Tower Of Babel

Goodnight bloggers. Hope you have had a good day so far. As for mine, I suppose it was pretty routine.

I have decided to address the issue of customer service in Jamaica. You will note the quotation marks in the title. For those of you who do not live here or have never been to this country, doing business here can really test your patience. I don’t know if the foreigners feel the same way. How often have you been into a place of business where you are going to spend YOUR money, and you get the impression that you are asking for a favour?

I think that here, in some business establishments, the people who are put on the frontline are not adequately trained in customer service or they are just not well educated. They are oblivious to the fact that certain types of loud and “off colour” language should not be uttered in earshot of the customer.

Years ago, before I had started Medical School, I worked in a medical laboratory where blood and urine testing on patients were done. There was a fast food restaurant that was catching on at the time called “Chuckle Berry’s”. I had become quite fond of their fish burger and fries as it was tasty. I decided to go there to have this for lunch on this particular day. So I went to the cashier to order. I was told they had no fish. So, I decided to go with the beef burger. Then I was informed that they had no burger buns, only regular sliced bread. If I was happy with that, fine. I sighed and shrugged my shoulders telling her to go ahead. Hence, my order was for a beef burger and fries. Within a few seconds of my order being placed, I hear coming from around the back, “A wah dem hear ’bout French fry today so, me tiyad a fry French fry you nuh.” (What have they heard about French fries today, I’m tired of frying French fries.) Then the cashier chants, “Me cash it because me know seh potato roun dey.” (She took the order because she knows they have potatoes inside.) Suddenly, a little face comes to the window and in a more decent tone of voice she asks, “Who is for the French fries?” The cashier says, “See the gentleman standing and waiting patiently right here.” She looks at me and puts on a plastic smile. “Sir, it will take about ten minutes if you don’t mind waiting.” I just nodded. Needless to say, I never went back there again. Lowlifes!!

The point behind today’s post is that customer service is pivotal to the success of any business. It is something that we are frequently not priviliged to receive in this country. Too often we are greeted with ATTITUDE by front desk staff. Yes friends, thats the status quo more often than not in our beloved little island. I’m sure that Rufie has far more anecdotes to share than I do as she worked in customer service for quite a while. Rufie……… Hope I provided you all with a chuckle for the evening.

Friends, I don’t have much time to labrish (chat) this evening as I have a deadline to meet for the presentation I have on Wednesday. Nevertheless, here I am. I was particularly encouraged by the amount of commentary that the mere mention of food had stirred up. Thanks to all contributors. This made me decide to start talking about Jamaican foods which I perhaps will address from time to time. Hence, the title of this posting.

Well, I just finished having my dinner. What was it? Calaloo soup. One of my favourites. Calaloo (spinach) or pepperpot soup is a Caribbean dish that has as its main ingredient, calaloo. This is a leafy vegetable very similar to spinach. The leaves and stalk are cut up into small pieces and boiled. Diced potato, yam and carrots are added. Cho cho, which is a green bland tasting vegetable is also cooked along with it. Cho cho (chayote, as I think they call it in American supermarkets that carry it) essentially takes on the flavour of whatever it is cooked with because it really has no taste of its own. I love it.

Calaloo soup is usually boiled with some diced beef and salted pigstail (yes, the pickled salted tail of a pig). All of this is seasoned with onion, escallion (green onion or spring onion), thyme, and a nice Scotch Bonnett pepper to spice up the pot and add some real heat to the overall dish. I nearly forgot to add the okras. Okra is what is called a mucilaginous vegetable. It is known for producing a lot of slime when cut and has soft seeds inside it. This should be added to the calaloo soup about 10 minutes before the cooking stops. If not it will simply get boiled out in the soup. Traditional Jamaicans have told me that okra “mek you have easy baby” (allows you to deliver a baby easily). I have often contemplated how this could be, but I suppose that perhaps the slime helps to lubricate the birth passage and allows the newborn to slip out easily, who knows? I really don’t think there is any truth in this, perhaps just folklore. Anyway, I’m starting to get niggeritis (a tendency to want to sleep after having had a good meal) and I have more work to do. For those of you who wish to learn something more about Jamaican food, my good friend Mad Bull has written an epistle on breadfruit, something we eat here quite often. You can visit him at The Mad Bull’s Blog, you may find him a pretty interesting guy. Until we next chat, whatever you had for dinner, hope you enjoyed it.

I almost completely forgot to invite all my visitors to the Birthday bashment that we are having at Dr. D’s blog today. Yes friends, today marks the 1 week Anniversary of the birth of this site and I’ve decided to celebrate. MB, you are responsible for the VX and Pepsi, Natty is baking the cake, Rufie is sending ice cream from Boston, Seven is cooking a mean oxtail and I, of course, am the host, so me naw do nutten! (I am not doing anything).

