Great Escape #1: Whipping Post In Paradise

Welcome to your first Taste of a Great Escape! These quick blurbs will let my readers know something about my life experience that I hope will shed a little light on the enigma that is moi.

I don't I have a lot of readers yet (I hope to change that soon, so please pass the word along to your friends, enemies, friendemies, relatives, co-workers, loved ones, neighbors, hairdressers, nail techs, gardeners, dermatologists, personal trainers etc). But the few readers I do have so far (thank you!!!) have asked me about the red pole that is in my profile picture.


The "pole" is actually a whipping post. It is located at the Fort in Christiansted, which is in Saint Croix, which is in the United States Virgin Islands. One of my best friends in the whole wide world is from the beautiful island of Saint Croix. During one of my two trips to STX I was mesmerized by the beauty, lush vegetation, white sandy beaches and cornflower blue skies that are the islands main attractions. On the flip side I was horrified by the Fort. The evidence of the inhumane treatment of the slaves at the Fort was a stark contrast to the clear waters breaking against the perfect shore and the cotton candy clouds floating overhead on balmy tropical breezes. One thought kept pulsing through my mind- TERRIBLE BEAUTY.

Slavery wasn't just an American thing. Anywhere there were black and brown people in the "free world" there was also oppression and enslavement. I still feel claustrophobia when I think about the hot cinder box square that was used as a jail cell for hundreds of slaves. I am only 5 feet 5 inches tall and I had trouble standing up straight in the cell.

Even against a backdrop of an island dream horrific events can take place. That is why the whipping post is my profile picture. It is a reminder to me, and those who read my blog that all that glitters aint gold.