**Inspired by a True Story** This story is inspired by the true life of a young girl with a chubby face, whose life story later became one worth telling. Her husband, Jeffrey, encouraged her to write about her experiences. **Growing Up in Jamaica** Growing up in Jamaica was the most incredible adventure of all time. There was so much nature to explore: rivers, fruit trees, beaches, mountains, valleys, hills, and more. As a girl, I was a tomboy. I would climb trees, play cricket with the boys, and throw stones into the river. I participated in everything you could imagine that boys would do. My dad was very caring and kind-truly one of the best Jamaican fathers. It's important to note that many Jamaican fathers do very little for their children. They often don't even buy food for them. It's surprising, and sadly, the government does not have child support laws. If fathers neglect their responsibilities, there's no legal recourse to hold them accountable. Seeing my father take such good care of my brother and me after our mother left us was profound. My mother had five other children and felt it wasn't feasible to raise all seven of us in a tiny one-bedroom apartment where we had to share a small bed. She made the difficult decision to leave my brother and me with our dad because he had a three-bedroom house and was better equipped to care for us. Dad even left his job at the Frome Sugar Factory to stay home with us. It was a tough decision since that was his only source of income, and he had not yet reached retirement age to qualify for a pension.