I guess it would be an oversight on my part if I did not make a speech and thank certain people. First I’d like to hail up MB and say a real ‘respec due” to you, for without your technical expertise, ths site would not be here. Rufie, thank you for being there for me little sis. I look forward to your messages. Seven, as a newcomer to the site, I look forward to your visting on a regular basis and would be delighted if you could get Midas to visit also. Anyway, have to go as there are more people coming and it would look bad if they can’t find the Birthday Boy.

I am late today due to my work priorities, but here nevertheless. I had done some brainstorming about an issue to discuss and the Sunday magazine helped out the situation.

You may have seen the article in today’s Sunday magazine about a particular wedding that recently took place. What struck me about the article in reference to my topic today, is the lengthy description of the bride’s dress. On the other hand the groom was described as “looking a picture of composure, was elegant in black tuxedo.” Bam, story done. This simply put reflects some fundamental differences between men and women.

A woman may go into a store and she wants a black outfit. Rather than asking for something in black, she prefers to ask for charcoal or ebony, but a regular guy would just ask for black. Bam, story done. Pay for it and get out of the store.

We also have basic differences in the way we go about doing certain things. Have you ever seen a woman’s bag packed, for say a weekend trip and compare it to her husband’s, for example? She needs at least two pairs of shoes, a hairdryer, setters for her hair, a curling iron, makeup kit, shampoo, conditioner, mousse, gel, spritzer, several outfits in case she takes one and puts it on and at the last minute decides she doesn’t look good in it. The list goes on and on. A guy on the other hand is happy with a pair of track shoes, which he may not pack anyway as he may well be wearing it, a change of underwear (or perhaps two), a polo shirt, a toothbrush, some deodorant, a pair of jeans, shorts and possibly a cologne and he’s set and ready to go. Despite all of this we often get the blame for making the ladies late for attending functions because we take too long to get dressed. Yeah, right! How can this be and we have so little to do in order to get ready. Please ladies, I’m not bashing you at all just highlighting some differences in the way we do things. Believe me, no one appreciates a lady who can put herself together and look “kriss” more than I.

Then there is the bathroom issue. We are always blamed for leaving the toilet seat up. What’s the big deal. If you need to sit (no pun on words meant here), then simply put the seat down. We do it and I don’t hear any complaints on our side. Then we are accused of shaving and leaving the hairs all over the basin and the soap suds spalttered on the shower curtain. After exercise our sweaty underwear is left to ferment on the bathroom floor where we shucked it off and the bathroom smells like a ram goat. But that’s just a man for you.

Lets not even get into differences in how we drive. We are “reckless, road hogs, always driving too close to the car in front, impatient etc.” The ladies on the other hand are careful, accident free, patient and there is even one Insurance company that describes them as “Road Angels.” They also criticize us about the route we take as their route is supposedly shorter or has less traffic than the one we choose.

One area where I think the ladies have the upper hand, however, is in the comforting of children. Everybody wants Mummy when they have fallen and hurt themselves. Daddy can just go take a seat.

I could go on and on but I don’t have all day. I hope I have made my point. Ladies, please don’t get me wrong. I was just highlighting a few points which demonstrates our differences. Having said all this, I am a firm believer that God created both sexes in order that we can help to make up for each other’s weaknesses. In actual fact, there are some things that men do better than women and vice versa. Hope that I haven’t stirred up any anger on the female side, and for the guys who may be reading this, hope it doesn’t result in your having to sleep on the sofa or worse yet, in the doghouse. I’ll be happy to receive comments and I have put the Jamaica Defence Force on Red Alert in case my computer becomes attacked by multiple mutant strains of viruses that will cause it to self destruct! But then, I wonder who would be sending such viruses to this, the blog of just a regular guy? More time.

Well friends, its Saturday morning and I’m sure that many of you are still in deep slumber at the time of this posting. Enjoy it, sleep is good and I think many people in today’s world do not get enough.

I’m sure that you all look forward to weekends as much as I do. After a hard week at work its that time when everybody tries to unwind and catch up on all those things that you just weren’t able to attend to during the week. For many, its also a time to attend to chores. Personally, I like to get chores out of the way from early so as to be able to have as much time for R&R which is veeery important to me.

People also seem to be much more relaxed on the weekend, I suppose that this is a direct result of not having to go to work. There is much less traffic on the road (especially on Sunday) and eveyone is dressed in casual garb. Even at the hospital, the pace is generally more relaxed, though if problems arise, they are addressed accordingly. I am on call so after this I have to go to the hospital to see the patients on our service, it’s the resposiblilty of the doctor on call for the weekend to see to the needs of the patients. After getting that out of the way, my chore today is going to the supermarket, something from which I derive absolutely no pleasure! But I guess someone has to do it.

