Get Sleepy: Sleep meditation and stories - A Relaxing Evening of Jamaican BBQ

Starting point is 00:00:00 Get Sleepy is a production of Slumber Studios and is made possible thanks to the generous support of our sponsors and premium members. If you'd like to listen ad-free and access weekly bonus episodes, extra long stories and our entire back catalogue, you can try out premium free for 7 days by following the link in the episode notes. Now, a quick word from our sponsors. Hey, it's Tom. I'm excited to share with you the newest show from Slumber Studios. It's called Sleepy History, and it's exactly what it sounds like. Intriguing stories, people, mysteries and events from history, delivered in a supremely calming atmosphere. Explore the legend of El Dorado, see what life was like for the Roman gladiators, uncover the myths and mysteries of Stonehenge. You'll find interesting but

Starting point is 00:01:02 relaxing episodes like these on Sleepy History, and the same great production quality you've come to know and love from Get Sleepy. So check it out, and perhaps you'll have another new way to get a good night's rest. Just search Sleepy History in your preferred podcast player. Did you know that before Slumber Studios produced podcasts, we made apps? We have one app that is the perfect companion to get sleepy. It's called White Noise Deep Sleep Sounds. We developed this app in-house at Slumber Studios to deliver the highest quality sleep sounds.

Starting point is 00:01:47 It can help you fall asleep fast, wake up less often, improve focus, reduce anxiety, relieve tinnitus and calm babies. With over 300 sounds and a new sound released every week, you're sure to find one that suits your tastes, including a variety of fan sounds, white, brown, pink, green and other color noises, professionally recorded nature sounds, as well as a broad range of music like classical, ambient sleep music and lo-fi. As a listener of Get Sleepy, we have an exclusive offer for you. Download the White Noise Deep Sleep Sounds app now and get 30 days free access to all of the premium content. Just go to deepsleepsounds.com slash getsleepy. That's deepsleepsounds.com slash get sleepy. Welcome to Get Sleepy, where we listen, we relax, and we get sleepy.

Starting point is 00:03:02 My name's Thomas and I'm your host. My name's Thomas and I'm your host. Tonight we'll be going to a barbecue in Ocho Rios, Jamaica with Anakei and Michael. It's almost always good weather for a barbecue on this little island. It will be narrated by a reef and the story was written by Shona Marie, a big thanks to both. One of my absolute favorite things about this show is being able to transport your imaginations to all kinds of places in the world. And we narrators have the lovely fortune of being able to read them for you, to set the scene in as calming a way as we can, and to learn something new along the way with each and every story from our amazing writers.

Starting point is 00:04:10 story from our amazing writers. Before we travel to Jamaica tonight, I invite you to spend a few moments picturing a place or setting that brings you a deep sense and relaxation. Let go of any temptation to problem solve or to remind yourself of the day just gone and what's to come tomorrow. All of that can wait as it serves us no purpose at this time. Instead, visualize a place where you can truly relax. Perhaps it's a warm, sunny beach where waves gently crash on the shore. Maybe it's a peaceful woodland where birds flit through the trees and leaves rustle in the breeze. It might be somewhere in your own home, or a local coffee shop that you like to visit for a delicious drink and maybe some people watching. Don't feel the need to force anything, you may prefer to just listen along,

Starting point is 00:05:48 allowing your breathing to flow softly and slowly while you relax deeper into bed. But if you do have a place in your mind, a tranquil scene you can visualize, then enjoy the serene splendor of it for the next few moments. Consider the sights, sounds, smells, tastes, and even the way the air moves over your skin. Is it warm or cool here? Are there familiar things you've seen before? Be it other people or objects and pieces of nature? This tranquil place can help you unwind in the present moment, and your imagination can remain here for as long as you like. Whenever you are ready, gently bring your attention back to the here and now, to a wreath's soothing voice that you'll hear shortly.

