By:Curtis Morton
The way I see it, parents can make an indelible impression on the minds of their children.
The question is then dear reader: “What kind of an impression have you made on the minds of your children or if you are a child, what impression has been made on your mind by your parents?
I have fond memories of my late mother and father. Mind you, they were strict disciplinarians and no nonsense individuals when it came to matters of church and school.
Religion and Education were high on their list of priority items. Those were the days when parents TOOK children to church and not merely SENT them to church.
Those also were the days when you may be able to duck out of church for one week, with the overused ‘belly ah hut me,’ excuse, but trust me, you would not get away the next week, because it would be the strangest of coincidences that your belly ‘hut’ you, only when it was time to go to church.
Well I newa!
However, today I am reflecting on my Mom as an individual who stood up for what is right.
Mildred Morton of revered memory, was short in stature but she was very well learned and totally outspoken and would stand up in any forum to voice her opinion on any issue that she thought it was necessary, so to do.
I was summoned to court, once in my life as the ACCUSED.
Long story turn short: We had an active sports club in our church and we went around cleaning overgrown lots for people for a price, so that we can purchase sporting equipment etc.
Well, my Mom asked me to bring the group to clean this bit of land, which at the time was a bone of contention between our family and another family, as regards ownership. Actually, the original owner had sold it to my mother and father and then her lawyer turned around and sold it to another gentleman.
Interestingly enough the same surveyor who surveyed the land for my parents, was hired by the crooked lawyer to survey the land for the gentleman!
Well I newa!
So, when we went to clean the land that Sunday morning, the man passed by and did not say anything but by the Monday morning, Sterling Marshall the Bailiff was bringing a summons to me ‘for trespass and damage.’
So, naturally I asked what about the other 17 persons who helped to clean the land and by the way, two of the man’s sons were a part of the sports club and helped to clean the land!
Sterling informed me that I was summoned as the ‘ring leader’ because the man found out that I was the president of the club.
Well I newa!
So long story short: I was back and forth in court. One week case postponed due to his lawyer not showing up. Next time, my lawyer, the famous Lee Moore could not make it and by the way, when the Police officer went to the door of the court and shouted out: ‘Curtis Morton..Curtis Morton….I cringed. I was fearful and embarrassed to be there.
Well eventually, the case was called and whatever was arranged between the two lawyers, the man’s lawyer stood up in court and said that he was dropping the charges against Mr. Morton
Now after weeks of stress and turmoil, I was so happy to get out of the court, I started to make haste towards the door.
Oh, I forgot to say that my dear mother had accompanied me to court every time as a show of support.
My mother yelled loudly: ‘So who going to compensate Curtis for all the money he done spend?’
I guess it was a sensible question but I was thinking to myself ‘wrong place –wrong time.’
‘Ma, let’s go,’ I pleaded but my mother just so totally ignored me and turned to the Magistrate and demanded that I be compensated.
I thought to myself, ‘look how my mother going to get lock up now!’
Interestingly, the Magistrate realized that he had his hands full and demanded of the man’s lawyer to arrange compensation for me.
That is when my mother left.
Well I newa!
Sufficing to say, that incident happened sometime during the late 1980’s and the lawyer never mentioned the word compensation to me since!
However, as I reflect on my mother, I will remember her as upright and FIESTY, as the Jamaicans would say.
I thank God for the good impressions she and my dad left for us their children.
That’s the way I see it. How do you see it?