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“I had a bunch of family photos in my<br />

wallet. Among them was a photo of one<br />

of my sisters who lived in Barbados at<br />

the time. The Super saw the photo and<br />

fell in love,” James chuckled.<br />

“We were paid 50 cents for the first<br />

couple of hampers. The others would<br />

be 75 cents and a dollar for the last<br />

one. The plantations were infested<br />

with snakes but we were only allowed<br />

to kill the rattle snakes,” he recalled.<br />

“When the snakes saw us they’d hiss<br />

away except for the rattle snakes.”<br />

James never got bit but he didn’t<br />

always feel well. He recounts when<br />

illness kept him from working.<br />

“I needed clearance to go back to the fields,<br />

but my Super wouldn’t let me. He said I<br />

wasn’t well enough. I told him that I needed<br />

money to feed my children. And within two<br />

days as opposed to several days I was given<br />

my money, and was told I could go back to<br />

work.”<br />

James said it was a no work, no pay policy.<br />

And with mouths to feed and the ultimate<br />

sacrifice to fulfill, he reported back to work<br />

and worked every day until his contract<br />

ended and returned home.<br />

Now almost 50 years later, he was back on<br />

American soil<br />

On January 28th 2014, James turned 75. To

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