LYCHFIELD, Trelawny

Although their homes are a stone’s throw apart and they’re the best of friends, 101-year-old Catherine ‘Auntie Kathie’ Gayle and 103-year-old Hepsiba ‘Auntie Ba’ Williams haven’t talked in months. That’s because the vibrant Williams whose left leg was recently amputated can’t manage the journey, while relatives say Gayle experiences memory lapses.

But thanks to the efforts of Steve Warren, councillor for the Lorimers Division, the two were able to reunite last week at Williams’ home.

It was a cheerful reunion which facilitated lots of reminiscing about the good old days growing up in the rustic district on a steady diet of yellow yams and other ground provisions which are cultivated abundantly in the Trelawny hills.

According to the two, this is – in part – what they owe their long lives to.

“We eat nuff yellow yam, coco, banana, herring and shod. Mek you drink nuff water and fat,” noted ‘Auntie Ba’, the more eloquent of the two.

With an energy that belies her age, ‘Auntie Ba’ recounted some of their most exciting escapades.

“We used to play marble, fight and beat gal,” she quipped, recalling an incident in which she and five of her friends were involved in a fiery spat with another female student while attending school at the nearby Lower River – then housed at the Presbyterian Church.

“Me remember teacher send we fe look weed fe mek broom fe sweep out school and a girl fast herself (interfere) with we. We give her a piece of cussing – but no bad words though,” she laughed.

For that they were severely caned by their teacher.

“It was six of us, the teacher call we and beat we with cane. First lick me get inna me hand it red like blood. The six a we a fighter. We get six licks apiece.”

They said however that the violence of their days was nothing compared to the sort of criminal violence that is taking place now.

“Ask them if them a butcher? Stop the butchering!” Gayle warned.

Despite their ages, both women have been able to maintain considerably good health.

Family members say ‘Auntie Ba’ is now unable to read, but still sees adequately to “kill ants on her bed”, while ‘Auntie Kathie’s sight allows her to sew, but she is not able to read nor string needles.