It Won’t be Always So

WHEN AH HEAR bout these gruesome killings where ah vehicle pulls up near a crowd or individual, an armed gunman jumps out, selects one or two persons, pelts bullets like madness, someone falls on de ground, helpless, groaning and de gunman continues to pump bullets into de fallen soldier’s motionless body, den speeds away in the vehicle, one thing comes to mind, and dat is, we are living in a spiritual world, and often times demons can have influence over someone’s body/mind causing injury and suffering.

Ah humbly remember de 1940/1950’s when ah was ah lickle youth man growing up wid my grand-parents who were Majors in de Salvation Army. Talk bout Open Air Night Meetings!

Salvation Army had its quota. Every Sunday evening is like dey were spiritually led to three special spots, Rose Place, Long Wall and yes, Paul’s Lot! Dem Meetings uses to be firey. In Paul’s Lot de Salvation Army had ah strong presence way about ah-third of its full-time members lived in rented apartments (small rooms) most of dem along de street way DJ Swagga was murdered last Friday.

Ah regular Sunday evening saw adults hanging over windows soaking up de Service, while lots ah lickle children came close in rapt attention, learning de choruses clapping hands singing along wid de small Army band of two drums, tambourines and cornet. De very pop-yulaw Chorus was : “Shake!

Shake! Shake!. Shake de Devil off (repeat) In the name of Jesus, Shake de Devil off!” Dat chorus was like ah Road March.

Thankfully, de responses to our regular missions were always encouraging. And Paul’s Lot was safe to live and walk any time of day or night. Ah leading figure in keeping Paul’s Lot safe and free of Demons was dat one-dah-ful woman of God, Sister Pryam. She was an early Pentecostal Evangelist wid a tint of Spiritual Baptist. Lady wid a Spiritual Chant, ah cliché dat predicted of things to come: “Mother Pryam says it won’t be always so!” Firstly, she came to Murray Village ah sinful community. She took over Clarkie Church in Rockies and clean up de place Spiritually. She moved into Paul’s Lot in de 60’s, formed ah church on de southern end of Provy/ Laidlow Street opposite His Majesty Prisons (HMP), and helped in cleansing the Block.

Ah should men-shun dat interestingly Paul’s Lot was comprised of a number of ambitious working class

residents. Even back den de community was actively involved in Religion, also Sports and Culture (Soccer and Carnival). Paul’s Lot was home to one ah de baddest Military Mas Bands, located some-way within the lot way Metro is presently. Older residents of Paul’s Lot still remember wid sadness de death of Mas Man “Septic” ah talented self-made chemist, who made de bombs foh de War Tanks, when he was killed, blown away in his lab as ah bomb exploded.

Paul’s Lot would have seen a very high point in de development of its young people during de Black Power Movement, when de Church, de Christian Council led by a cadre of Spiritual Leaders who were conscious of de urgency to recognize and promote de Spiritual, Social and Cultural needs of young people.

In Paul’s Lot a number of talented young persons, men mainly arrived: Leather- craftsmen tanning leather, Drum-makers and players. My personal experience wid one group “Kicking Hell, was dat dey were a small working community.

Is like dey did everything together: Cook, eat, work, sleep, play indigenous music at nights. Lie-Za said Herrbal-lies to-gather.

But best of all, clean stuff.

No outsider pulled up in any vehicle and shot up anybody and den escape.

Mother Pryam did predict “It won’t be always so.”

And wid dat is gone ah gone again.

One Love Bassy

•  Bassy Alexander is a land surveyor, folklorist and social commentator.