Mary Pitman

She graces us with her presence every month-end at the Catholic News office, bringing her hearty smile and warm personality.

Upon her entry, every staff member goes to hug and kiss her. She is always well attired, many times in red – her favourite colour. I'm speaking about our dear Mrs Flemming, the Catholic News sales person from the Bourg Mulatresse Parish.

Seventy-five years ago in Tamana, Saturin Lezama was born to Willford and Modestin Lezama. She was the 11th of their 16 children. She later married Michael Flemming. Today, many address her as Mrs Flemming but she is also affectionately called “Dodo”.

She remembers her childhood like it was only yesterday. She particularly remembers having to walk to wherever she needed to go.

“In those days they didn't have transportation like now, so we had to walk to go to church in Santa Cruz, San Juan or sometimes Mount St Benedict, until we get our own church here in Bourg.”

Mrs Flemming says her mother used to wake her and her siblings at 3.30 on Sunday mornings to get dressed to head for the Mount, everyone holdings hands as they walked.

They also had to get up early on weekdays to attend school. “We didn't have things like nursery and kindergarten school then. Children went to school from ages 6, 7 or even 8.”

Again, they had to walk to San Juan Hill to attend school. But before going to classes, she and the other children had chores to do. “One of us had to go to the nearby river for water; one had to cut a branch to sweep the fireside; the flambeau had to be lit in order to see the yard; one would pick the dasheen bush while one would cut up the wood for the fire; water had to be put to hot for the coffee which everyone drank from baby,” Dodo recounted.

“While all this going on, Ma and Pa used to be in bed still relaxing and one of us had to take two cups of coffee and a glass of water for them to enjoy there.”

One of Dodo’s sisters would knead flour to make bake while another would prepare either smoked herring or a vegetable choka to eat with it.

Water had to be taken for the animals, the cow pen cleaned and someone had to fetch coal from the pit. What was significant was that they worked together as a family.

Dodo’s father worked at a quarry in Bourg as a night watchman for a while. “On evenings we had to saddle the donkey and go and meet Pa because he would dig yam and had fruits like portugal and orange for us to take home.”

She distinctly remembers her mother warning them not to suck the oranges and portugals because their belly would “turn” and they would get bad “belly ache”.

Of course, they would eat to their hearts’ content and then use a sweet-smelling bush called “lanivour” to rub on their hands to hide the evidence. Ma never knew that they ate the fruits and they never got the bad “belly ache”.

Dodo spoke about the cost of living back then. She said that when her mother could afford it she would give them a cent to share.  “We used to walk with our lunch so whatever we could buy with the cent we shared.”

“We were poor but we all survived,” she remarked, explaining that the family used to make coals as part of their livelihood. “Some mornings when we had nothing to eat we used to be there waiting and waiting for somebody to come and buy a bag of coals.”

She added: “When we get a sale one of us would run to the shop to get flour and 1/2 cent soda and a pinch of salt.” Yes, those are the portions in which things were sold then.

At nights her mother would light a candle for them to do their homework, but if they were late in starting then they would have to use a flambeau. “When we use the flambeau, on mornings when we pass our finger in our nose,” and she made the motion, “is only black you seeing coming out.” it was the soot from the flambeau.

“One morning I didn’t want to go to school so I was doing everything slow, killing time. Ma realised what I was doing and tell me ‘if I feel I staying home I lie, I going no matter what time I finish’.”

Mrs Flemming

By then, Dodo’s siblings were finished with their chores and had all left for school. When she realised she had to go also she begged her mother to write an excuse for her being late, but Ma refused. Dodo confessed: “I stopped by the shop, organise my paper, write my letter and sign Ma name.”

Her father took her out of school at age 16 and moved the family to Lopinot. They lived there from 1947 to 1950 and there they picked cocoa and coffee and planted a garden.

They did not however give up their house in Santa Cruz and went down every weekend. On Monday mornings they were back up in Lopinot. “We had to be in Arouca for quarter to six to catch the six o’clock bus.”

In 1950 they moved back to Santa Cruz, but then the Government started leasing land so her father took a piece in Maracas. Again he moved his family from Santa Cruz and went to cultivate the land on the North Coast in Tyrico.

When Dodo had her first child, she left the baby with her sister to be taken care of because it was necessary for her to help in the family garden.

When she had her second however, she decided enough was enough. She wanted her children to attend school and so she had to make a harsh decision. She chose to stay at home in Santa Cruz and take care of her children. 

In 1968, her husband Michael got them their own house in Sun Valley, a short distance from the family home, where she has lived for the past 39 years.

She still enjoys her morning coffee and gets up at 4 a.m. daily and does her chores. Different chores though to those of her childhood. She is deeply involved in her parish at Bourg Mulatresse, selling the Catholic News from Friday to Sunday and visiting the sick twice a week.

She thanks God for her children and the family he gave her. She said following her parents’ teachings has helped her in her life. She has six children, three boys and three girls.

“Before every meal I thank God for what he has given me and always pray for those who don’t have,” she said. “I love to eat and I like good food.”

Dodo attends Mass daily, usually getting to church at least an hour before the start of Mass. If she leaves home otherwise, it is usually to attend Church activities and pilgrimages.

One of her daughters often teases her whenever she asks one of them to represent the family somewhere by remarking, “If it was in the church you would have gone.” Dodo acknowledged that this was true.

With a sister being her only surviving sibling, Dodo said she tries to enjoy each day as God gives it to her. She loves Christmas and is all ready for this year’s celebration.

“Only the curtains and bed spread to put on now,” she said, adding with a loud laugh, “When I put on my spread and my husband comes to lie down I does run and roll it up. I don’t want anybody on my spread.”

She is looking forward to Christmas Day when the entire family comes over to her house.

On Old Year’s Day they meet again to bring in the New Year together. “I always glad to see my children. They show me love and I feel appreciated by them.” All the best to you Dodo and family.

Enjoy the Christmas season and a Blessed New Year to all!