A reporter’s job can be a dangerous one.
Here in Barbados however, it is a rare occasion for a reporter to feel seriously endangered although there are stories from bygone days of bullets flying in shoot-outs and threats of incarceration from the law.
For me, the most danger I’ve ever felt was being with a photographer who was raising his camera in a certain area where photography was most unwelcome – most unwelcome indeed.
While threats to life and limb may not be an often recurring experience, danger comes in many forms. Take in point my latest misadventure at Hastings, Christ Church.
A few weeks ago, I was tasked with investigating just how bad the rodent problem was along the Richard Haynes Boardwalk and surrounding areas. I set out relatively early that morning – for me anyway – and started to work, speaking to National Conservation Commission (NCC) workers and bystanders. Little did I know how the morning was going to turn out.
Hastings has been in the media frequently for the ongoing sewage problems there, with the disgusting stuff frequently bubbling up from the sewers and flowing over the road. At that point, the problem had been temporarily dealt with and the sewage no longer flowed as it once did.
However, just because it was not flowing did not mean it had not collected and this was what got me. As I walked up and down looking for evidence of rodent infestation, I came across the perfect building – it looked dilapidated and a perfect spot for rodents to inhabit. I exercised my journalistic prerogative – sometimes regarded as “maliciousness” – and stepped off the road to get a closer look inside this seemingly abandoned structure, located next to the open space next to KFC.
I saw two planks of wood which seemed discarded so I naturally ignored them and went to peek in an open window. Imagine my surprise when I saw a face.
This face belonged to a construction worker who told me he was on the job renovating the building as a bar, Izza Lime, had set up behind it and wanted the structure cleaned up.
However, my story took place just between seeing his face and his explanation for why it was there. You see, as soon as I saw the worker and began to speak, I felt myself falling. It was like stepping into a hole without seeing it, which was exactly what happened.
It appeared the planks I ignored were strategically placed across a well full of sewage which I suppose had seeped in when the sewage was flowing. The well was so full it did not look like a hole, just a wet patch. I thank God I was holding on to the nearby wall when I stepped in and was able to brace myself and pull my leg out – still, my left foot up to the knee was soaked in sewage. The smell was…unpleasant to say the least.
I dutifully – or perhaps stupidly – continued to get my story before seeking help to clean off. A helpful NCC worker provided me with disinfectant to douse my pants, shoes, socks and leg and showed me to a tap to wash off, which I did profusely.
The next hour was spent cleaning and drying off while naturally taking pictures and sending messages about my plight. I even went as far as to get out my small bottle of hand sanitiser and dousing my leg – after all, it has alcohol in it right? Eventually I put on my shoe – not the sock – and caught a ZR home. I sat in the back and hoped no one could smell me.
When I got home, it was shower, wash affected clothes – separately – and put shoes in the sun. I ended up spending the rest of the day working from home. However, it all didn’t really hit home until my dad asked me if I had any open cuts on my leg. I hadn’t even thought of that – luckily I had none.
As I said, danger comes in many forms and while I can look back and laugh today, it was possible my misadventure could have had much more serious repercussions. Let us hope the sewage problem gets taken care of sooner rather than later. (CA)