Caribbean Queen

It had always been my dream to do something spectacular with my life. Firstly, I wanted to be a professional singer but I knew that I had to have a backup plan so I studied for my Diploma in teaching. I was happy to be able to intellectually stimulate the minds of young people.

    I have a short, black bob style of haircut, dark eyes and long, coltish legs. I’m just your typical girl from the swinging 60s really!

* * *

A new year and a new career. I just got a job at a junior high school in the Bronx. It’s 1964 and the country is still in mourning after the death of U.S. President John F. Kennedy. It’s my first teaching post and I’ll be teaching the subjects of Music and French. My name is Eppie, which means “soul” like the music of James Brown and Aretha Franklin although when my parents – who are from Jamaica - christened me, that was well before the birth of this new sound.

* * *

    Today I met my French teacher colleague Jean-Jacques who looks like he’s in his late twenties. He’s a typical Frenchman: tall, dark and handsome. He introduced himself and gave my hand a hearty shake. I knew he wasn’t from the United States because a lot of white guys can’t look me in the eye. I’m not sure if it’s because I’m new or the colour of my skin but a lot of the staff seem to ignore me and when they do communicate with me it’s to scream at me. It’s not that much better for Jean-Jacques who got called a “foreigner” to his face by a couple of female staff members.

* * *

    For my French class today I got the students to do a family tree of the U.S. animated, comedy TV show “The Flintstones” just to make the learning of French more fun. I really get along with this class and feel safe teaching them. There’s one particular boy who has a mop top of blonde curls and loves skateboarding who got down on his hands and knees and started to “worship” me when I - in jest – demanded the class worship me. His name is Tommy.

* * *

    I thought I’d observe how Jean-Jacques taught to see another perspective so I secretly watched him through the door window of his classroom. His students sat on tables in a U shape and each took turns in speaking new sentences as he taught them encouraging them with his words. There was certainly a positive vibe in the room from what I could tell standing on the other side. Everyone was wearing a big, toothy smile including the teacher, which is something you don’t often see from unimaginative, grave, and jaded educators.

    Then, as if sensing somebody was watching him he turned towards me and as he saw me our eyes locked before I turned shyly away and fled.

* * *

    Today in Music class I taught my students the latest dance crazes including the monkey and the mashed potato. The latter dance is like crushing a cigarette with your foot while you swerve your hips around. Some of the students even brought in their own records and we had a mini dance marathon within a lesson.

* * *

    Today after school Jean-Jacques asked me how my reports were going and I said they were coming along well. He complimented me on my teaching and said that I put a lot of effort into my lessons and really made my lessons interesting and fun. He said that he really admired that. He told me that a lot of other teachers simply stand out in front of the classroom and regurgitate information. I put in more effort and made lessons innovative, interesting challenging but most important of all, fun.

    ‘It takes a lot of guts to do that,’ he said. ‘You are a very brave girl.’

    I simply blushed and looked away. I was worried that if I looked for too long into those mesmerising, brown eyes he might see how I really feel about him and that I have slowly grown attracted to him.

* * *

    Today in French class I taught my students some basic children’s songs as well as some love poetry including poems by Pierre de Ronsard, Jean Baptiste Racine, Paul Verlaine and Arthur Rimbaud. Afterwards as the students were walking out Tommy lingered behind. Finally he gathered up his belongings, looked me straight in the eye and said, ‘J’taime!’ before running out of the room.

* * *

    Things really came to a head one afternoon when some of the teachers were picking on Jean-Jacques once again. For once I stood up for him and then all of a sudden I was the bad guy and they turned against me. I was worried that perhaps I’d hurt Jean-Jacques pride in that he needed a woman to stand up for him. But instead he asked me out to coffee and we headed to a café after school.

    The sound of forks clinking on ceramic plates and spoons stirring sugar into coffee cups suddenly seemed to whirl into a huge din as I focused on the man in front of me. My eyes were locked onto huge, liquid brown eyes laced with humour. Young eyes, complementing a young man’s smiling face. His voice was rich and deep as he spoke penetrating my thoughts.

    ‘So what are your hopes and dreams?’ he asked.

    My breath caught in my throat. I had so many dreams but the one that really drove me was to be a soul singer or at least a session singer. When I told him he sat back and smiled.