Sundays are an even more sacred part of the weekend as the pace is even slower. Its been a tradition in my home over the years to have a fairly large breakfast on Sundays. Favourites include seasoned saltfish, Johnny cakes, liver and bananas, fried fish and others. The thought now has me salivating. I certainly will not be having anything as exotic this morning. Anyway, I don’t want to tarry for too long as I don’t want the hospital to page me. Whatever you do this weekend, enjoy it to the fullest. If I’m inspired during the course of the day maybe I will post something later. ‘Till such time…..

Good morning to all. Well, today is Friday which is always something to smile about as it heralds the beginning of the weekend. In my case, however, I’m on call as of 8A.M. today until 8A.M. on Monday. Hence, if there are any eventualities in my speciality, a me dat ( I am the one responsible) until Monday. Hopefully, the pager will not be going crazy. Which brings me to the topic for today.

The pager is that little electronic device that helps keep doctors and other professionals who ‘take call’ in touch with their work base, in my case the hospital. It has an inherent tendency to go off at the most inconvenient times, I won’t bother to bore you all with the actual details. Though they can evoke some rather foul responses by their owners when they go off, especially in the wee hours of the morning, I think that overall they are useful.

The cellular telephone is also another very useful device which has certainly taken off in Jamaica. Believe me, every puss and dog (just about everyone) in this country is sporting a cellular. It is not until recently that I discovered that my household helper has one. Though they are useful and convenient to have, there are some individuals who seem oblivious to the fact that they can be very annoying to others to hear them ring particularly in certain situations. I for one, make sure that mine is off whenever I am on Ward rounds and in certain other situations.

I was attending the funeral of a friend’s father last year and a woman who was seated in the church in front of me started digging frantically in her handbag as her cell started ringing. Naturally, many people in the immediate vicinity started to look at her expecting that she would turn it off. No such luck, she answers the phone and has her conversation.

For me. I think the case that won the first prize follows. I don’t think I have ever shared this one before. About two years ago I was was doing some General Practice. A young lady came to see me on account of a vaginal discharge. I asked her to go up on the examination couch so that I could give her a digital examination with which she had no problem. In the middle of my doing the vaginal examination, her cell rings and I eagerly watch to see if she is going to answer it and to my shock she does. Please, a strange man has his gloved index and first finger probing around in your most private body part and you think that this is an appropriate time to take a call on your cell phone??? I did nothing, completed the examination and asked her to come down off the couch and get dresssed.

What did we do before cell phones had come into being? We all survived didn’t we? As I said before, they do have their place but in certain situations please, turn them off as a mark of respect and courtesy to others. Anyhow, that is my mouthful for the morning. Hopefully the pager will behave like a mouse (silent) over the coming weekend, but if not, I’ll just do what is necessary. Have a nice day today and I will look out for some comments. I’m sure you all have some cell phone anecdotes that are worthy of sharing. Until next time,the Doctor is OUT!!!!

Well, haven’t got much to labrish (talk) about tonight and I’m pretty tired from work. Nevertheless, they did pay us today. On my way home I stopped at the post office to check the mailbox. I have been doing this for years as Postmen do not come up to the area where I live. Well, the box was pretty loaded with BILLS, yes its as if there was some conspiracy out to rapidly consume my salary: the pager company, the cell phone bill, the credit card bill, the water bill and others. Anyhow I won’t bother to lament about it because at least God has provided me with a J-O-B (at least for the time being) to help offset bills. Just think of the many thousands who live in this country without work and haven’t a clue where the next meal is to come from. Food for thought I guess.

Anyhow, I’m going to disappear for the time being as I have to get cracking on next week’s presentation. Hopefully overnight I will get a bright idea that inspires me to chat about something mane. Till then……………

It really seems like this exercise programme is working as here I am up early again. I thought about what to post today and you see the topic so here goes.

For those of you who may not know just about every Jamaican has family living abroad or as we say in ‘foreign.’ On account of this, many of our people are frequent flyers. On the trips that I have taken over the years, I have had some ‘colourful’ experiences with my people and I’ve decided to share a few.

Quite a few years back, my dear little sister and I were returning from new York to Kingston on American Airlines (in those days I had no say as I was student), the flight attendant came around to serve the meal. She told us that there was a choice of chicken or beef. The lady seated at the aisle seat in our row when asked which she wanted replied, “I’ll have both!” Of course Rufie and I just stared at each other with a certain look that only people who know us well would understand.

