Our Stories

A Room to Call Our Own

 

We returned to Jamaica in December 2014.  Ralston was true to his word, he had one room ready for us.  One beautiful room surrounded by construction chaos.  One completely finished room fully furnished, tastefully decorated, with working bathroom, hot water in the shower and air conditioning.  A huge WOW factor.  It looked unnatural in the construction chaos but it was ours and we were extremely happy.  We now had a room in our resort!  A room to call our own.

A lot of progress had been made since September. The building was beginning to take shape.  It was still necessary to use your imagination in some areas.  It was interesting for Papa Poo and especially me as I had never experienced building a concrete building.  Wood framed houses and log homes were all I knew.  But that one little room gave us so much hope.  We were so grateful to Ralston for getting that room finished.  It was a hint of what was to come.

While we were there Rally wanted to stop the construction and not interfere in our break.   We wanted construction to continue.  A happy compromise and some work did continue.  We moved forward with our plans.

We also met our new guard dog.  Because the property was not totally secured, and there was a lot of construction material on site, Ralston brought his son’s dog over to act as the new guard dog.  Rasheed’s dog, Titan, is actually one of Sheba’s sons.  At first he was a rude dog with no idea how to act among people.  He needed a lot of instruction on how to act.  Someone was constantly yelling “Titan get out” or “Move Titan”.  He liked us immediately but you couldn’t say the same for the workers.  He did not like the workers.  He kept those poor guys on their toes and constantly looking over their shoulders.

Titan did not like it when the masons pulled steel too fast – he would try to bite them.  He did not like certain motorcycles – he would try to bite the driver.  He did not like unwanted visitors to the site – he would try to bite them.  He was a perfect guard dog.  No one ever tried to enter the lot with Titan and Sheba around.  The entire community was afraid of Titan.  Titan was always good to us.

If a motorcycle drove by too fast Titan & Sheba would take off across the lot to catch the motorcycle.  They were good, they never left the property – they just scared the bejesus out of the driver.  Often, drivers would stop and ask us to hold our dog before they drove by.  I would say, he’s not my dog, and walk away.  Titan would follow.  His job was done.  

At night when all was well Titan would sleep on our doorstep.  I’d wake up in the morning and he would be there on the deck waiting for one of us to wake up.  Of course, Ralston, was already up and about on the lot but Titan always checked up on where we were.  

Everyone was afraid of Titan, but they should have been more afraid of Sheba.  She could be the evil one.  On one such occasion Titan had done something that Sheba did not like and she took a round out of him.  He was easily 30-40 pounds heavier but she had him on the ground.  That’s our security detail, Doberman & Rottweiler, what a pair of beauties.

Unfortunately, Titan left us early – but all dogs go to heaven.  It was amazing how much fear he instilled in the local people.  They would just take a look at him and say no way, man.  He was the perfect construction guard dog.  Sheba is still with us.  She has slowed down but she still has her moments.  I enjoy the times she comes to me for attention and if I am not scratching enough she will push her doggie nose under my hand and ask for more.  Always, Sheba, always.

We left Jamaica & Villa Jewel very happy.  Happy about how things were progressing.  Happy about spending a Christmas in Jamaica.  Happy to be returning home.  Happy to know that we always had a room to come to.

‘How beautiful it is to find someone who asks for nothing but your company.’

Give your pet some love, 

Baba

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February 16, 2022