A couple of days later, we realized we had been at the com-
pound for ten days and, in spite of having as little as two
hours sleep per night there, we both felt pretty fit. Still, a
full night's sleep would be sooo welcome and we were also
anxious to share our experience and news with our compat-
riates at home. We had figured that two weeks would be
about the right amount of time for our stay but we left the
date of our return flight open, in case we decided to stay
later or return earlier. We soon decided to leave the next
day and stopped by Bro. lvy's office to let him know our
plans. He was in conference with several other brothers as
we arrived but they broke off to greet us, shake our hands
and congratulate us on our becoming Rasta Priests. When
l told them that we were planning to return home the next
day, they expressed regret that our visit was near it's end,
but were pleased that we would soon re-unite with our
loved ones. Bro. Ivy said he looked forward to our next visit
and opined that, by that time he would probably have learn-
ed of the availability of properties that might interest us.
He also said something to the effect that the proceeds
from the sale of our "first hundred kilos" should easily pay
the down payment and closing costs of a property that he
thinks we might like very much.
The next morning we were invited to breakfast at Bro. Ivy's
table. Not for the first time, actually more like the third.
But this was the first time we were formally invited to his
table the day before. The couple of times before, when we
happened to be in the dining room at the same time,he
waved us over and we took a couple empty seats across
the table from him. On this, our last breakfast with the
Rastas, Bob and l were seated, one on either side of our
host. Bob to his left, l to his right. And....to my right (and
Bob's left) sat Bro. Ivy's #1 and #2 disciples,respectively.
Disciples #3 thru 12 were scattered around the large, cir-
cular table which could probably seat more than twenty.
Since our return flight (first leg) would depart Kingston in
the late afternoon, Bro. Ivy had planned an unforgettable
day for us. At dinner, he and his disciples and about a
half-dozen congregants gave us an enthusiastic preview
of the next day's likely events: We would leave the com-
pound at six a.m., walk to the parking lot, board a 28-
passenger chartered mini-bus. We would then proceed
to visit scores of Rasta friends and families, at many
interesting locations, scattered around the beautiful
island;beaches,river valleys,forests at the sea and in
the mountains, and of course,stops at a few addresses in
each of the several cities visited. We met people from all
walks of life, for real. We had experienced, first hand,
the Rastas' near, if not complete rapport with the general
population of Jamaica and we had seen the Rastas who
visited us in San Francisco, easily endear themselves to
those they met along the way. Total strangers won over
in a mnute.
But on that last day of our visit the emphasis was on in-
troducing Bob and l to the close, closer and closest of
the Jamaican Rastas acquaintances. they resided in
places that ranged from corregated iron shacks to man-
sions, with nearly every class level of residence between
represented (if not all). One residence we visited (in
urban Ocho Rios, l think) covered an entire city block.
The Major Domo there, in answer to my query:"How
many residents are there at this address?", said
"Mr. Dayton, his wife and their daughter, at present."
"And how many members of the staff?"
"Thirty-nine, besides myself."
It was Mrs Dayton (Carmella) that we were there to visit
and though Mr. Dayton (Grandon) was also a big fan of
the Rastas, he was in Brasilia for that week and unable
to be with us. He did phone home while we were there
and spoke with Bro. Ivy at some length before asking
to be put on the speaker-phone to address us all. As
he did so it became very apparent that he was an old
friend of Brother Ivy and his disciples: before he was
finished he had spoken to each and every one of them
directly and lovingly. Very likable guy, l thought. When
Bro. Ivy introduced us to Mr. Dayton, he said "Call me
Grandy. My apologies for not being there to greet you.
l,m looking forward to your next visit. l hope we can
meet then."
During the course of our visit we learned that Bro. Ivy
had met Carmella years ago, only a few months after
his epiphany.She had sought him out after reading
about him in the sunday section of the paper. she
and Grandy became Bro. Ivy's #1 supporters. Over
the years they've grown very close. Probably more
accurately, closest.
In truth, though none of those we visited that day
could be any closer than those we met at our first
stop in urban Kingston that morning. The place
was the first address that we had visited on our
first day in Jamaica. But since we were so early to
arrive on our last day, most of the residents had
yet to depart for work and though it was a crowd-
ed little place before the arrival of our group of
fifteen, we were happily accommodated and even
entertained at that early hour.
Near sundown, the Rastas dropped us at the air-
port and before dark we had crossed over Cuba.
