What a Jamaican Coconut Vendor Taught Me about the Power of Intention…
I was a man on a mission, but then I met Millicent!
My wife and I stayed at an “all-inclusive” resort in Jamaica. We had to wear pink wristbands to prove we were all-inclusive, which meant that our meals and other things were prepaid. It also meant that all of Jamaica would know we were tourists — and therefore most desirable customers.
In Jamaica, if you stepped over the physical boundaries of a resort, then you were fair game for any street vendor, hustler, fortune teller, or whoever wanted to sell you stuff. We discovered that this was true even on the beach.
One evening we stepped across the resort beach boundary. Suddenly there appeared a tall guy claiming to be Captain Marley, owner of a charter boat. He smelled of alcohol and pot. “Captain Marley” offered to take us out on his boat. When we told him we weren’t interested, he offered to sell us “ganja.” We quickly stepped back onto the hotel’s beach to get away from the guy.
But I got tired of only walking within the resort. I decided to pretend to be a native (despite my pink wristband) and walk into town. So off I went, striding swiftly and surely as if I knew exactly where I was going. I was a man on a mission. I didn’t plan to stop until I got into town.
