Charmaine was very upset over the whole situation. When we were walking home. I asked Charmaine can Ja Ja beat you in a fight. Charmaine confidently told me no she cannot. So my next question was, why didn't you tell them? They think Ja Ja could beat you. Charmaine said, everyone was on her side, I cannot argue with all of them at once, it don't make sense. But one day she will have to prove she can beat me; Charmaine said still upset. Charmaine was ready to prove, Ja ja could not win a fight against her right there; but she did not want to disappoint Mother by fighting in public again.
Mother had made it clear to Charmaine, if someone challenging her to a fight; a challenge is not a good reason to fight that person; or if someone said they can beat you in a fight, it is not a good reason to fight them. These were the message mother wanted to get Charmaine to understand. These were two of the main triggers that led to most of Charmaine's fights in public. However, Charmaine did not understand, could not understand mother's rational. Charmaine knew her actions were justified weather they were wrong is another question. In the mind of the teenager, she should be able to defend herself, her reputation without consequences. But Mother wanted her to learn there were consiquences, for her actions.
Some days later, I was on the Nine Steps, with Charmaine, the girls played hopscotch, on different levels of the steps. Mother send a message to Charmaine, letting her know, to come to wash the dishes. On that day, it was Charmaine's responsibility to ensure the kitchen was cleaned after lunch. Since Charmaine had put off her chaws, and dinner time was quickly approaching, Mother needed her kitchen cleaned before she began dinner preparations.
Charmaine's plan was to ran home, quickly washed the dishes, then return to the game. And so she did. Charmaine left me with Rosmond Defretus; who agreed to take care of me until she return. While there, I got into Ja Ja's way and she hit me. As a result, of the blow, I cried. From Nine Steps, Rosmond saw Charmaine, on the steps of our home, some distance away. Charmaine had a pile of clothes flowing out of her arms. Through the tears I could see Charmaine also on the steps; immediately Rosmond shouted with both hands, cupping her mouth to direct the sound in the area she wanted it to go.
Then words rang out "Charmaine Ja Ja hit Pearson and he is crying." I was not sure if Charmaine understood the message, however, she forgot her responsibilities, she dropped the freshly washed, sun dried laundry, she had just taken, off the line, Charmaine left the laundry on the stairs, and immediately she ran, to my location. Ja Ja was confident, at least Charmaine knew I can beat her, must have been the thought rolling around in Ja ja's head. Most of the people on the Nine Steps believe Ja Ja could actually beat Charmaine in a fight.
When Charmaine got to the Nine Steps, I was still crying. One of the things that Charmaine hated; was to see me cry. Charmaine took me by the hand and walked me over to where Ja Ja was, by this time, all the people on the Nine Steps, left off what they were doing, and gathered around; they all wanted to see how this was going to end. On one hand you have Charmaine who have developed a little reputation as always fighting, and on the other hand, we had Ja Ja who convinced the entire neighborhood she could beat my sister in a fight.
Charmaine looked Ja Ja in her eyes, and calmly said to her. "You have been telling everybody you could beat me". I am going give you an opportunity to prove it in a little while. Confidently and calmly Charmaine said, "I am going to make Pearson hit you back, when he hit you, I want to see you hit him; then you will get the opportunity to see if you could beat me or not.
In a stern provoking tone of voice Charmaine said Pearson hit her back! Now Charmaine was here, I got courage, I walk up to Ja Ja and I hit her with all the strength a four year old could muster. Ja Ja, stood there and she said and she did nothing, she did not hit me back. Charmaine was not satisfied, with the way things were going, so she said to me, with the same contemptuous tone in her voice: "hit her again, unafraid I hit her again. It felt good. Charmaine was becoming annoyed, because, Ja ha would not take the bate.
All of Ja ja's supporters stood shocked by the events they saw played out before their eyes. They all thought Ja ja was going to stand up to Charmaine; however, she humbled herself. Charmaine saw an opportunity to set the record straight.
Ever since that day Ja ja, declared she can beat Charmaine in a fight; Charmaine was planning and looking for an opportunity to fight Ja ja, without getting into trouble with mother. Now this was a perfect opportunity to do just that. Charmaine thought once mother hear what happened she would have approved of this fight. Trying to pushed Ja ja to start the fight by hitting me, my sister Charmaine, give the instructions for the third time, Pearson hit her again. I did as I was told and I hit Ja ja a third time. But Ja ja refused to accept the challenge.
After this confrontation, my sister, took me by the hand, and we began to walk away, from the disappointed crowd, on the Steps. Just then, Charmaine turned around, looked at Ja ja and said, I hear you telling everyone you can beat me. The next time anyone tell me you said you could beat me; I am coming to look for you and prove to you, you cannot beat me. Then we went home.
I was happy at the whole outcome, but Charmaine was disappointed. She really wanted to prove she could beat Ja ja, but her efforts to lure her into a fight, was not successful.
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