The adventures of Yard Man- The Jamaican Crime Fighting Vigilante

Timmy was a typical ghetto youth; raised in a single-parent household, with the only male figurehead of a role-model, being his older brother, Mark. Their father had been a victim of the streets, as he had been employed to the corners, as the chief look out, as he was retired from front-line duties after surviving an almost fatal shootout with the police. Their father, 'Billy Boy' served and executed in his role with pride, until the day he eventually succumbed to the effects of the shootout. Dimples, their mother was evidently distraught, and Mark assumed the role of 'man of the house' at just sixteen. Without hesitation, Mark placed his aspirations of becoming a professional football player on pause and started working after school and on weekends at the community wholesale, to help with the bills and food. He would also take his little brother Timmy with him to work, so he would be able to supervise him while their mother was at work, and so that he wouldn’t be entangled with the ills of their community, that plagued the children his age.

 

Just before Mark's 24th birthday, he was blessed with the opportunity to revive his football dreams, as the local team, who were defending champions, had recruited him to replace their starting midfielder, who had been drafted to greener pastures abroad. He was ecstatic, glad bag buss, however, his little brother's safety still lingered in the back of his head. Timmy could see the concern on his brother's face, and assured him that he will be fine, and a glare of joy was established therein.

 

Mark's season started immaculately. He won player of the month in his debut season as well as goal of the season and was now being scouted by the national team. The more he realized his dreams were coming through, the more he kept humble and took it one day at a time. Despite the community celebrating the nurturing of a homegrown talent, the rates of criminal activities increased, further heightening the stigma that had been embedded within the community. The following weekend was the much-anticipated derby match against their fierce rivals, who they not only battled with on the pitch, but also across constituency borders with gunfire, as they shared opposing political views.

 

It was the eleventh hour, and the opposing fans were throwing threats and banters at each other while the players took to the field. The selector interrupted their feud with the playing of the national anthem, which they all sang harmoniously together, and as soon the music stopped, they were at it again. The whistle blew and the match was under way. Mark took control of the game immediately, distributing the ball across the real estate, sharing it with all his teammates, getting them comfortable. The home supporters were in a frenzy, as one of their own was dictating the evenings proceedings.     

 

"Mi fren a big balla long time!" a voice shouted, as mark continued dribbling towards the oppositions goal.

 

This was his most noticeable attribute, as it appeared as if the ball had been glued to the laces of his boots, leaving only when he instructed it to. With a drop of his left shoulder, and a one-two step over, he cut through the opposition’s midfield like a hot knife through butter. He faked a shot, paused, then aimed at the top right-hand corner of the net, however, the keeper had tipped it over the crossbar for a corner. Pandemonium broke out as the ascendance was  in their favor. The corner came in, and their captain headed home for an early lead, and the direction of the game became clearer.  The "mini magician" as he was affectionately called, made diagonal, straight and curved line passes as If he was Van Gogh painting on a canvas. Nevertheless, the highlight of the match when he scooped the ball over the head "Prezzi II," with relative ease, who was the son of the reputed gang leader that funded the opposing team. This angered their fans, and the threats became louder. The match ended with Mark's team winning the three points and bragging rights for the remainder of the season.

 

"Big balla Mark!" a voice yelled from behind.

 

As he slowly turned to acknowledge the appreciation with a grin, he was greeted with hallow tip bullets, with each trying their best to reach his chest first. The screams and car horns became more silent while he fell flat on his back with astonishment in his eyes, as the bullets embarked on his chest, landing him to the ground. Choking on his blood, Prezzi II rushed over to him screaming for help. Timmy was planted on the spot with his jaws hugging his feet- his brother has just been killed before his eyes. He couldn’t move…. terror had temporarily frozen his limbs.

 

"Ti..coughs.."Tim Tim!" he tried to call out as his blood drowned the sound waves.

 

Walking towards his brother swimming in a pool of his own blood, reality started to hit. Each step he took catalyzed a flood of tears overflowing the banks of his eyelids, washing the joy away from his face.

 

"Take care a Dimples while me watch over unu," he whispered with his last breath as he transitioned in his brother's arms.

 

Timmy tried maintaining a brave face, but it was just too much. He cradled the carcass of his older, knowing it was the last hug he'll ever get…forever.

 

A few months had passed, and Timmy was no longer a kid. He decided to stay in the community, with the intention of avenging his brother. Members of the community kept telling him to take it easy, however, that angered him more. On the eve of his birthday, he was reminiscing on the conversations he had with his brother, when he heard a voice asking,

 

"You nuh miss me bro?"

 

Startled at the fact, he quickly moved from 180 degrees to 90, to see who it was.

 

"A Mark man, nuh worry yuh head bro me have yuh back," he continued.

 

"Then how me cya see yuh big bro?"

 

*Chukkles*  "memba me dead bro…but if yuh really waa see me, go dung a Uncle D and buy a nanny bag and roll a spliff."

 

Astonished at the words, even though being skeptical, he always knew his brother believed in the powers of marijuana, and quickly went to Uncle D.

 

"Mark, yuh still deh bout?"

 

"Yea man, but me a warn you from now, me nuh look di same."

