Page 20 - Daphne Hart - 89 and Feeling Fine

Time went so slowly—sometimes it felt like time had
stood still. My Stepfather was very tall and skinny, with

a very dark complexion. With a straight face and straight

nose. Later on, I learned that he was from the Maroon
tribe, from somewhere in St Elizabeth. My mother had

a fair complexion, so they looked very good together.

Despite all the arguing and bickering that went on, he

must have still loved her because he married her long

afterwards and even gave me his last name. JOHNSON.
I remember when my mom told me that she was going

to get married, I begged her to marry Aunt Lue
instead—that way, she would come and live with us. At

that time, she was the only person who loved me.

My mother's last name was Dawes. Her mother's last

name was Swaby before she married her other children's

father. I never did figure it out. All I knew was that the
Dawes, Harvey, and the Swabys were a close family,

living in Berryhill.

One time—it could be months or a year after, they were

calm and civil enough, my stepfather took us to a picnic.
Today it's called a fairground. He put us on almost all

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