| – residents call her “dangerous” By Rehana Ashley AhamadTo kids, it might seem like the ultimate “George of the Jungle experience”, but it may very well be that the woman living in the big old tree at Houston, on the East Bank of Demerara has nowhere else to go. Mind you, it is not a wooden structure or tree-house built to the branches that some exciting minds may imagine. On the contrary, the woman is living inside of the hollow tree trunk.One simply cannot miss it; the very old, very tall tree, which separates Mc Doom and Houston. The tree stands next to the sign that indicates entry into the Houston community for those heading north to Georgetown.On my way to work over the past few months, I would see mattresses, pieces of wood and tarpaulin piled up against the tree trunk, but the thought that it might be someone’s strange habitat never crossed my mind.The mentally unstable woman lives in the trunk of this treeBut recently,China Jerseys, I passed in a minibus and noticed something that completely grabbed my attention. Smoke was emanating from the top of this tree. I was extremely curious, and instead of proceeding to work, I came out to examine the possibility of a fire in the tree.I was almost at the entrance of its trunk when a resident of Houston shouted “young lady move from there. It ain’t safe. A mad woman living deh, and she got a cutlass.” I was indeed startled, so I did not go further.Instead, I crossed the road and made my way over to the man so as to thank him for the warning. I then proceeded to ask about the woman, but he didn’t seem to know much. All he said was that she had started living in the tree for about a few months prior to July last.I admit that I somewhat badgered him for more information on her, but he did not seem to know much more.I then took a few pictures of the tree, and left for office. I kind of dropped the issue a bit, but surely not for long, because every day, as I passed that location, I would try to get a glimpse of the mysterious woman.Then just last week, while returning from another story in Eccles, I stopped to get even more photographs of the tree, hoping that I might also see its mysterious occupant.Although the man’s warning was replaying itself in my head, I still ventured nearer. As my camera flashed, I heard a strange, rustling sound behind the tarpaulin. I peeped to see what it was.And there she was; a slim, dark-complexioned woman chopping away on a piece of wood. I assumed that that was meant to keep the fire going, as on that day too, smoke was emanating from the top of the tree. I was tempted to take a picture, but her cutlass was obviously sharp and I didn’t want to risk being maimed.So, slowly, I took a few steps back, and tried to assess how to get the photograph of her. I realized the street south of the tree was a perfect spot, especially since a canal separated me from the woman, so an excited me proceeded.While taking a few snaps, the woman noticed me and became obviously enraged. She rushed out from behind the tarpaulin with her very sharp cutlass. I wanted to get a “top class” shot, so I continued snapping photos.But then I realized that my cab had secured comfortable parking on the northern side of the tree, and would not see my signals for help. More frightening was the fact that I had nowhere to run. I was backed by a dead end, and all the gates nearby were padlocked.I panicked, and lowered my camera. I felt silly afterwards, but I even remember praying-“God please don’t let this woman chop me”.I knew she could have harmed me, but I think she felt less threatened as I had lowered my camera, since she didn’t come any closer. She just stood on the road, brandishing her cutlass and cursing. “What the —–you want? I ain’t know you,” she shouted.After a few minutes, the woman had calmed down. Another resident of the area (how thankful I am to him), walked me past the tree to where my taxi was parked. As the car drove off the woman was still cursing at me.Nonetheless, the photos I took of the woman were not good enough for the newspaper, and I desperately wanted to pen a story about this woman. I obviously needed to know more, so again, I returned to the tree on the Houston Public Road.But, the woman was not at home. I can’t say I was very disappointed at this. I resorted to interviewing some residents of McDoom and Houston. They didn’t know much, except that the mentally unstable woman is always armed with a cutlass and is extremely protective of her territory.“Somebody should do something and move this woman. Children and so does pass there, and she head ain’t good. She could chop anybody, at anytime. Plus, that is a very old tree, I don’t know if it safe fuh she keep cooking in it. Suppose it fall on one ah them house this, who gon compensate we? And plus it could fall and kill people,” one resident said.He added that “remember when the madman beat that foreign man to death in s shop, fuh no reason? Just like that this woman could chop up people fuh no reason.” |
