By Vanessa Braithwaite
AS we engulf ourselves in our busy career lives, dressed in our suits and ties or stockings and heels, trying to live-up to a title of prestige, we often, sometimes unintentionally rank ourselves higher than those whose jobs require just a shed or a bucket to sit on to reach the needs of their families.

Many of us, after a tedious, unsatisfying day at the office, normally rush to the coconut vendor or the plantain chip vendor for a treat. Have we ever stopped to think how these vendors passed their day, perhaps showing appreciation by leaving a tip or compliment them for a job well done?

One of these vendors is Linden’s well known, Leila Allicock, also known as “plantain chip lady”. Leila is from the proverbial ‘old school’ and has been serving her town as a proud plantain chip vendor for over 40 years.

Being a natural in the kitchen, Leila began to sell plantain chips and other fried snacks in her twenties and still enjoys doing so at the good old age of 72. Even though her husband was providing for the family back then, she still wanted to do something to compliment his income, hence she made plantain chips and other things and sold them to the people in her neighbourhood.

At that time she was a resident of Wismar Housing Scheme. “At least the little pickings would help in the home as I had two children back then to feed and things were kind of hard,” she revealed.

After acquiring her own home in the One Mile Housing Scheme, she decided to take her business of plantain chip vending to the Mackenzie market where she hoped to expand her patronage base.

At this time, Leila would have conceived 9 children and with so many mouths to feed and bodies to clothe, she augmented her plantain chip selling with vegetables but since it was not within her she decided to quit and stick to what she loved doing. And that is baring the daily burden of peeling, chipping, frying and packaging over 100 pounds of plantain chip each day. What a task indeed.

I remember as a little girl visiting Leila’s little plantain chip stand and being astounded by the high stocks and having to choose whichever pack was most pleasing. That was the hardest task as all were so golden as if competing with the afternoon sunset. As my eyes roved upon the packs, too many to count, trying to pick out the fullest bag, as I never wanted my plantain chip to finish, it was that cherishing to me. “I would fry over 100 pounds of plantain chips per day as well as other things such as mettai, chicken foot and sugar cake…,” Leila boasted.

TRAGEDY STRUCK
“Death is inevitable,” Leila quoted with a glimpse of sadness on her face as she reminisced when she lost her son to the bitter sting of death some time ago. Even though she went through a period of grieving, she still managed to continue selling as she thought of the 8 mouths still to feed. While still grieving her son’s death, Leila was also struck with the death of her husband shortly after. This did not cause her to stumble for long as she rose and became the corner-stone for her home. Her passion for her plantain chip business grew, because now it was not only a matter of doing it for the love of it, but because her survival depended on it.
As the competition grew in the mining town, especially in the market vicinity, Leila saw herself selling less plantain chips as time elapsed. She no longer travels to the city to get her supply, but purchases it right in the Linden mining town.

Currently, she admitted to doing only about 10 pounds of plantain per day, as well as selling beverages, coconut oil and bird seed. “I would normally get orders to send plantain chips overseas and that is what I would depend on. Also, during Town Week, I would get a lot of customers who migrated and knew me from years back,” mentioned Leila.
As the physical challenges of old age meets her, she promises to continue serving the people of Linden with her delicious plantain chips for as long as her physical capabilities allow her. “As longs as I can make it, I’ll be here,” Leila affirmed. So the next time you are in Linden and craving a crispy, fresh and well fried pack of plantain chip, Leila’s plantain chip shack is the ideal place to satisfy that “peckish” need.