On our return flights, we mostly talked about the
hundred kilos and how we might use it to benefit
Gates of Eden. We mostly agreed that if we did
anything more than store it where it would keep
well and use it ourselves (members of GofE) we
might sell a little to buy property in California if
the Rastas' gift was repeated and perhaps some
small piece in Jamaica to be used when visiting
there, but San Francisco should remain our main
area of operation. This led us into the area of
organization finances and Bob touched on a re-
lated subject that we hadn't previously discuss-
ed. Some months before that, a young woman
who worked at one of the universities in San
Francisco, where she taught business subjects,
became a member of GofE and soon after that,
agreed to be our treasurer. Over the next few
months, she and l became involved to the ex-
tent that l often spent the nite at her house.
(My wife and l were in the middle stages of
marital meltdown). Bob said he had noticed
a closeness developing between Sharee and l
(her name) and had wondered just exactly
what my intentions were. "l'm gonna have our
cab drop me at her place tonite, in hopes that
she missed me enough to invite me for the
nite"..
"l was thinking more for the long term".
"You have me there. Recently, she and
Rowena seem to have become better friends
than l am with either of them. They are both
Virgos though, so maybe that's not so sur-
prising."
"Do you think Sharee is a good treasurer?"
"Well, l don't think being our treasurer is real-
ly much of a challenge. She probably doesn't
need to be all that good. Probably more im-
portant that she is honest."
"And is she?"
"l think so, l have no reason to suspect other-
wise, but l don't know for sure; how the hell
could l?" You and your Mrs have known her for
a few weeks, by now; what do you think of
her?"
"We like her. She's smart, very personable and
pretty 'n a son-of-a-gun. We've discussed her.
We care about her. l guess that's why l asked
about your intentions."
"OK, to be completely open and honest: un-
less l've got it wrong, we are just a couple of
consenting adults enjoying each others' com-
pany, for the moment but l don't see it going
anywhere in the future. Hey, l don't know if
you're aware of it but l'm not Sharee's only,
shall we say "paramour"? there are at least
two other guys she is currently enjoying and
she told me as much. God, l love these
times; people loving others without the
need to own them!"
"You're being sarcastic."
"No."
"You're OK with some other guy shaggin'
Sharee?"
"Only if he's a really nice guy and Sharee
consents."
"What about Rowena"
"In what context?"
"Would you be upset if she were having
an affair?"
"Do you mean shaggin' some other guy?"
"Uhmp"
"If she were, it's not likely she'd tell me
about it and that which is unknown to me
will not be up-setting. Actually, if she got
that lucky, l'd probably wish her well. No,
l'd truly wish her well."
"Right."
end of Visit with Rastas in Jamaica 9
r
and opined that, by that time he would probably have learn-
ed of the availability of properties that might interest us.
He also said something to the effect that the proceeds
from the sale of our "first hundred kilos" should easily pay
the down payment and closing costs of a property that he
thinks we might like very much.
The next morning we were invited to breakfast at Bro. Ivy's
table. Not for the first time, actually more like the third.
But this was the first time we were formally invited to his
table the day before. The couple of times before, when we
happened to be in the dining room at the same time,he
waved us over and we took a couple empty seats across
the table from him. On this, our last breakfast with the
Rastas, Bob and l were seated, one on either side of our
host. Bob to his left, l to his right. And....to my right (and
Bob's left) sat Bro. Ivy's #1 and #2 disciples,respectively.
Disciples #3 thru 12 were scattered around the large, cir-
cular table which could probably seat more than twenty.
Since our return flight (first leg) would depart Kingston in
the late afternoon, Bro. Ivy had planned an unforgettable
day for us. At dinner, he and his disciples and about a
half-dozen congregants gave us an enthusiastic preview
of the next day's likely events: We would leave the com-
pound at six a.m., walk to the parking lot, board a 28-
passenger chartered mini-bus. We would then proceed
to visit scores of Rasta friends and families, at many
interesting locations, scattered around the beautiful
island;beaches,river valleys,forests at the sea and in
the mountains, and of course,stops at a few addresses in
each of the several cities visited. We met people from all
walks of life, for real. We had experienced, first hand,
the Rastas' near, if not complete rapport with the general
population of Jamaica and we had seen the Rastas who
visited us in San Francisco, easily endear themselves to
those they met along the way. Total strangers won over
in a mnute.
But on that last day of our visit the emphasis was on in-
troducing Bob and l to the close, closer and closest of
the Jamaican Rastas acquaintances. they resided in
places that ranged from corregated iron shacks to man-
sions, with nearly every class level of residence between
represented (if not all). One residence we visited (in
urban Ocho Rios, l think) covered an entire city block.