 

"Wah you mean bro?"

 

"When you light it you see."

 

As Timmy took the first big puff from the spliff, he saw what was his brother’s face through the chump of smoke. He was shocked. His face was no longer perfectly chiseled smooth, his eyes were no longer in their sockets and despite being able to recognize that it was Mark, he looked a shadow of his former self.

 

"Selassie-I bro…a wah do yuh so?"

 

"A dis happen when you dead Timmy"…"But a how you look so Timmy?"

 

"How?'

 

Little did he realize that after finishing the spliff, his head grew long, thick, black locks, strong enough to tie cows. He also grew a few inches, which resulted in him towering over the spirit of his brother.

 

"Selassie-I, all me voice change!"

 

Mark was impressed with his brother's new look.

 

"Yow bro me have an idea"

 

"Wah dat?"

 

"Me did see the man weh kill me, and them a plan fi make a move again, help me stop dem"

 

"But me cya fight bro, plus dem have guns and dem ago mark me face"

 

"Bro, look inna di mirror, your face a nuh your face…. look like a di weed or a because you a talk to me" Mark giggled.

 

"Ah…so how we ago do that doe?"

 

"Me hear them plan, so me can show you where them deh."

 

"Sound like it can work yes…. ago look fi di machete Dimples have."

 

Timmy came back to the front of the house, decorated in a green denim jean with the length of the pants cut just above the ankles, desert Clarke's and a Jamaican-colored jacket his father owned, but only buttoning it at the neck, creating the image of a cape.

 

"But a wah di..bredda a wah that yuh inna?

 

"It is di I an' I super hero outfit enuh…look how me boasty… Yard Man out and about"

 

"Nah go lie me like the style and di name, but you can fight inna it?

 

"Chat bout…yea man, me can move same way, if anything me gully creep like Ice."

 

Timmy wrapped his newfound locks in a turban and slung his machete over his shoulders, and they were now on their way.

 

"Breddas fi life….and even inna di after life we ready fi cramp and paralyze all heathen, schlethen, iniquities, back biters and all witchcraft workers. JAAAAH Rastafar-I"

 

"You done now?"

 

"Yea man bro"

 

"Ah….dem a plan fi move Jah B car and scrap it dung"

 

"Wah? that cya gwan pon my watch…Yard Man in town."

 

"See dem deh Yard Man, me will distract them and you do your 'ting"

 

"Mans and mans, di breddrin car trouble unu?"

 

"A which renta dread dis…a who you bobo?

 

The thief, who appeared to be the chief conspirator for the operation, managed to dislodge a bullet from the magazine in an attempt to scare off Yard Man.

 

"Selassie-I!"

 

In the blink of an eye, Yard Man dissected the bullet through its core and paused with his machete before him, as if he was ready to launch an attack.

 

Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!

 

Bullets were riddled toward Yard Man, but he kept his cool, and sliced them like zinc through gelatin on a hot summer's roof. Mark, his sidekick, was busy jamming the door locks with his gooey ectoplasm, enclosing the accomplices inside.

 

"Selassie!'

 

With the back of his machete, Timmy disarmed the perpetrator, slashed the wheels and locked him in the car.

 

*High fives Mark*

 

"Wah you ago do now Superhero?"

 

"I ago call them Babylon bwoy yah now make dem come deal with this"

 

Yard Man then went ahead and made the phone call as planned.

 

"Manners and blessings corporal Jones, son of Selassie a talk with you…. some uncircumcised philistines try rob Jah B car from the ends, but we temporarily slow them down so come sort it out…Selassie out!"

 

Arriving on the scene the following morning after receiving several calls from concerned citizens, the police found the culprits trapped in the car as the mysterious man said. The 'village lawyer' quickly raised awareness of the lawmen's discovery, raising alarm throughout. People started creeping out in their under garments, or whatever they fell asleep in the night before. At one end, you could hear people saying that they saw what happened, claiming that they saw when men, who they wished not to name for their own safety, confronted the thieves, which resulted in them locking themselves in the car. Timmy, who overheard these conversations, chuckled as he kept looking at himself in the window of the police car.

 

"Timmy yuh good?"

 

"Yes mommy, just a check me fade if it still fresh"

 

"Come check it a yuh gate and move from deh so before them crosses rub off pon you"

 

As Timmy got to his gate, he kept surveying the crowd to find his brother, but he was nowhere to be found. The superintendent instantly imposed a curfew on the community, as well as the surrounding areas that were affiliated with the feud. However, this was just the beginning of an impending war. Later that evening, members of the gang that had killed Mark decided to reprise the capture of their cronies, once darkness drew nigh. The police made several trips around the perimeter they had created, to ensure peace was being kept. Somehow, the thugs from Lizard City camouflaged themselves within the darkness and trees, and made their way pass the police check point. Arriving at the center of the community square, they assumed position behind the concrete light posts on both sides, then turned their high-powered rifles toward the crowd.

 

Cakoom! Cakoom! Cakoom!

Beng! Beng! Beng!

Peshengwengweng!

 

"Murder!" "Murder!" "Murder!"

