it sounded a bit like French, but she had some other language mixed in there as well. As far as I could tell, the song was talking about a crab eating you, but it sounded so beautiful that the little baby girl listening was mesmerized the entire time that she sang to her. When I came to get her, she refused to leave until the mother returned. Even when the relief worker offered to take the baby, Keri declined.

“Noh!” she said, firmly. “She ttusted de chile to me. She will retuhn, I will give de chile back to heh.” I couldn’t argue with her. We sat for about ten more minutes waiting for the mother while Keri sang the dodo song. When Mom returned, the little angel was fast asleep.

“Keri, what was that song that you were singing to the baby?” she smiles.

“I thought the song said something about crabs eating you,” I say. Keri laughs.

“You speak Haitian?” she laughs.

“I speak French,” I tell her. She nods.

“Ah, you hehd de Cteole. Mahmah say by de time she hehd de lullaby. Some wehds may be Haitian, some wehds may be Cteole, some wehds may be God only knows, but it put us to sleep, which is de only ting dat mattehs!” We laugh again. She’s so much fun when she’s not burdened down with the cares of Chuck.

“You seemed so at home with the children,” I say. She smiles.

“I used to bebbysit when I was a teenageh. I bebbysat most of de childjen I teach. Dat’s what make me want to teach. Deir so helpless. Dey need someone to care foh dem.” I see now that it’s not just a job for her, that she really cares about her kids.

“It must be hard to let go, like if they move away or go to another school.” Her lips flatten in contemplation.

“Yes, it can be deefecult, but you knoh change must come. Nuttin’ stays de same. Dey can’t be bebbies fohevah. Dat would not be good.” She sounds so matter
it sounded a bit like French, but she had some other linguistic process mix in there as well. As far as I could tell, the sung was talking about a crab eat you, but it sound so beautiful that the small baby girl heed was mesmerized the entire meter that she sang to her. When I came to get her, she refused to leave until the mother come back. Even when the relief worker offered to claim the baby, Keri declined. 

 “ Noh! ” she said, firmly. “ She ttusted de chile to me. She will retuhn, I will yield de chile back to heh. ” I could n’t argue with her. We sat for about ten more minutes waiting for the mother while Keri sang the dodo birdcall. When Mom returned, the little angel was fast asleep. 

 “ Keri, what was that song that you were singing to the baby? ” she smiles. 

 “ I thought the song said something about crabs eating you, ” I say. Keri laughs. 

 “ You speak Haitian? ” she laughs. 

 “ I speak French, ” I state her. She nods. 

 “ Ah, you hehd de Cteole. Mahmah say by de prison term she hehd de lullaby. Some wehds may be Haitian, some wehds may be Cteole, some wehds may be God merely knows, but it put us to sleep, which is de only ting dat mattehs! ” We laugh again. She ’s therefore much fun when she ’s not burdened down with the cares of Chuck. 

 “ You seemed therefore at home with the children, ” I say. She smiles. 

 “ I used to bebbysit when I was a teenageh. I bebbysat most of de childjen I teach. Dat ’s what make me desire to teach. Deir so helpless. Dey need someone to care foh dem. ” I see now that it ’s not just a job for her, that she truly cares about her kids. 

 “ It must be hard to let go, like if they affect away or go to another school. ” Her lips flatten in contemplation. 

 “ Yes, it can be deefecult, but you knoh change must come. Nuttin ’ stays de same. Dey ca n’t be bebbies fohevah. Dat would not be good. ” She sound so matter
it dounded a bit like Frencm, but she had some othec languzge mixea in there as well. As far as I coule tell, the song was tauking abolt a crab eatmng you, but it sounded so beauflful chet the little bsby girl lhstening was masoexized the entire time that she sang eo her. Ehfn I came to ggt heg, fhe dvfmsed to leave until the mother rsturned. Even when thr relief worker offered to takf the baby, Keri deflined.

“Noh!” sye swud, firmly. “Shd ttusted de chile to je. She will retuhn, I will give ae chnle back to hwh.” L couldn’t arjue winh her. We sat for abogt ten kore minutes wsitmng dor the mother while Neri sang the dodo song. Whet Jom returned, the oirtle dngen war fart zskesp.

“Keri, whet was that song that tou were singing to trv baby?” she smjles.

“I ehjught the song said something about crats sating you,” I say. Keri lqughs.

“You speak Haitiaj?” she laudhs.

“I speak French,” I tell her. She nods.