The Major Domo there, in answer to my query:"How
many residents are there at this address?", said
"Mr. Dayton, his wife and their daughter, at present."
"And how many members of the staff?"
"Thirty-nine, besides myself."
It was Mrs Dayton (Carmella) that we were there to visit
and though Mr. Dayton (Grandon) was also a big fan of
the Rastas, he was in Brasilia for that week and unable
to be with us. He did phone home while we were there
and spoke with Bro. Ivy at some length before asking
to be put on the speaker-phone to address us all. As
he did so it became very apparent that he was an old
friend of Brother Ivy and his disciples: before he was
finished he had spoken to each and every one of them
directly and lovingly. Very likable guy, l thought. When
Bro. Ivy introduced us to Mr. Dayton, he said "Call me
Grandy. My apologies for not being there to greet you.
l,m looking forward to your next visit. l hope we can
meet then."
During the course of our visit we learned that Bro. Ivy
had met Carmella years ago, only a few months after
his epiphany.She had sought him out after reading
about him in the sunday section of the paper. she
and Grandy became Bro. Ivy's #1 supporters. Over
the years they've grown very close. Probably more
accurately, closest.
In truth, though none of those we visited that day
could be any closer than those we met at our first
stop in urban Kingston that morning. The place
was the first address that we had visited on our
first day in Jamaica. But since we were so early to
arrive on our last day, most of the residents had
yet to depart for work and though it was a crowd-
ed little place before the arrival of our group of
fifteen, we were happily accommodated and even
entertained at that early hour.
Near sundown, the Rastas dropped us at the air-
port and before dark we had crossed over Cuba.
On our return flights, we mostly talked about the
hundred kilos and how we might use it to benefit
Gates of Eden. We mostly agreed that if we did
anything more than store it where it would keep
well and use it ourselves (members of GofE) we
might sell a little to buy property in California if
the Rastas' gift was repeated and perhaps some
small piece in Jamaica to be used when visiting
there, but San Francisco should remain our main
area of operation. This led us into the area of
organization finances and Bob touched on a re-
lated subject that we hadn't previously discuss-
ed. Some months before that, a young woman
who worked at one of the universities in San
Francisco, where she taught business subjects,
became a member of GofE and soon after that,
agreed to be our treasurer. Over the next few
months, she and l became involved to the ex-
tent that l often spent the nite at her house.
(My wife and l were in the middle stages of
marital meltdown). Bob said he had noticed
a closeness developing between Sharee and l
(her name) and had wondered just exactly
what my intentions were. "l'm gonna have our
cab drop me at her place tonite, in hopes that
she missed me enough to invite me for the
nite"..
"l was thinking more for the long term".
"You have me there. Recently, she and
Rowena seem to have become better friends
than l am with either of them. They are both
Virgos though, so maybe that's not so sur-
prising."
"Do you think Sharee is a good treasurer?"
"Well, l don't think being our treasurer is real-
ly much of a challenge. She probably doesn't
need to be all that good. Probably more im-
portant that she is honest."
"And is she?"
"l think so, l have no reason to suspect other-
wise, but l don't know for sure; how the hell
could l?" You and your Mrs have known her for
a few weeks, by now; what do you think of
her?"
"We like her. She's smart, very personable and
pretty 'n a son-of-a-gun. We've discussed her.
We care about her. l guess that's why l asked
about your intentions."
"OK, to be completely open and honest: un-
less l've got it wrong, we are just a couple of
consenting adults enjoying each others' com-
pany, for the moment but l don't see it going
anywhere in the future. Hey, l don't know if
you're aware of it but l'm not Sharee's only,
shall we say "paramour"? there are at least
two other guys she is currently enjoying and
she told me as much. God, l love these
times; people loving others without the
need to own them!"
"You're being sarcastic."
"No."
"You're OK with some other guy shaggin'
Sharee?"
"Only if he's a really nice guy and Sharee
consents."
"What about Rowena"
"In what context?"
"Would you be upset if she were having
an affair?"
"Do you mean shaggin' some other guy?"
"Uhmp"
"If she were, it's not likely she'd tell me
about it and that which is unknown to me
will not be up-setting. Actually, if she got
that lucky, l'd probably wish her well. No,
l'd truly wish her well."
"Right."
end of Visit with Rastas in Jamaica 9
r
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