Song for an Angel

Culture Matters

Adventures of a

Christmas Angel

DARA E HEALY

“SO YUH ready?”

“For what?”

Dexter sighed dramatically. “For Christmas obviously. Is tomorrow, remember?”

Angel burst out laughing. “Yeah, I remember. But I spend so much time…”

“Playing detective...” Dexter interrupted her.

Angel ignored him. “I spend so much time helping people I didn’t get a chance to do much. I think it have some tuna there, I’ll make up something.”

“Tuna? You definitely have to come by me. The children coming over and some of my bros.” Angel looked at Dexter mischievously. “And not the children mother?” She burst out laughing as Dexter made a face.

Dexter’s mood changed. Shyly, he asked Angel, “You know how they find you as a baby in a garbage bag? Now, you studying, have your own place…How you survive dem homes?”

“Yeah, it wasn’t easy. Some ah the men, even the women, used to try and come ’round me with nonsense. Man, I used to bite and bawl. They say ah crazy. In one place, they chain me up in a cage for days with some others. No bathroom, so you know what going on. Talk ’bout roach and ants? And I never use to take they medicine. Not me! To end up like some ah the others, always in a daze and dribbling? I used to vomit and roll up meh eyes in meh head. Yuh never know, meh real mother mighta be ah actress.” Angel laughed scandalously.

Dexter looked at her in a mixture of sadness and disgust.

“I used to wonder why I was alive. My mother didn’t want me and everything about my life was sh-t. In one ah the homes they had a little radio in the kitchen and I hear this song, ‘Dog does run away, cow does run away/Lady, cat does run away when man treating them bad/Hog does run away, duck does run away/What happen to you? Woman you could run away too!/Get out!’ That song change my life.”

“I think my first case was when I was about 15. I notice some of the girls in the home would disappear. Then if you ask a question, after they cuff you in your mouth for being farse, they would say the girls went home. I never believe that. I remember what the song say and I decide to investigate. I figure, if ah could find out what going on, they will have to close down the place. So, I take ah chance and went in the office…”

“Girl you real crazy yes,” Dexter interrupted.

“When I look on the computer, if you see naked children. And I see a couple of the girls who they say went home. So I start to check rubbish bins, everywhere. They think I unstable so they didn’t use to take me on.

"One day, I passing by the guard booth. Who I could see but the woman in charge and the guard laughing and pointing at the computer. And like they talking to somebody on the phone. Well, I start my usual twitching and rolling up my eyes. More naked pictures of children, it look like thousands.

"When they realise I there, hear the woman, ‘Crazy gyurl, gone from here nah.’ Hear the guard, ‘Aye ah go kill yuh gyurl!’

“That make me think. The next night I start to twitch again and they let me go outside. I realise I didn’t check in the bush, down a little hill behind the house. I find the dolly Jennifer make with twine and sticks. Jenny was meh good friend. Next to the doll, a little mound like a grave. Then another – I don’t know how many. They were abusing the girls, selling their pictures and killing them too.

"Next thing I see the guard pointing he long gun at me, cussing and calling me ‘crazy bit-H.' Dex, ah run. I find a space in the fence and run straight to the station. After, I hear they arrest every one ah dem. And guess what? That was ah Christmas Eve.”

Dexter looked at Angel with admiration and maybe something else. He held her hand. “I glad you take the advice in the song.”

“Me too,” said Angel. “Aye, is midnight. Merry Christmas Dex.”

“Merry Christmas, my real life Angel.” He kissed her hand and they smiled at each other.

Dedicated to Singing Francine whose song Runaway always gave me courage. Rest in peace warrior sister. Blessings to you all.

Dara E Healy is a performance artist and founder of the Indigenous Creative Arts Network – ICAN