Starting point is 00:07:37 It's time to travel to Jamaica, where soft reggae music floats through the air, where soft reggae music floats through the air, intermingling with the sound of good friends and family. There was a balmy heat the partygoers had acclimated to. There was the froth of cold cream soda and ginger beer. There was reggae music so sweet it made the over-fifties rock away to a time before house hunting and working and children. And it wouldn't be a barbecue without the food, without Uncle jerking a wide variety of meats on his grill. The sun was setting on a dirt road in Ocho Rios, Jamaica, and Anagay and Michael engaged in casual conversation about what they expected to find at Auntie's barbecue.

Starting point is 00:09:19 She wasn't actually Auntie, but it was the way of the Caribbean, that to be older was to be respected, to be family. Anake and Michael were in their last year of high school, and their homes were situated right next to each other. They had grown up together. Their families mingled with each other. When it was time for Anike's hair to be hot combed or re-plated, the families congregated on either veranda on some weekend. families congregated on either veranda on some weekend. Either Anike's mother or one of Michael's sisters would part thin sections of Anike's

Starting point is 00:10:14 wild head of hair, sure to grease the parts in her scalp as they went. And bit by bit, Anakay's hair was done. The two families would take turns preparing food and telling jokes until the thing was finished. And morning became noon, became evening, became night. at which point the youngest were sent to bed and the adults would down a variety of sweet, earthy malty drinks. The adults of the two families were so invested in the ins and outs of their countless conversations. Sometimes the children would wake in the morning to find their parents stretched out on the long rocking chair or on a deck chair on the veranda fast asleep. Michael and Anike were still walking, but it wasn't obscenely hot.

Starting point is 00:11:28 The trick to surviving the heat was to walk slowly, to start the day before the sun was up, take a break in the afternoon, and finish running errands when the sun was busy soaking its feet in the horizon. Michael plucked two mangoes off a nearby tree and tossed one at Anakay. He knew that mango was her favorite fruit. Luckily, the two pieces of fruit were ripe and gave completely when the bears sunk their teeth into them. Anike's mouth was sweet with the flavor of the fruit. As she munched on it, she looked along the road. The heat had baked the red dirt into a path that could be walked

Starting point is 00:12:29 and driven on. On the outskirts were houses with tin roofs and red brick and black metal verandas with marble floors. Every ten minutes, there were container stores. These were small metal stores that sold a few things to sustain the passing travelers. Inside, you would find sweet, multi-colored beverages that you could drink out of a bag, regular canned sodas, cookies and crackers, and a selection of moist, spiced buns. If you were lucky, you would find a can of bright orange cheese you could tuck inside the bun and eat as a meal to hold you over until you got wherever you needed to go. The selling men had all gone home.

Starting point is 00:13:38 They were no longer roaming the dusty roads at seven in the evening. Sometimes, when Michael's older sister drove him and Anake into town, they would spot a number of men selling their wares. Occasionally, the product was a green coconut with the top cut off so you could stick a straw inside. Maybe it was guinep, or Spanish lime, a fruit with a tough green skin that could be easily peeled off to reveal a creamy, yellow flesh. It almost had the consistency of a grape and was largely sweet, save for the slightly tart aftertaste.

Starting point is 00:14:44 But most often, the selling men sold sliced sugar cane. The sellers would use a machete or cutlass to slice the green skin off the long sticks of sugar cane. Then, they would slice the sugar cane into pieces from the ridges or dips in the cane. Finally, the sugar cane was chopped into strips. Michael's sister would always pull over to buy two bags. Michael and Anakei would happily munch the sugarcane, sucking the sweet water out of it and chewing the pieces until they were flavorless and discarded into the bags they

Starting point is 00:15:34 came in. Despite just finishing her mango, Anike longed for the taste of sugarcane. Michael could sense what his friend was thinking, and told her not to fret that there would be plenty of food at the barbecue. Anike chuckled, amused that Michael had known her so long he could read her mind. As they walked, their clothes billowed in the warm wind. Michael's sandals gently slapped on the heel of his foot. Annake had opted to wear canvas shoes instead. Her shoes were pristinely white, so she only wore them when the ground was dry so as to maintain their color.

