Let Me Tell You Bout Jean!

Every morning, before I set out on ‘adventures’, I get to chat with Jean, the burly Caribbean woman, who looks after Aunt Ada during the day.

When talking to Jean, our conversation goes a little something like this:

Me sitting, listening, and Jean saying:
“Now let me tell you something! When I is walking here today, and people is stoppin me on de street, saying – where you get that bag! …. “
“And hear what I tell you! When I was makin de baby (pregnant), I was climbing a coconut tree and ….”
“Let me tell you somethin! My son - the Aquarian...” (her son’s don’t have names, she refers to them all as their star signs!!!)
Listen, I’m goina tell you something…. When I was gettin de chemo…”

And on and on it goes – for hours if I let it. One morning I decided to do an experiment. So instead of getting up to leave mid conversation, I just sat and listened, to see when she would naturally stop talking.

2hrs and 40 minutes later of solid listening and nodding my head in amazement, and I was exhausted! So I went to the toilet to have a break.

Jean can talk, and although I often struggle to comprehend what she’s saying, her heart is as big as the ocean, and those who know her, feel lucky to be in her presence.