand, and sey "Jesus said love one another as I have loved you, so you also should love one another". Then, right in front of me, di ol prekeh nuh wink har off!
Same time me look pon di empty beer bottle in mi hand, and mi look pon him head back, an me seh to myself, 'Zacchariah, doan dweet. Remember dat Cherry doan waan no ruff neck. She want a man full of compassionatess'. So mi bawl under di liquor, "love one another fi choo, jus like Jesus do".
One day I had the opportunity to be alone with Cherry, and I said to her, " I notice yu and Mas Clevan get very close."
"Yes wi close, I like him cause him so different, so compassionated."
"I could be different; I could be as compassionated as him."
Den she look me dead in di eyes and sey, "If we were to be real fren, God would have to give me a sign, why I should be with you, and not Mas Clevan."
One week later we get di sign. Some town girl come to Roswell and raise up hell pon Clevan, dat him woan support "him three hungry-belly pickney dem". It cause one piece a scandal, and HC cudn't teck di shame, and teck him compassionate self outta di district, and outta mi life, one week later.
Me and Cherry are together now. But I have to sey dat Mas Clevan teach mi something. You can get di best fruit in di garden if yu jus show a little compassionateness, even if no word no name so.