Starting point is 00:16:42 Two bags swung from Anike and Michael's hands. It was an unwritten rule to always bring something to a Jamaican barbecue. Michael had decided on bringing his mother's rum cake, and Anike brought salt fish fritters that had been carefully wrapped in foil. fish fritters that had been carefully wrapped in foil. Before they left for the party, Michael loitered outside the front of Enneke's home, chewing a piece of fruity gum. His eyes partially lingered on the colorful skies and a few schoolmates who were also heading to the barbecue. As it was evening, the air smelled of the food cooking in the homes on the street. Michael hoped Anakay wouldn't take much longer.

Starting point is 00:17:43 He thought that kicking rocks would be a good way to pass the time, but as he was wearing sandals, he wisely opted against it. Luckily, there was a bench in front of the entrance. Michael sat and let his spine sink into the curve of the seat. He rested his neck and head on the top of the bench and allowed his eyes to close. The palm trees rustled. That familiar warm breeze fluttered his clothes, and Michael was almost certain he could fall asleep.

Starting point is 00:18:29 The palm trees rustled again. Sighing deeply, Michael felt his muscles turn to jelly. He no longer fussed about who would be at the barbecue or what was taking Anakei so long. In that moment, on a bench outside his best friend's home, he understood why people dream of living in Jamaica. It was easy for a local to forget the aspects of the island that were paradise. Michael had lived in Jamaica his entire life, and as such, he did not know another way of life.

Starting point is 00:19:21 Since infancy, he did not understand why people would save their earnings for an entire lifetime just to come to this island. He did not understand the excitement of the tourists when they saw the beach in Ocho Rios for the first time. Oh, how white it is, they would say about the sand. I never knew water could look that color, they would whisper in awe. A smile touched Michael's lips as he remembered the many tourists he had encountered. And in that moment, space and time were some distant, unimportant details, for he had made a beautiful island home and he was exactly where he was meant to be. Just before he was completely adrift in sleep, Michael heard footsteps.

Starting point is 00:20:32 He opened an eye and saw a familiar person walking toward him. White canvas shoes and blue cotton dress and freshly pressed hair. Michael blinked the sleep out of his eyes and lifted his head off the bench to get a better look. It was Anike. She waved goodbye to her mother and approached Michael. The young man's tongue was in knots. Anikei chuckled, then nudged him on the shoulder and said, Thank you.

Starting point is 00:21:18 Michael shook his head and said that she looked beautiful. Anikei smiled and began walking down the road. Michael could tell that she had used the perfume her mother had bought for her birthday. A sweet, rich smell filled his nose, and Anikei waved her hands away down the street. Aren't you coming? She asked. Anikei and Michael arrived at Auntie's house. The front door was open, but a sign directed them to the metal side gate to the back garden.

Starting point is 00:22:10 Michael unlatched the gate and held it open for Enneke. The back garden was a large, richly green grassy area. There were chairs dotted around and people who didn't mind sitting on the grass. Younger children made joyful little squeals as they chased each other around the open space. The uncles huddled around the barbecue and exchanged stories of being carefree schoolboys in Portland, Kingston, and Spanish town. They traced the loose outlines of the circumstances that landed them at this very barbecue. Every now and then, their wives would overhear a funny anecdote, and the party would erupt into laughter.

Starting point is 00:23:15 A few youngsters from Michael and Enneke's school hung around the serving table and would sneak soft and crispy strips of plantain into their mouths when the aunties weren't watching. Anakeh contemplated doing the same. Fried plantain was one of her favorite foods. Plantains are in the same family as bananas, but they are slightly bigger, with a thicker skin and a chalky sweetness when uncooked. Michael shyly waved by the gate, and everyone turned to shout an enthusiastic greeting.