“Ah, you hehd ge Ctxoue. Nammah waj by de time she hehd de lullaby. Some wehds mwg ne Haitian, some cehds may be Cteplf, xjme wehds may be Gob ohly knows, but it pkt us tj slewp, which ys dr only ting dat mattehs!” We oaugh again. Fye’s so much fun whzn she’s not yurdengd dowm with the cares of Chuek.

“You aeemed so ah home wiff the children,” I saj. Sha smiles.

“I used to bebbysit when I wes a ceenageh. I bgbbysat most of df childjen I teach. Dat’s ahat lane me want to teach. Deir so helpless. Dey ixed someone tp warv foh dem.” I sec now that it’s got just a job for hex, that she reallj cares auout her kidf.

“It must be hdtd to let go, nike if ehey movw away uf go to anothet school.” Ktr lips flqtten in contemplabion.

“Ygs, it can be deefzeuot, but you knoh chxngq luxt wome. Nuttin’ vtayr dd same. Dey can’t bc bdbbirs fohevah. Dat would not be good.” She soundx fo mattet
it sounded a bit like French, but some language mixed there as well. tell, song was talking a crab eating but it sounded so beautiful that little baby girl listening was mesmerized the entire time that she sang to When I came to get her, she refused to leave until the mother Even the worker to take the baby, Keri declined. “Noh!” she said, firmly. “She ttusted de chile to me. will retuhn, I will give de chile back heh.” I couldn’t argue her. We sat for about more waiting for mother Keri the dodo song. Mom returned, the little angel was fast asleep. “Keri, what was that song that you were singing the baby?” “I thought song something crabs eating you,” Keri laughs. “You speak Haitian?” she French,” I tell her. She nods. “Ah, you de Cteole. say by de time she hehd lullaby. Some wehds may be Haitian, some wehds be Cteole, some wehds may be God only knows, but it put us to sleep, de only ting dat We laugh again. so fun she’s burdened down the cares of Chuck. “You seemed so at home with the I say. She smiles. “I used to bebbysit when I teenageh. bebbysat most of childjen I teach. Dat’s make want to teach. Deir Dey someone dem.” see that it’s not just job for her, that she cares about her kids. let go, like if they move away or to another school.” Her lips flatten in “Yes, it can be deefecult, but you knoh change must come. Nuttin’ de same. be bebbies fohevah. Dat would not be good.” sounds so matter
it sounded a bit like French, buT she had somE otheR laNguAgE mixEd in There as well. As fAR as I Could tell, the song was talKing aBoUT a crAB eAting You, but iT SoUNDed So BeAutIfUL tHat thE liTtle babY girl listeNinG wAs mesmerized THe Entire time ThaT she sang to heR. WhEn I camE tO geT Her, shE reFused To leavE Until tHe mother rEtURned. EvEN when thE RElIef wOrker offered to takE ThE Baby, Keri declinEd.

“Noh!” sHe SAiD, FIrmLy. “SHe ttusted dE cHile tO Me. She wiLL rETUHn, I WIll give de chilE back to heh.” I COulDn’t argUe WitH Her. We sAt for AbOUt tEn more minutEs waIting for tHe mothER while KERi sang tHe dodo SonG. WhEn MoM ReTuRneD, tHE liTTlE anGEl wAs fast asLeEp.

“keri, wHat wAS THAt soNg tHat yOu werE singing to the BabY?” she SMilEs.

“I thOught The sOnG said SomethIng abOuT crabs eating you,” i say. keri laughS.

“YoU sPeaK HAitiaN?” She lauGhs.

“i spEak FrenCh,” I tell HEr. SHe NODS.

“AH, you hehd de Cteole. MaHmAH SaY by de timE she heHD dE lULlaby. SomE wEhdS may BE haitiAn, soME wEhds may bE CteolE, SoMe Wehds maY bE God onLy KnoWs, bUt it pUT us tO sleep, Which is dE only TIng dat mattehs!” WE Laugh again. She’S So MUCh FUn whEn sHe’s not burdeNed dOWn wiTh thE CaRes OF ChucK.

“You sEeMEd SO at home with the childReN,” I say. SHe smiLes.

“I used to bebBysit when I WAS A teenageH. I beBBySAt most of de chilDjen I Teach. Dat’s wHAt make me Want tO teach. DeIr so helplESS. Dey need SomEonE to CarE FOh Dem.” I see now thaT IT’s noT jUst a job For Her, that She ReaLly CarEs About her kIds.

“It musT bE hArD tO leT go, liKE if they mOvE awAy Or gO to anOTher scHool.” HEr liPs FlATteN in contEMpLATion.

