Grace Jones

Back in the early '90s, my mother and I were on holiday with our family in Ocho Rios. One day, we ventured out from the resort to do some shopping. Mom was intent on finding a cassette that included all of her favorite reggae and soca songs; music she'd been introduced to in her poolside dance lessons. She loved the stuff! While she was talking to the owner of the music store, Grace Jones walked in, shoeless, with her small son and massive bodyguard. There was a poster of Conan the Barbarian hanging over the counter and I wondered if Grace had noticed it. I approached her, and while it was clear she didn't want to be bothered, I managed to get her to autograph a $2 Jamaican bill. I had to be content with this, though I would have liked to talk to her more. Mom was happy, too, having found a tape with her new favorite song, "Red, Red Wine," by UB40. Later, back at the pool, I was excited to show mom my cool souvenir, but she said, "Who's Grace Jones?"