Ode to DAD

Daddy's Girl

1/18/2017

I did a style tribute to my mom Monday, so it is only fitting I do a style tribute to my sweet papi-pop, aka my Jamaican daddy.

Liptick Coloured Raine Cherry Blossom, $17

Ok, I am going to try to get through this post without crying.My dad is EVERYTHING to me, ok?! I have never seen such a hard worker and humble individual in my WHOLE life. Growing up rural Jamaica alongside 14 other siblings, my dad did not grow up with a lot.He also experienced loss of siblings at a very young age as one of his sisters died in her sleep and he found his older brother passed on in his later years.Unable to attend school after 8th grade due to financial hardship , my dad was determined to make the best of life by learning various trades.You aren't a real Jamaican if you don't have at least 3 full time jobs simultaneously.From tailor, chef/cook, janitor,house builder, and more my dad did what only what he knew and that was to work.

Growing up in an black southern /caribbean cultured home all while being very religious I had the worst of all worlds lol. I hate collard greens and even worse I hated Callaloo (Caribbean style greens).Homemade concoctions of honey and lemon ( and other stuff which I swore on my little sheltered like were the grossest things ever) were the 'doctor'."Drink it.It is good for you" were 'doctor's orders'. My dad is also a preacher and to answer your question, yes I was TERRRRRIBBLE. Anytime I asked a question , I could expect a bible verse to accompany the answer. Boys, don't even ask *insert bible verse about marriage and courtship here. He still never told me how to get married if I can't even talk to boys, but I figured it out (smirk).You don't know strict until you have a Jamaican preacher as a dad.NO pants, no earrings, no boys (the worst part), no NOTHING. My life was church and school. As much as I hated it , I can look back and still say I hate it but at least I was safe off the streets.As soon as I was old enough to work,I did.I got my first little check and I knew I was gonna 'ball out'.I wanted this fly Levi's denim jacket from the JC Penney catalog, now I know what you are thinking....so shut up (that catalog used to be lit. Diddy's girl and singer Cassie used to model for them).Anyway I got the jacket and he made me take it back. I cried and yelled. He said it was too expensive and made me open a checking account instead. I will always be grateful for that lesson.I won't ,however be grateful for the time he yelled at me when he saw my collection of over 20 pairs of sunglasses."Neeka! why you gat all dem darkers(sunglasses)?!!" Not a month goes by when I don't reflect on that before I splurge on new shoes (I am grown now.I deserve things lol).My dad also taught me to sew on his old sewing machine, which I used to sew my shirts to make them tighter fitting.I .am.not.ashamed.It was all I had y'all, don't judge.I owe so much of the fiber of my being to my dad.He has worked his whole life and to my surprise and pleasure, my dad told me he is officially retiring next month! At first I was like 'Jamaicans don't retire!' and he tilted his little head back and cackled like he always does and then sipped some water. I'm so proud of my dad. He made sure we never went without and kept me humble by only giving me $20 for my birthday. I can count on my fingers how many times he has given me more than $20, but it seemed to almost always be enough (to keep me humble).

Happy retirement daddy, love you and am so incredibly proud to have you as my dad!! *que the tears in 3...2...1