Starting point is 00:24:13 Annake took her and Michael's bags of food over to the aunties, who greeted her with a kiss on both cheeks and applause at how good she looked. A group of boys congregated around Michael and exchanged high-fives and well-worn jokes. Their younger brothers and sisters continued to run in between their older siblings in a game of stuck in the mud. Their excitement was plain, so overwhelmed to be old enough to go to a barbecue without their parents. Anna Kay wandered inside the kitchen to wash her hands before plating her and Michael's food. It was typical at a barbecue to put all the dishes on a table spread and place a stack of plates on the far end of the table, so that guests could come and serve their own food.

Starting point is 00:25:17 On a separate table, there were snacks, drinks, and punch. Jamaican punch was an amalgam of exotic flavors. Partly pineapple juice, cereal, cinnamon, fruit syrup, slices of ginger, lemon soda, slices of orange, lemon, and a kilo of ice. There was a ladle hooked to the inside of the punch's multicolored tub. Occasionally, one of the uncles or aunties would refresh the tub with more syrup, juice, or soda. would refresh the tub with more syrup, juice, or soda. The uncles would take turns flipping the spread of sausages, jerk chicken, jerk pork, sauce-smothered ribs, and chicken wings.

Starting point is 00:26:20 Occasionally, they would sample their hard work before adding more spice to the sauce bowl beside the grill and brushing the meats with even more glaze. Anike had found herself a nice, quiet spot on a swinging garden chair. swinging garden chair. She observed the scene around her, friends and families and peers she had known since infancy. The smoky scent of the evening's dinner wafted in her direction, and all she could do was sigh content. Michael broke away from his group of friends and walked toward Anike.

Starting point is 00:27:12 He plopped down beside her and casually asked, Can I buy you a drink? Anike chuckled. She grasped at thin air, pretending to count imaginary money, then opened Michael's palm, exaggerating the gesture of giving him a handful of dollars. Michael looked at his palm and counted the imaginary money. Frowning, he looked at Annake. Yoris sent short, he said. Annake snorted, which only caused Michael to bend double with laughter.

Starting point is 00:28:02 It took them a long while to catch their breath. And when they had, Michael gave Anike a tissue to wipe her tears. He stood and walked toward the drinks table, and in no time at all, he returned with one can of ginger beer for himself and another can of soda. Anake read the label on the can and smiled. It was cream soda, her favorite. Soon the school friends spotted Michael and Anike and drew nearer. They gradually arrived at the portion of the evening where they reenacted scenes from high school in perfect patois. Each teenager would hold the gaze of the entire party as they performed their stories. The adults, watching on from the grill, would listen with unbridled curiosity until the

Starting point is 00:29:17 punchline landed. And then everyone had broad smiles, bodies bent double from laughter. It was time to eat. An older auntie said grace, and everyone lined up at the short end of the food table to get a plate of food. It seemed to Anakay that there was more food than she thought. Auntie had brought out a few more dishes from the kitchen, but which Auntie? Anike could not be sure. There was now a pot of stew, a bowl of hard food, fried dumplings, festivals, and crispy fritters.

Starting point is 00:30:11 And that was to add to the bowls of ackee and saltfish, braised oxtail, fried breadfruit, and sauteed callaloo. Hard food is a selection of boiled dumplings, bananas and yams, both yellow and white. Once Anakay asked Michael if he would ever eat hard food by itself, and Michael shook his head firmly, saying, You have to have it with stew so it can soak in the sauce. The older siblings held two plates, one of their own and one for their younger siblings. The children tugged on their older siblings' sleeves, whispering, I just want fritters and fried plantain.

Starting point is 00:31:08 They were woefully unimpressed when their big brothers and sisters piled on a heaping spoon of steaming callaloo, as per their parents' instruction. Anakay had grown to like the taste of Kalaloo. When cooked for just long enough and sauteed with enough onions and peppers and spice, it was delicious. It was comparable to a cross between kale, spinach, and cabbage. Round the table the guests went, each one excitedly chattering that they had never known food to look so delicious. There was sustenance in almost every color under the sun. in almost every color under the sun. And the sun, the real sun that once hung so high in the sky, was almost entirely gone.

