Jep is the the third of seven children born to Cathy Simms and her husband Tom ,fondly called Maas Tom by his wife ,his children and everyone in the community .Maas Tom was abused as a child from stories I hear him tell.His father gave him to a sailor after his mother died in child’s birth.Jep too has sufferd abuse both from his father Tom.
Tom’s life was a very challenging one.He was often punished for things he knew nothing about .his father had a girlfriend who used to visit him, not so much because she loved him but for the fact that he was a wealthy old man and he could satisfy her financial needs.
Lets call her Monica for convenience. Monica would always find the place where Toddy kept his money;then she would start fussing about how hard she was having it and that if Toddy realy loved her he would not let her work so hard. “Alright Monica !” he would say , “I tired of hearing the dam fussing every time you come to look for me. What you do with money any way?”
The long and short of it,if she does’nt get any money from him ,she would steal it from his ‘Thread Bag’ THAT IS THE NAME GIVEN TO THE SPECIAL CLOTH DRAW-STING BAG in which people in Jamaica used to keep their money.People had the belief that it was safer to keep their cash at home. Some people still do.
Tom was so obstinate that he never thought Monica would steal from him ,and if he dare to accuse her of any such thing she would start to cry and threaten to never come back to his place.Listen to me Tom she would shout ,you don’t even know that the bwoy you have in you house is the one tecking out you money and now you come to blame me.
With this Ma-as Tom would fly into a rage and call out, “Taam! Taaam why you tek out mi money ? No food fi yuh until yu put back mi money.Tom would often sleep under the house when the door is closed and could hear the happy laughter of Monica who was determined to make his life miserable.
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