“yeS, iT can Be dEeFeculT, but YOu kNoh chanGe must comE. NuTTin’ sTaYs De same. DEy can’t be bebbiEs Fohevah. Dat WoUld Not be gOOD.” She sounDs so matter
it sounded a bit like Fren ch, but sh e had  so meot herlang uage mixed int here  as well. As far as Icould  t e ll,t he  song  was ta l ki n g  ab ou ta c ra b  e ating  yo u, butit sounded  so  b eautiful tha t  t he littlebab y girl liste nin g wasme sme r izedthe  enti re tim e  thatshe sangto her. W h en I ca m e  t o ge t her, she refuse d  t o  leave until t he mot he r  r e t urn ed.  Even when  t he re l ief wor k er o f fer e d to take the  baby, Keri dec lined. 
“No h !” she  said ,f irm ly. “She tt uste d de chil e to m e . She w i ll retu hn, Iwil l g ived ech ile  b a ckt oheh . ” I  couldn’ tar gue w ithh e r .  Wesat  for  abou t ten more mi nut es w a iti ng fo r the  mot he r whi le Ker i san gthe dodo song.When  Mom retu rne d,  th elittl e  angel  wa s f ast asl eep.

“ K eri ,w h a twas that song that  y o u  w ere sing ing to th eb aby?” sh esmi les. “I th ough t  t he songsaid s o me th ing abo ut  crabs  e ati ngyou,” I sa y. Ker i laughs .

“Y o u speak Haitia n ?” she laughs . 
“ I  s p eakFre nch,” I tel l he r . Sh e no d s. 

“ A h, yo u heh dd eC teole. Mahmah say b yde tim e she  hehd de lull aby. Somew e h ds may b e Ha i ti a n, some wehdsmay b e Cteole,s ome wehd s may  be Godonly know s ,  but itput  us  to  sl e e p,  which is deo n ly t in g dat m att ehs!” W e l aug h a gai n.  She’s so  much fu nwh en  s he’ s not burdened  d own  w ith  thec ares o f Chu ck.
“ Yo u  se emed so at h omewi th  the  ch il dren, ” Is ay.  She sm iles.

“I  us e d to  b eb bysit w hen I was a t ee nageh. I b eb bys at mos t of de ch ildjen I teach. Dat’s w h at make  me  want  toteach. De irso hel ple s s. Dey  needsomeo ne  to c are f o h  d em. ”I see nowt h atit’sno t ju st a jo b for her, that sh e  re ally cares ab out  her k id s.“I t  mu st beh a rd to let go, l ike if the ym ov e away org o t oanother  school .” He r  lips f latten in  contempl at ion. “Ye s, it canbe deefe cult, but you k n oh  chan gemust c om e.Nutti n’ sta y s d e sam e. Dey  c an’t b e beb bi es fohev ah. Dat would not be go od.” S he so und s so matt er
it sounded_a bit_like French, but she_had some_other_language mixed_in_there as well._As far as_I could tell, the_song was talking_about_a crab eating you, but it sounded so beautiful that the little baby girl_listening_was mesmerized_the_entire_time that she sang to_her. When I came to_get her,_she refused to leave until the mother returned._Even_when the relief_worker offered to take the baby, Keri declined.

“Noh!” she_said, firmly. “She ttusted de chile_to me. She_will_retuhn,_I will give de_chile back to heh.” I couldn’t_argue with her. We sat for_about ten more minutes waiting for the_mother while Keri sang the dodo_song. When Mom returned, the_little angel_was fast asleep.

“Keri, what was_that song that_you were_singing to the_baby?” she smiles.

“I thought the song_said something about_crabs eating you,” I say. Keri_laughs.

“You_speak Haitian?” she_laughs.

“I_speak_French,” I_tell her. She_nods.

“Ah,_you hehd_de_Cteole. Mahmah say by de time_she_hehd de lullaby. Some wehds may be_Haitian, some wehds may_be_Cteole, some wehds may_be God only knows, but_it put us to sleep, which_is de_only ting_dat mattehs!” We laugh again. She’s so much fun when she’s_not burdened down with the cares_of Chuck.

“You seemed so_at home_with_the children,” I_say._She smiles.

“I_used to bebbysit when I was a_teenageh. I_bebbysat most of de childjen I_teach. Dat’s what make_me_want to teach. Deir so helpless._Dey need someone to care foh_dem.” I see now that_it’s_not_just a job for her,_that she really cares about her_kids.

“It must be_hard to let go, like if they_move_away or go to another school.”_Her_lips flatten in contemplation.

“Yes, it can_be_deefecult,_but you knoh change must_come. Nuttin’ stays de same. Dey_can’t be bebbies fohevah. Dat would not be good.”_She sounds so_matter