The Adventures of Ludiboy

Ludiboy gets a visitor

     How Ludiboy ended up in Red Boar community was never really known. In fact, many of Red Boar's other residents did not know how they came to be there. Some believed that they were just born there while others refused to stress themselves over the matter. Only men like Teacher Gordon remembered how he came to be there: he and his father, Robert  Gordon, moved there to inhabit an old family house that had been there for years. It was a short story that he prided himself on telling his daughter, Bethany. 

"In those days", he would say, "times were a lot better, and little men did not go about gambling on the streets", by that he was referring to Ludiboy.

      If you went pass the old school, and cricket field that were down by the far roads of the community, you would come upon a small bus stop, with a small, board bench under a roof made from zink and supported by two long iron pillars. That bus stop had grown old and could not tell the last time someone had either waited there or arrived since no one from Kingston or anywhere else ventured to Red Boar. However, that was to change. 

An old country bus stormed up the rough road. Its driver beeped the horn, loudly as he shifted the gear and struggled to pull the wheel around the corner. There were people both inside and on the outside with luggage, and some on the roof. It was an old market bus, and one that did not really have a reason to come that way, but it carried a passenger who's destination was Red Boar.

     The bus came to a screeching halt and the doors swung open as some people made their way out so as to allow one passenger to come out.
She, was an older woman, seeming about fifty or above, but if you did not know this, you would not think so, because her walk was as strong as a twelve year old! The people who had come out, re-entered, the doors closed and the bus sped off in a jiggly way, up the country way.
The lady was attired in a long frock, carried a big, white bag with some of her belongings, a red and white kerchief, around her head and a small goat which she pulled by a firm rope. She walked silently through the early country breeze, not making a noise and hardly looking up. Her face was not too old, but definitely not young. Those who did see her wondered who she was and either watched her from their windows or from their verandahs.

      Some boys followed her as she moved 'round corner and bend, not stopping to rest for a woman her age. They did not know her, but did not want to inquire of who she was. Ms. Gracious was a woman who was always up those hours, and when she saw the woman, she ran out and called to her.

"Hello ma'am? Howdy do?" she greeted. 

The old woman stopped and looked up at a glaring Ms. Gracious. 

"I do fine, ma'am", she replied in a senior voice.

Ms. Gracious drew closer to her. 

"Me name is Catherine Gracious, ma'am. I am one of the humble residents of Red Boar, here, ma'am. And who might you be?" she asked politely. 

It was then that the lady seemed to relax, and said, "me name is Aunt Beverly. I here, looking for me nephew Ludiboy---" she introduced.

" 'Ludiboy'? Yes ma'am, we know him fine!" she interrupted the lady with a rustic tone. 

"But how him have him poor-poor old relative, walking in the morning sun and don't come for her? I say, these men these days you see: no manners for a woman!" Ms. Gracious debated.

"I don't know, ma'am, I sent him letter of my arrival, weeks ago, but here I am, alone."

 Ms. Gracious felt compassion for the old woman and invited her to have some chocolate tea with her inside. The lady felt discouraged to go into the house of a woman she did not know, but after Ms. Gracious promised to accompany her, she acceded.