Windshield wiper wants to return to school

"I didn't know my madda, and me hear seh me have bout three fadda, because one family member a tell me seh a dah man deh a me fadda, while some a seh no is another man," Immanuel Williams said as he explained to THE STAR how he ended up wiping windshields for a living.

Williams, who went to Haile Selassie High School in Kingston, said that he was not able to complete his schooling but he has dreams of going back, something that he is currently working on with the help of some teachers he knows.

He also said that he has a passion for carpentry, because it is somewhat of a family business.

"My mind deh pan furniture because my uncle dem inna that and dem always encourage me to do it as well, so me woulda go back to school to study it," said Williams, who was seen on Hope Road, St Andrew, last week.

Williams told THE STAR that he lost his mother when he was five years old and was cared for by his grandmother. He said that she taught him great life lessons which he appreciates.

"When me madda dead, me granny come in like she a me madda same way. She always seh yuh haffi pay fi learn and she always mek me help har set up har likkle shop a mawning time and thing, so me learn, some work ethic then," he said.

Despite having the loving care of his grandmother, Williams thought it was time to move on when he started high school. He said that he was always a child who wanted his own things and believed that he could only get it if he moved out.

"Me granny couldn't tame me and me couldn't tame she, so me decide fi leave and start hustle pon the streets. Mi did still a go school dem time deh, but through bad company mi end up leaving school," he said.

Williams, 21, said that he often followed friends who were engaging in activities that would put his life at risk, but over time he realised it was not worth it.

"When me did out deh a do mi thing, me realise seh it nuh worth it, because me a put mi life at risk and me nuh want bad blessing fall pon me. Right now, my life is special. It nuh too late fi go back to school fi do some subject and go do carpentry," he said.

Like many others who are wiping windshields, Williams said that it is not easy to be in the sun all day. However, he said that he will continue to wipe windshields until he can return to school.

"More while me tell me self seh if me can ease off yah so and get a work me woulda betta off, but fi now me just a stick it out," he said.