    ‘Trés bien!’ he said. ‘I’d like to create new and colourful textbooks for French students to make the learning of my language more fun.’

    ‘Hey, that’s great!’ I exclaimed.

    I liked being in his company. I wasn’t used to having a man look full in the face, shake my hand, talk to me like I was his equal and treat me like a lady. Jean-Jacques was the most handsome man I had ever seen; his sensuous eyes caressed my every move and made me feel quite the loveliest creature on earth. I also discovered in myself a surprising hidden talent, one that is most helpful to women to get what they want. I learned I was a natural flirt. With the greatest of east I found myself pursing my lips and looking at Jean-Jacques through lowered lids.

    Before we parted, he asked me if he could call me one evening later on in the week.

    ‘Of course,’ I replied and gave Jean-Jacques a woman’s smile of promise when he said goodbye.

    As I walked home I hummed a French love-ballad and once I was safely inside my home began to sing at the top of my lungs.

* * *

    He called me that very night. He whispered down the phone that I was the girl of his dreams, a colleague, bright and of good humour. He declared he could not abide the women his family wanted him to wed; they sat fixed like stones, and he knew they tried to anticipate his every wish. He liked a woman with spunk; he would be bored with the ordinary. He added, in a sexy murmur, that I made his eyes happy.

* * *

    Jean-Jacques asked me on another date. And another. And another. For the rest of the year we slowly fell in love. I even invited him to join me at my local Baptist church where I sang in the choir.

    I was surprised with how good my colleague could sing. His rich baritone echoed through the church, sounding like a multitude rather than a single voice. His deep, melodic voice meandered into the hidden places of my soul.

* * *

    After school today I was slowly carrying my large basket of classwork up the stairs when all of a sudden a hand reached out from behind, grabbed it and carried it up the rest of the stairs for me. It was none other than Tommy! Who would have thought? What a nice young man. I offered to give him a treat but he politely declined, which made me admire him even more!

* * *

    The following morning as I was about to leave the staffroom someone came up from behind and grabbed my basket. It was Tommy once again. We walked together all the way to the classroom where we learned about the great Marie Antoinette! He particularly loved hearing about the French royal family getting their heads chopped off. Typical boy!

    At the end of the lesson he helped me gather up my things and carried my basket to the door, which he opened for me. He looked up at me and smiled before bounding out the door.

* * *

    In French class I got my students reading large blocks of text. Tommy, who claimed to struggle with reading, even gave it a go when I asked for a volunteer to read. After he finished I told him that he was a “great reader and don’t let anyone tell you any different!” Tommy stunned at the compliment given to him sat there with his mouth in a perfect circle; he was really surprised!

* * *

    In the final weeks of the school year I was called into the principal’s office who informed me that due to budget cuts there would be no job for me next year. Music was being cut out of the curriculum and French cut in half. So, while there was no job for me, Jean-Jacques was guaranteed one.

    I scrambled and rushed to gather my thoughts at this news. What was I going to do now? How would I live? Then I thought to myself that maybe this is just what I needed. Perhaps a sting of a slap to get me motivated was just what I needed for when you are faced with nothing you are capable of anything. I would travel West and try and get a job at Motown Records and realise my dream as a session singer and then, who knows? Maybe even a singer in my own right.

* * *

    On the final day of school Tommy came up to me and shook my hand. He told me that I was the only teacher he had ever connected to and thanked me for helping him. I couldn’t believe it. What a fine, young gentleman.

    In the staffroom no one said much and I said my goodbye to Jean-Jacques as I assumed he would stay and teach here next year despite our budding relationship. You can’t live on love after all!

* * *

    At the train station I waited alone for the train to arrive to take me to my new destination. Then suddenly a voice came at me from behind. It was the rich, creamy, honey filled baritone of Jean-Jacques.

    Turning around I asked, ‘What are you doing here?’

    ‘Coming with you,’ he replied.

    ‘But that’s impossible! You need to be here teaching these kids while you still have a job. My future is uncertain whereas yours is guaranteed. Don’t throw this great opportunity away!’

    ‘Don’t beg me to leave you or to stop following you. Where you go, I will go. Where you live, I will live. I want to follow you to your new community for I love you very much. Not even death will separate us!’

    With that I leant up and kissed him despite the crowd of people coming and going from the station. He took my hand and led me to the train, which had just pulled up. We boarded it together, ready to start a new life together.