I was returning to Kingston from London in 1998 and travelling on British Airways (I got a real deal on the ticket price courtesy of a friend that I could not turn down) and a Jamaican man on the flight who was apparently resident was selling the fabric (cursing) because he was not happy with the meal. He wanted Ackee and saltfish (our National dish) or Mackerel rundown, I don’t think he would have such luck on B.A. but I guess he was really yearning for a taste of home.

Recently, I was travelling back to Kingston from Ft. Lauderdale on Air Jamaica (voted the best airline to the Caribbean three years in a row now) and the lady in front of me at check in had three HUGE pieces of luggage. The gentleman checking her in asked her how many pieces of luggage she was checking on, she said two. They weighed the two pieces and her bags were overweight requiring her to pay for the excess weight. He then proceeded to ask her about the third piece. Oh, she replied, that is my HAND LUGGAGE. He asked her if he could weigh it, she replied that she would need help to lift it as it was a bit heavy, which the man obliged her with. (I was eagerly watching the proceedings and smiling to myself.) He said, this bag weighs 96 pounds! You will have to check it in and pay a further overweight charge!! She was not amused but I guess she totally misunderstood the concept of hand luggage.

Travelling back to Jamaica from Antigua from a conference about three years ago, I was seated beside my boss with whom I have a great rapport. The pilot must be commended for his landing which was on par to that of an Air Jamaica pilot. As the plane touched ground we only heard when the lady in front of us exclaimed JESUUUS!!! I suppose she was calling on the Almighty and thanking Him for allowing us to have a safe flight.

My boss told me that on her way to London once, she was seated beside an elderly lady who was wearing a hat. When the Captain started to power up the aircraft for takeoff, the lady was holding her hat securely on top of her head. My boss asked her why she was doing this, she replied that she didn’t want her hat to get blown away when the plane had picked up speed!

Yes, we have a very colourful set of people in this our beloved island.

Guess what, today is PAYDAY, that one day of the month where we get that little cheque in exchange for the many days at hard labour. Well, I hope its nuff nuff (plenty) of money. For those of you like Mad Bull who may get far more than you expected, feel free to send the excess to me by e-mail. Have a super day.

Yes, this is a topic that gets my temper going. At work today in the clinic, one of our chronic patients, a little three year old girl comes for an appointment with her mother, a 22 year old. She also has a five year old and neither she nor the ‘baby fadah’ ( baby’s daddy) are working. The Daddy is 24 years old. And guess what? She PRIGNANT (as some pronounce pregnant here) again!!! Listen me yaw! (Don’t get me started!) I asked her what the child’s father is doing. She does not know as ‘dem not talking’. I guess you don’t have to talk in order to have sex! So she is going to bring yet another fassy foot, bang belly pickney (child in generally poor state of health) with cold running from its nose, into the world and expect others to support it.

From I was a medical student, my previous boss (who actually used to call me Dr. D) told me that whatever field of medicine that I decided to get into, I would need to become a disciple for contraception. I have lived to see this again and again in my short seven and a half years of medical practice. Educated people do not BREED. Were I to take up political office, I would probably be bumped off as I would institute some drastic means for population control here. Mandatory tubal ligation after two children, especially if you are unemployed. I know I may get a lot of lip for this but such is life. Anyway, enough said, I guess the summary for this post is: to the men; walk wid yu boots….all the time, and ladies; no glove, no love. Bye till next time. Looking out for the commentary.

Well I’m up a bit earlier than usual today. Perhaps its the positive effects of exercise as I have always found that when I exercise, I sleep better and my whole body just seems to function more efficiently, let me know if you have similar experiecnes.

I was doing some thinking this morning about ways in which we as humans derive pleasure. Some thoughts came to mind. We can derive pleasure by interacting with the wonderful things that nature provides for us in the environment: the sound of the birds chirping early in the morning, the calming effect of the seabreeze at the beach, the sound of waves breaking at the seaside or water flowing in a stream, these are just a few that come to mind. Just think about what a good vacation that allows one to interact positively with nature, can do reduce your stress level.

It also came to mind that humans derive physical pleasure by releasing substances (solid, liquid or gas) or putting body parts into small body orifices. You may think I have a warped mind, but its quite true.

It can also be quite pleasant to share quality time with friends while sipping your favourite beverage (Appleton VX & Pepsi for me).

I am not sure what got me thinking about this but I felt like sharing it. I remember in my High School days I used to have a teacher (who I will not name), that used to chastize us verbally and refer to us a ‘bunch of pleasure seekers’. What was so wrong ’till this day I can’t comprehend. Mad Bull will know which teacher I’m referring to. I personally feel that without pleasure, life would be rather boring and I guess that the Great Almighty must have realised this in His plan when He created us. So, whatever you do today, do it well and hopefully it will provide you with a pleasant experience while your’e at it. Later.