29 October 2020
The artist and {musician|artist} is {well known|popular} as the {man|guy|male} who plays steel drums in front of the {iconic|renowned} century-old Crown {Candy|Sweet} {Kitchen|Kitchen area|Cooking area}
ST. LOUIS– Jamaica Ray braves COVID and {cops|police officers|polices} to make his art and music. { This story was produced in {partnership|collaboration} with the Pulitzer Center | This story was produced in {partnership|collaboration} with the Pulitzer} as part of the 63106 {Project|Job|Task}, a St. Louis-based non-profit racial equity storytelling {project|job|task}.”Oh, oh.” Jamaica Ray {kept an eye|watched} on the {patrol car|police car} {slowly|gradually} rolling down the {alley|street} where he was working. The cruiser {backed up|supported} and {stopped in|dropped in} front of the metal fence where Ray knelt in the {back yard|backyard|garden}.
The artist and {musician|artist} is {well known|popular} as the {man|guy|male} who plays steel drums in front of the {iconic|renowned} century-old Crown {Candy|Sweet} {Kitchen|Kitchen area|Cooking area}. {Since|Because|Considering that|Given that} the spread of the {new|brand-new} coronavirus early this year, Ray {has|has actually} been working {elsewhere|somewhere else|in other places}. On this day he was painting {elaborate|fancy|sophisticated|intricate}, {tropical and cultural|cultural and tropical} images on the {exterior|outside} of {a historic|a historical} two-story {building|structure} in the Old North {neighborhood|community|area}.
The window of the cruiser {slid|moved} down. The officer inside asked,”
Can we talk with you a minute?”Ray {remembered|kept in mind} thinking:” Oh s ** t. Here we go.”
{sitting on|resting on} the ground, he {might|may} look suspicious.|He {realized|recognized|understood},
sitting on the ground, he might look suspicious{.|May}}
“Jamaica, is that you?” {Turns out|Ends up} {a policeman|a cop|a police officer} was {showing|revealing} {a new|a brand-new} female {recruit|hire} the {neighborhood|community|area}, and he {recognized|acknowledged} Ray from Crown {Candy|Sweet}. The encounter ended {pleasantly|happily} with Ray {giving|providing|offering} the officers {a tour|a trip} of the {building|structure} and his work. As they parted, the {policeman|cop|police officer} {wished|wanted} Ray {a quick|a fast} {return to|go back to} the {restaurant|dining establishment} once the {virus|infection} is under control.
That {may|might} be {awhile|some time}. Crown {Candy|Sweet}, like {many|numerous|lots of} other {restaurants|dining establishments}, {has|has actually} {reopened|resumed}, {but|however} without {nearly|almost} as {many|numerous|lots of} {customers|clients|consumers}
as it had pre-pandemic. Jamaica, the Rastafarian artist, {has|has actually} been {working on|dealing with} his mannequins and {building|developing|constructing} his steel drum sets inside his cubby next door Crown. {{But|However} {because|since|due to the fact that} of the {virus|infection}, he’s neither {playing nor {mingling|socializing}|{mingling|socializing} nor playing} with waiting {customers|clients|consumers} as he {used|utilized} to do.|{Because|Since|Due to the fact that} of the {virus|infection}, he’s neither {playing nor {mingling|socializing}|{mingling|socializing} nor playing} with waiting {customers|clients|consumers} as he {used|utilized} to do.}
{Even so|However|Nevertheless}, Jamaica {said|stated}, “Life is still “100% tropical. In my mind, it’s {always|constantly} palm trees and 90 degrees outside. I {may|might} not {be there|exist} {visually|aesthetically}, {but|however} I{‘m there| exist} {mentally|psychologically}.”
Life {may|might} be copacetic in his head {but|however} his {predictions|forecasts} about the {surging|rising} pandemic and the upcoming election betrayed his calm, {detached|removed|separated} {demeanor|disposition|behavior|attitude|temperament}. “We {haven’t|have not} seen the worst yet,”
he {said|stated}.”It’s going to get bad, Mon. ” This season will be the {first|very first} {real|genuine}”COVID {winter|winter season}, “Ray {predicted|anticipated|forecasted}. “The pandemic {started|begun} at the end of {a mild|a moderate} {winter|winter season},”Ray {said|stated}.” {Last year|In 2015}, when it {hit|struck}, I was {outside of|beyond} Crown with {just|simply} {a jacket|a coat} on. This {winter|winter season} ain’t gon na be no joke. And I {think|believe} it’s going to be {worse|even worse}.” {Last year|In 2015} in the U.S., there were 40 times as {many|numerous|lots of} {flu|influenza} cases in the fall and {winter|winter season} as in the previous spring and {summer|summertime|summer season}. Influenza {colliding with|hitting} {a surging|a rising} coronavirus pandemic is a lose/lose {scenario|situation|circumstance}. The {symptoms|signs} of the {flu|influenza} and COVID-19 are {similar|comparable}. {Outbreaks|Break outs} of both {simultaneously|at the same time|concurrently|all at once} {could|might} overwhelm {hospitals|medical facilities|healthcare facilities|health centers}, {doctor|physician|medical professional} {offices|workplaces} and {laboratories|labs} that {test|evaluate|check} for both {respiratory|breathing} {illnesses|diseases|health problems}.
