My Kingdom for a Horse!

 

It was not the most fortuitious day for young Kimana, the new Bakery shopkeep, but she kept her chin up to talk with us about her life here in Nassau.

Her recent journey began in a public house in the Kingdom of Philip of Anjou. A scaly fellow offered her passage to 'the West' and she boarded the ship not knowing where exactly the 'West' was located. "There were rats on the ship," Kimana explained, "and not much food and then, ahm, then, ah, there were these women, they always wanted me to bring something."

With relief she stepped onto the Docks of Nassau to begin anew and found a job at the Bakery. "I have worked my whole life and getting a job was nothing extraordinary for me, but in a way it was."

At the Bakery her job is selling cakes and pies. "I can say I am really good at it. I sell more cake than anyone!" Which brings us to her present day conundrum.

Kimana believes she is haunted by "two or three Witches." Cakes that disappear and reappear, her beloved pet cat which now also disappears. A recent burglary at her home where nothing was stolen or out of place. These all convinced her; She is being haunted.

"I left with Mr. Gently on a ship and then, Steve (the cat) not being there, because the witch kidnapped him, I got bitten by a shark. I felt the witches cold breath as I was working in the bakery. I heard her laugh a evil laugh when I was searching for Steve. I want to speak to the Vicar about it. I hope she can help."

(Kimana's young friend, the artist Momo, joined our conversation and drew a sketch of Steve curled up near the fireplace.)

It is not easy for a single woman to make a new life on these Islands. Kimana relies upon her new friends here and her cat, Steve. When asked about the unusual name for such a creature, she assured us it was thus. A stray that followed her and then returned for the fish she fed him is "her protector." She hopes to earn enough money at the Bakery to purchase a horse, and only then "will feel safe enough" in this region.