Starting point is 00:32:16 The lights in the house were left on, and candles were lit all around the garden. Michael held his and Anakay's plates as Anakay served spoonfuls of various foods onto them. Michael gently nudged Anakay and whispered that the stars would be out soon. Every time the two would exchange glances, their schoolmates and aunties would smile as if they knew something the two didn't. It was customary to keep the barbecue grill going in case there wasn't enough food, but in this instance, there was food in abundance. There was enough food for seconds, thirds, fourths, and even enough to be sent home with. The youngsters spread a picnic blanket near their uncles and dipped in and out of conversation as they saw fit.

Starting point is 00:33:29 Anneke was proud of her mother, for everyone remarked on how lovely her fritters were — meaty, salty, crispy, and the slightest bit sweet from the peppers. And though her mother's fritters were one of her favorites on the plate, she couldn't get enough of the festivals. They were fried dumplings made with flour, sugar, cornmeal, milk, and water. These festivals were made so well, they were perfectly crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. Michael was unbiased.

Starting point is 00:34:18 He loved all the food on his plate the same and was happy to get thirds. The stars were out. And after grazing for more food and finally allowing the food in their bellies to settle, they bopped their heads to the sweet tunes of ska and Rege. Uncles took the hands of the aunties, who stood dutifully over the food and beckoned them to dance. At first, it was all frowns on the aunties' part, until they finally relented and gave themselves over to the moment. finally relented and gave themselves over to the moment. Michael and Anike watched from a grassy spot. The night air was turning cooler and Michael, in a moment of bravery, asked Anike to dance.

Starting point is 00:35:22 She agreed. Michael pulled Anike to her feet, took her hand in his own, and wrapped an arm around the middle of her back. At first, Anike was so very aware of the eyes of her classmates until the music continued to play. And like a love spell, it rested in the pit of her belly, and all she could do was sway. Anakay did not know if it was the gentle bounce of the melody or the sound of the steel-panned drums emanating from the melody, or the sound of the steel-pan drums emanating from the speakers. But she was sure she could stay this way forever. At some point, Anike and Michael kicked off their shoes so they could feel the cool grass on the soles of their feet. The grass, so dense it was like a carpet, had all the uncles and aunties kicking off their shoes, too.

Starting point is 00:36:41 The tables were changed over, the punch refreshed once more, and the leftover food was taken to the kitchen so dessert could be served. Anike and Michael were the last to pull themselves away from the far side of the garden toward the table of her pressed hair had begun to curl. She dove a hand into the bucket of icy water that contained a selection of sodas in hopes of grabbing another cream soda. A pleased expression spread across her face when she managed to find one on her second try. Michael picked up a bottle of malty soda and began jesting with an uncle. As usual, everyone who had prepared dessert had outdone themselves.

Starting point is 00:37:48 There was a selection of cakes, carrot, rum, and vanilla. There were more traditional desserts, too. Spiced buns slathered with butter and topped with a sweet orange cheese. On the far end of the table was cornbread, coconut drops, and sweet potato pie. Despite this portion of the evening being designated for dessert, Anakay spotted a plate of mini meat patties. One of the aunties had made them by hand, and as Anike's eyes drifted over the plate, she felt the corners of her mouth curl into a smile. Once, when Anike was homesick, Michael stopped at the patty shop on the way home from school and picked up four of the most divine patties.

Starting point is 00:38:53 Anakay's mother spotted the boy walking up the entrance from her kitchen. He slowly opened the screen door, took off his shoes, and gave an instinctual look of empathy. Anike's mother looked at the bag and knew what the boy had come to do. Her heart warmed. Smiling, she whispered, she's upstairs. Anake was asleep. Michael waited on the chair just by her room out in the hallway for her to stir. Her breaths were deep and long, and she would shuffle in her sheets from time to time to get more comfortable.

