Sand in My Shoes

*** 

Chia loved her housekeeper, Dorothy. Sometimes she looked at the woman and thought, ‘I love her more than my own mother.’

Dorothy’s hands were so big that they could wrap around a huge pumpkin, and with one quick flick of her wrists, she could easily pull the fruit off the vine. The fourth finger on her left hand was missing, and it was this physical peculiarity that often made Chia beg,

‘Dorothy, tell me the story of how you lost your finger.’

She never tired of the tale, and if Dorothy did, she never showed it.

‘Well child,’ she would begin in her lilting Bahamian drawl, ‘let me tell you how it happened. When I was a young woman and just married, my husband and I didn’t have much to eat. So every day when he went to work at the saw-dust mill, and after I had finished rubbing the clothes over the old washboard and hung them up to dry, I went down to rocks by the sea. I carried some hermit crabs as bait, and threw out my fishin’ line to see if I could catch us some dinner. Girl, I loved going down there ‘cause it was so peaceful, and I could get away from my mother-in-law, who was always complaining about somethin’. The other women in the village scoffed at me ‘cause they thought fishin’ was a man’s job. But when I dangled my toes in that cool water and watched the clouds float across the sky like white angels, I felt that God was renewing my soul.’

At this point Chia usually became fidgety.

‘Dorothy, just tell me the story. Don’t give me a sermon now, please. I just want to know how you lost your finger!’

‘Well,’ Dorothy continued unruffled, ‘on this day, I hadn’t caught a thing. I pulled in my line but the hook caught on a piece of coral just below me. I could see the steel glinting in the sunlight under the water’s surface, but no matter how hard I pulled, I just wasn’t able to free it. Evenin’ was comin’ on and I had to get home. I didn’t want to cut the line ‘cause I only had a few hooks, and no money to buy more.’

‘But Dorothy, hooks only cost a few pennies!’ Chia cried.

‘Well child, I didn’t even have a few pennies, so every hook was precious to me.’

‘What happened then?’ asked Chia impatiently. She knew the best part of the story was just about to unfold.

‘Well, I thought for a minute, and then I leaned out over the rocks and stuck my hand into the water to pry loose that stubborn hook. Now you know I have strong hands, but no matter how hard I twisted and turned, that hook was stuck. Suddenly, somethin’ green and silver shot out from the ledge below me. I felt a sharp stingin’ pain in my hand. Lord! I didn’t know what hit me!’

‘What was it?’ Chia cried.

‘Well child, I jerked back my hand, and there hangin’ from my finger was a spotted green moray eel, and he was lookin’ me straight in the eye with no shame, whippin’ his tail around my arm! Girl, I was so scared all I could do was run. I hightailed it back to the village with this creature hangin’ on to me, like he owned me!’

‘My friend, Annie, saw me on the path, and she cried out, “Jesus, what is this?” Then she grabbed my good arm and dragged me all the way to your Daddy’s clinic, both of us screamin’ like two wild hogs when they hunt them and cut them open with knives! Your Daddy, hearin’ all that ruckus, stuck his head into that crowded waiting room and yelled, “For God’s sake, what is all this commotion about?”.’

‘What did my Daddy do, Dorothy? What did he do?’ cried Chia eagerly.

‘Well, when he saw that spiteful moray eel hangin’ from my hand, his white face turned even whiter. He yanked me into his office, and shoved my arm and that writhin’ monster right on his operating table. Now let me tell you somethin’ girl. Moray eels don’t like to let go. That’s a fact that every Bahamian fisherman knows and respects. Moray eels possess a viciousness like no other creature in the sea. They’re even worse than barracudas or sharks! Your Daddy said to me, “Dorothy, we’re going to have to put this slippery critter to sleep,” and by God, he stuck him with a needle the size of a Coca-Cola bottle. My finger was torn to shreds. I could see white fibers that looked like the popped strings on my cousin, Ronnie’s guitar. Now let me tell you, your Daddy was a calm man, and when he sewed a wound, everybody said he would concentrate jus’ like God! But after some time of bein’ so serious, he looked up at me and said, “I’m sorry, Dorothy. You’re going to have to wear your wedding band on the other hand because I can’t save this finger.” After he finished workin’ on me and layin’ on those clean bandages, he took his scalpel and cut open that slimy eel. Lawdy, if he didn’t pull out my gold ring from that stinky belly! To tell you the truth, I should have known right then that God was giving me a sign and tryin’ to tell me that my husband wasn’t worthy of me wearin’ his ring. But girl, that’s another story that I’ll keep for you when you’re older!’

‘What did your mother-in-law say when she saw you?’ asked Chia.

‘She was a nasty piece of work. All she could say was, “See Dorothy! I told you so! The Lord punished you for doin’ man’s work!” But in my heart, I knew that was just foolishness.’

Discover the Islands of the Bahamas

According to the Bahamas Tourism office the Islands of the Bahamas is unique with their individual character and charm--and there is some truth to this.

Visit the main islands like beautiful Grand Bahama Island (Freeport/Lucaya) and bustling New Providence (Nassau and Paradise Island). 

Or, if you really want to get away from the crowds, visit one of the many out islands like Abaco, Andros, Acklins and Crooked Island, Biminis, Berry Islands, Cat Island, Eleuthera, Exumas, Inaguas, Mayaguana, and San Salvador.

Bahamas Facts & Figures

Whether you need information on alcohol, camping, and our wonderful climate, or want to know about our currency, and education system, our rich history and immigration policies. The Bahamas Guide Facts and Figures section should have what you are looking for.