 

The crowd of people quickly disseminated into an orchestra of screams and shells falling to the ground.

 

"Squaddie a come!"

 

"Squaddie a come!"

 

The shooters frantically jostled for coverage as the bullets from the lawmen's rifles whistled by their ears.

 

"Back up, back up…immediate back up!"

 

The police sent for reinforcements as they were not taking any one of them in for questioning- how dare they break curfew rules huh? Timmy was sitting on his balcony watching the proceedings when he saw a tinted Tiida speeding towards the officers, opening fire at them.

 

"Selassie-I Mark watch yah!" "Make me hurry up and done dah spliff yah"

 

"Bro see you change over already, even yuh suit ready…fawud make we do road"

 

Yard Man jumped off the balcony behind Mark, only to land on his feet

 

"Selassie- I!

 

"A wah Yard Man?"

 

"Di grung tough iyah"

 

"So yuh never know dis bro...superhero a get to yuh head?"

 

"Selasssie-I know star!"

 

Yard Man maneuvered behind the officers without being detected, while Mark teleported to the oncoming car, ultimately distracting them.

 

Swoosh!

 

Yard Man's machete cut through the stillness of the night's sky, cutting the wheel of the Tiida.

 

The police then turned around and opened fire at the car, pinning them into the position. With a swing of his head, Yard Man was able to retrieve his machete from the car's wheel.

 

"Level!"

 

"Bro, why yaa try draw attention and a talk?"

 

"I never say anything iyah, it seems like a the Samson braids a sing"

 

Their conversation ended abruptly as the police fired in their direction, trying to locate the who was there as well.

 

"Selassie-I! Bun dem Babylon bwoy yah!"

 

"Come man make we lift up, and memba yuh cya fly before you try that to"

 

"Listen me nuh rasta, I will trod it like Mutabaruka until I reach the promise land and inna my bed."

 

The night brew cold, and Dimples was searching for their father's jacket, as it kept her warm for many nights. She searched and searched and all her attempts were futile.

 

"Timmy?"

 

"Tim Tim!?" "How him can sleep wid dem 'mount a shot yah a fire"

 

Dimples walked towards his door and burst it open, ready to launch words at him like a sinner in a Pentecostal church. His bed was empty, and her belly started aching right away. Walking around with her hands on her head, a million thoughts occupied her subconscious rent free, fueling her anxiety. Suddenly, she heard cackling down the hall and Timmy as if he was chatting with someone.

 

"Bwoy doh ramp wid me enuh!"

 

"A was Dimples?"

 

"Weh yaa come from…yuh nuh hear how much shot a fire fi come a yuh yard?"

 

"Dimples, me never deh nowhere….a Mark me deh yah a reason wid"

 

"Di blood a Jesus against you…we love you and ago always love you, but nuh come round we nuh more!"

 

"Wah yaa run him fah Dimples?.... a him a keep me head straight when all a di stress start"

 

"Stop harbor duppy inna me house!"

 

"A yuh son"

 

"And him dead…dat make him a duppy!"

 

"Jah know Dimples….alright"

 

Timmy tugged on Yard Man's cape and walked towards him room.

 

"Timmy!"

 

"Yes Dimples?"

 

"Me love yuh yer"

 

"Yes Dimples, me love you to"

 

The following morning, Dimples got up early to watch the news in her attempt to find out what had happened the night before.

"Good morning and welcome to Nightly Round-up in the Morning, I am your host Tisha Smith and the following is a paid announcement for our viewers. Now for the news. Jungle Town suffers latest attack by members from the Lizard City gang, who opened fire at a crowd in the community, during the heights of the curfew. Local law-enforcement officials who rushed to the scene said the thugs were armed with high-powered rifles and hand guns. The gunmen were accosted by the police, and met with gunfire in response to theirs. A local resident at the scene expressed dismay, saying they were tired of living on the edge of impending doom. She said now, more than ever, she wants the intervention of the Prime Minister and the church, as we need legislative intervention as well as divine intervention." 

"Speaking from the scene, the Superintendent in charge of the division said he was deeply saddened, horrified and shocked at the brazen attacks by the gunmen. He then offered his thoughts and prayers. He concluded his remarks by pledging full support of the police force in investigating the incident." "Meanwhile, prominent members of the clergy offered their thoughts and prayers for the victims of an event that could not be prevented."

 

"All this and more, when we get back from the break."

 

"We a do good man bro…me rate how you still a guide me down the right path and a watch me same way…naa go lie me love that!"

 

Dimples overheard the soliloquy, and peeked in his room to see who he was talking to. She saw no one, just Timmy sitting at the bay window, just as how he would have with his brother. This brought tears to her eyes, as she knew they were inseparable. Dimples gathered herself, wiped her face, and marched to give him a hug, while Mark on the other side, hugging them both. Dimples started feeling uneasy and uncomfortable.

"Dat smell like Mark Cologne….Markie if you deh yah, we know yaa watch over we, but we good. It a make your brother sicky sicky and a dodo green like yaa feed him,” as she walked out.

 

“How you know that Dimples?” Timmy asked perturbed.

 

“Never know Dimples still a watch you?” Mark asked jokingly.