In every nook and cranny of Jamaica there are Familiar Faces who have become an integral part of a community, but some of us don’t even know their name. In fact, some of their stories remain untold. Who are they? Where are they from? And how did they get there? The Sunday Observer

Familiar Faces series will explore these and more!

FOR more than three decades, Leroy Long, a fruit vendor who goes by the moniker “Piney”, has stood at the corner of Duke and Sutton streets in downtown Kingston, just outside St Aloysius Primary School as generations of students passed through the institution.

His colourful array of juicy pineapples, crisp apples, and papayas beautifully arranged in the back of his truck has become an integral part of the community. Parents, children, politicians on their way to Gordon House, and passers-by often stop by to grab a healthy snack. But for many, the man behind the fruits might just be a familiar face.

If you’ve ever interacted with “Piney”, how much do you know about him? Sunday Observer staff reporter Tamoy Ashman and videographer Gavin Jones had a chat with him last week to find out more about the man behind the fruits.

A St Elizabeth native, Long said he took a leap of faith more than 33 years ago, leaving his job at a supermarket to become a vendor. His decision was initially unapproved by his mother, who at the time thought he was making a big mistake, but Long’s leap of faith saw him venture into a business that could fully sustain him and his family.

With a handcart and a dream, he grew his business, eventually graduating to a truck. In a message to young people who may have a dream, he urged them to remember that “it’s not where you start, it’s where you want to go, and if you have an aim, you have to work to it.”

Check out these five things about this familiar face and scan the QR code for our video chat with him.

1. Long first set up shop outside St George’s Girls’ Primary and Infant School, selling sweets and biscuits to students at the institution. However, with a strong desire to provide healthier and more nutritious food options, he switched to selling fruits.

2) A true pine man at heart, he fell in love with the fruit as a youngster as he often watched his grandparents tend to their pineapple farm in St Elizabeth. To this day, he loves pineapples more than any other fruit because of its many health benefits.

3. A husband, father to three sons, and a grandfather to one, his family is his source of strength. Next year, he will celebrate 30 years of nuptial bliss with his wife, who resides in St Elizabeth.

4. When he is not selling his delicious produce to customers, he can be found in a church, using his free time to give honour and praise to God for all that He has provided. A Christian for more than 40 years, he said God means everything to him.

5. While most people prefer the comfort and ease that comes with an automatic vehicle, Long said that there is nothing better than the feeling of being on an open road, shifting gear in a manual transmission vehicle. In fact, he prefers to drive a standard over an automatic vehicle any day.

Is there someone in your community who should be part of our Familiar Faces series? Send suggestions to richardsai@jamaicaobserver.com

LONG…it’s not where you start, it’s where you want to go (Photo: Karl Mclarty)

Jamaica Observer’s familiar face for this week, Leroy ‘Piney’ Long peels a pineapple for his customers.

Stationed outside St Aloysius Primary School, Long says he finds joy in interacting with the students and providing them with a healthy snack.

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