Ray and his {neighbors|next-door neighbors} {may|might} be {particularly|especially} {vulnerable|susceptible}. They {live in|reside in} 63106, {a zip code|a postal code} that {has|has actually} been {identified|determined|recognized} as ranking last in our {region|area} for social {determinants|factors} of health. {Based on|Based upon} {data|information} from the 2010 census and the St. Louis Department of Health, the {life expectancy|life span} of {a child|a kid} born in 63106 is 67 {years old|years of ages}, compared to 85 {years old|years of ages} in 63105– that would be Clayton, the St. Louis County seat {located|situated} {six|6} miles west of 63106. {And that|Which} was {before|prior to} the pandemic.
Ray {said|stated} he has none of the {underlying|hidden} medical conditions like heart or lung {disease|illness} or diabetes that {place|location} older {citizens|residents|people} at {a higher|a greater} {risk|danger|threat} for {developing|establishing} more {serious|major|severe} {complications|problems|issues} from COVID-19. Still, he has no {health insurance|medical insurance}. {Instead|Rather}, Ray {relies on|depends on|counts on} the services of {Gateway|Entrance} to Better Health, {a temporary|a short-term|a momentary|a short-lived} {health care|healthcare} program for uninsured {adults|grownups} in the city and county. At 63, he isn’t yet {eligible|qualified} for Medicare.
Ray’s other {concern|issue} is {an outbreak|a break out} of violence after the election.”I {think|believe} something’s going to {happen|occur|take place} that the {police|authorities|cops} {won’t|will not} {be able to|have the ability to} {handle|deal with|manage},
“he {said|stated}.
Ray can’t {influence|affect} the pandemic or politics, {but|however} he can {control|manage} his {destiny|fate}. {So as the coronavirus {surges|rises}, he still practices social distancing, {survives|makes it through|endures} off his {monthly|regular monthly|month-to-month} social security checks, and is still {getting around|navigating} on his {dependable|reliable|trustworthy|reputable}, {silver and blue|blue and silver} Northwoods Pomona {bicycle|bike}.|As the coronavirus {surges|rises}, he still practices social distancing, {survives|makes it through|endures} off his {monthly|regular monthly|month-to-month} social security checks, and is still getting around on his {dependable|reliable|trustworthy|reputable}, {silver and blue|blue and silver} Northwoods Pomona {bicycle|bike}.} That, {however|nevertheless}, {is about to|will} {change|alter}.
Ray hasn’t driven {a car|a vehicle|an automobile|a cars and truck} {since|because|considering that|given that} he {came to|concerned|pertained to} St. Louis in 2013 to {care for|take care of|look after} his {dying|passing away} {father|dad|daddy}. He {recently|just recently} passed his {driver|chauffeur|motorist}’s test and {plans|prepares} to {purchase|buy|acquire} {a vehicle|a car|an automobile|a lorry} when and if the next round of stimulus checks {passes through|goes through|travels through} Congress. With {a large|a big} van, he’ll {soon|quickly} {be able to|have the ability to} {fully|completely|totally} practice what he {defines|specifies} as “his {first love|puppy love}”: music.
“{People|Individuals} {think|believe} I’m a street {musician|artist}, {but|however} I {never|never ever} {played on|used} a corner {until|up until|till} I {came to|concerned|pertained to} St. Louis,”he {said|stated}. Ray, who plays keyboards, guitar and {an array|a range|a variety|a selection} of drums {including|consisting of} steel drums, {said|stated} he was {an in-demand|a sought-after} {musician|artist} in California {before|prior to} he {returned to|went back to} his {hometown|home town}. He {performed|carried out} reggae music with {local|regional} bands or did {private|personal} gigs for {famous|well-known|popular} sports figures like basketball {great|fantastic|terrific|excellent} Dennis Rodman.
Once he’s mobile, Ray {said|stated},””I {won’t|will not} be {turning down|declining|denying|rejecting|refusing} gigs {anymore|any longer}.”
{Before|Prior To} Ferguson Beyond Ferguson, {a nonprofit|a not-for-profit} racial equity {project|job|task}, is {telling|informing} the story of {families|households} in 63106 one by one {over the course of|throughout} the pandemic. This is the {second|2nd} chapter in Jamaica’s Ray’s life. {Reporter|Press reporter} Sylvester Brown will be following the {challenges|difficulties|obstacles} he {faces|deals with} {until|up until|till} the pandemic {abates|eases off}. The St. Louis American {is one of|is among} {several|a number of|numerous} St. Louis media outlets that {have|have actually} {published|released} stories as part of the {project|job|task}. You can {find|discover} an archive of the stories at https://beforefergusonbeyondferguson.org/63106-project/.
Source: ksdk.com