Norman Beresford Jarrett: A man set in his ways

HE PROUDLY admits to being old school and is unapologetic about his lack of interest in going online or accessing the Internet for any reason, but does manage to stay on top of current affairs via three traditional news channels – newspaper, television and radio.

“When that thing (Internet) came in, say 20 years ago, my daughter said, ‘Let me take you to the computer’ and I didn’t go on. Kept doing the old things. As a result, I am sort of an illiterate when it comes to going online and accessing the Internet because I have all the help in the home between Cecile (wife) and Janice (daughter),” he told The Gleaner.

That’s just it for Norman Beresford Jarrett. He is so disconnected from modern technological appliances that his family no longer sees it fit to give him a cell phone.

“We give him cell phones and he gives them away. One time when I call him on his cell phone, somebody answer and say he got it for a Christmas gift. He has had several phones but has never used them. So we have stopped giving him,” Norman’s wife of 62 years, Cecile, explained during a recent interview at their home.

They have lived at Valentine Drive off Red Hills Road, St Andrew, since January 1972 after returning home from The Bahamas where they were teachers. During those 50-odd years back a lot has remained unchanged in the area. But so much is different.

Cecile explained: “Not much has changed in terms of the housing developments because the same number of houses are on the street and high-rise buildings have not moved in. Over there is the biscuit factory which I saw when we came here. Where Kentucky (Fried Chicken) headquarters is now was really a construction company and Purity Bakery is along the way,” she said.

“It’s only PriceSmart that has come in at the top of the road. It disrupts us at times, especially during the Christmas holidays when the cars park along the road. When they are really in high season, cars stretch right down to the bottom of the road, so it is difficult to get in or out and we have to come from Molynes Road to get here,” Cecile added.

COUNTDOWN

As he counts down to August 27 when he will celebrate his 100th birthday, Norman is quite active and was out in his yard checking the St Julie tree for mangoes when The Gleaner team arrived to interview him. He greeted us heartily and led the way as he invited us into their home, walking steadily, without a stick or any other aide.

We asked about his health and Cecile explained that her husband is not affected by any non-communicable diseases, even though he does at times experience a little stomach discomfort.

“He goes to a heart specialist now and then and a kidney specialist but just to see that his organs are intact. No prostate problem as such, but a little enlarge, but he has no lifestyle diseases. He goes for a walk now and then and goes out to the mailbox every day to collect the mail,” she noted.

Almost as is if on cue, Norman chimes in: “Just a while ago I picked up a letter from the Accountant General’s Department.”

He explained that it had to do with completing his life insurance certificate in order to receive his pension and regaled us with the incident a couple years back when they came to the house to check and assure themselves that he was in fact very much alive.

Her husband, who is 18 years older, is still very much on top of his financial affairs and keeps government officers on their toes, according to Cecile.

“He manages his business like his pension. If he doesn’t get it on time he will call the authorities and ask for it and tell them when it was due, as well as the due date for the next one. The problem he has is with organising his medication and that is because he does not take medication on a regular basis, so the tablets he takes to prevent heart problem, I assist him in organising it on a daily basis,” Cecile pointed out.

PREPARES OWN BREAKFAST

It did come as a shock to our news team to learn that the almost-centenarian prepares his own breakfast. But the fact that he receives no favours in this regard is by choice – his!

While he is not left alone in the kitchen, the nonagenarian fixes his breakfast of toast with egg-white and a slice of ham, with coffee.

A welcome addition and something which he really enjoys is the combination of two fruits – papaya with mango, pineapple, orange or pineapple, which Cecile serves. In addition, on Wednesdays and Sundays a chef comes in to cater their breakfast and dinner but on the last occasion before this interview her efforts were spurned on both days. Norman resisted, insisted and got his usual fare.

“I give him a special breakfast twice in the week, I have somebody who comes in and he refused it on Wednesday when she came with it. He didn’t want her breakfast and told her as much,” Cecile pointed out.

This stubbornness has been a life-long trait, according to Cecile, at which point Norman laughs out loud.

christopher.serju@gleanerjm.com