Starting point is 00:39:51 Michael didn't mind waiting. His eyes lingered on the pictures in the hallway that he had seen a thousand times over. The fan overhead buzzed and spun, and Michael, too, felt himself drifting off to sleep. Ever so slowly, the world slipped away, and he seemed to breathe in time with his friend. In… and out… seemed to breathe in time with his friend. In and out. Then there was a louder shuffle. Michael stood and knocked on Anakay's door. The girl shot him a lazy smile with sleep still in her eyes. She knew what he had brought.

Starting point is 00:40:54 She had smelled the food wafting into her room from the hallway. Michael stretched out the tea towel on her bedside table. He helped her sit up and adjusted her pillows. And when it was time to eat, he sat on the wide window sill ledge and watched her take the first bite. He knew she loved patties, but he needed that nugget of satisfaction to see her eyes brighten slightly as she took her first bite. And of course, they did. Without complaint, he tended to Anike's slightest need until her mother returned and told him that he had done well and that it was time for him to go home.

Starting point is 00:41:55 Michael nodded and took Anakai's hand. I'm only a wall away, he said before getting his belongings and slipping out the screen door to go home. Seeing that everyone at the barbecue was full, they only took slivers of every dessert so they could sample each flavor while their stomachs settled. Anagay and Michael stretched their legs out on the grass as they swallowed each sweet morsel of dessert. And the two could not help themselves.

Starting point is 00:42:41 They cut a patty in half and shared it between them. The evening was winding down. Slow reggae ballads from UB 40 fused with Bob Marley and Alton Ellis and the faint scent of barbecue mingled in the air. The children had been ushered inside a short while ago. They had been covered with handmade blankets on the various sofas so they could sleep until their parents were ready to collect them in the morning. collect them in the morning. Eventually, the aunties, content that everyone was satisfied, wandered over to their husbands. Some pulled chairs over, and some were happy to perch on their husbands' laps.

Starting point is 00:43:42 to perch on their husbands' laps. They began to recount their engagement stories, their recollections of their weddings, and how they had a party just like this. How they had danced in the park or on a beach until the sun went down and came up again. Michael and Anike listened from their spot of grass. Michael told Anike that they would have stories like that one day, that they would recount that evening in June when they went to a barbecue and Anike's freshly pressed hair curled at the ends from the heat. Anike leaned her head on Michael's shoulder, and the aunties asked who wanted hot Milo. Milo was a tinned, powdery substance that made a malty hot chocolate when mixed with water and milk.

Starting point is 00:45:03 Cups of the sweet drink were shared out between the uncles, aunties, youngsters, Michael and Enneke. The heat of the sun had mostly burned off, and though it was humid, the wind was still slightly chilly. Everyone was relaxed beyond measure. The children were most definitely asleep and their siblings were picking at food in the kitchen. The uncles began cooking up some more food they could have at midnight, and the desserts and patties were covered with round pieces of foil. Some of the aunties had gone inside to boil water to make more milo.

Starting point is 00:46:02 The air was still, and everyone in the surrounding neighborhood was asleep. Michael was about to go inside to get Anike a shawl when the youngsters spilled out of the screen door toward the two. Someone had the idea to go to the beach to watch the sunrise. Most of the young people, including Anakeh and Michael, went into the adjoining living room to catch a nap before leaving for the beach. And just before they fell asleep, Michael scanned over Anike's face and saw that her locks were now entirely curly. The I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. Thanks for watching! you you

Pet Camera - EBO Air 2

Get Sleepy: Sleep meditation and stories - A Relaxing Evening of Jamaican BBQ

There aren't comments yet for this episode. Click on any sentence in the transcript to leave a comment.

Your Ad Here

Pet Camera - EBO Air 2

Get Sleepy: Sleep meditation and stories - A Relaxing Evening of Jamaican BBQ

There aren't comments yet for this episode. Click on any sentence in the transcript to leave a comment.