abbkrii

this morning on the beach we heard the words of a radio host from a nearby speaker “we’re celebrating the man’s birth and contribution to the country but we ignore how rastas continue to be discriminated against and persecuted on the island.”

this afternoon while sitting alone at the table of an open air take out waiting for my order a group of six police wandered over, positioned themselves around the table, postured, whispered to one another. then one of the female cops approached me and quietly asked

“yuh smoked recently?”

“what? cigarettes?”

one of the men walked over to block an exit.

“open up your bags…..yuh have any knives or ganja?”

“why would i have a knife?”

“yuh dont need to repeat my words. yuh know if we find any ganja we’re going to arrest you.”

I emptied my bags (gifts for family and friends that we later mailed). she sifted through everything then gave me a full pat down, the other cops still flanked to either side.

“Arms up.”

by this time everyone in the vicinity was looking on, including my girl who stood in line for our order.

the look of disappointment on the cop’s face when she came up empty-handed…almost as satisfying as the high i was nursing.

“it’s cuz yuh hair you know!” a woman said once the troop had left earshot.

and i dont even have locks.

(via buddhaspalm)