Features

Bravery and faith... The ties that bind

By ANDREA DOWNER, Staff Reporter

Dudley and Versilda Wisdom - Contributed

'FAINT HEART HAS never won a fair lady'. That idiom has real meaning for 70 year-old Dudley Wisdom who boldly walked into Miss Winky's grandparent's house and asked permission to court and marry her.

And marry her he did, two years after his bold move, and on February 27, they celebrated their 48th wedding anniversary.

Dudley Wisdom and his wife, Versilda, who is affectionately called Miss Winky, live in Kensington, a small district in Alexandria in the interior of St. Ann.

"Im is not a easy man yuh know," his soft spoken wife declared as she stared at him lovingly.

First attempts unsuccessful

Dudley, or Mass Dalson as he is more well known in his community, confessed that his bravado is something that he was born with. He said he became attracted to Miss Winky from she was attending elementary school. He said, however, his attempts to get her attention were unsuccessful, but something about her kept him interested so he still persisted.

Miss Winky said she noticed his advances, but she was afraid of him so she kept her distance.

"Afta mi nuh want him go hold mi," she said demurely.

But Mass Dalson was not taking no for an answer and as history now has it, he was successful in his quest for a bride.

"When two love ready, you can hardly do nothing," he explained.

The obviously very loving couple must have done something right, because after 48 years, numerous challenges that included raising seven children, it is clear that they still can't get enough of each other.

Mass Dalson told THE WEEKEND STAR that in his opinion, one of the things that contributed to the success of their union was his wife's unwavering faith in him.

"From I married to har and teck her from her grandparents house, she has never underminded my manhood, she never went back to ask them for anything that was lacking in our home. Not even as much as likkle salt," he said as he beamed proudly.

Rough start

Both of them agreed that things were rough in the early days of their marriage. Miss Winky used to sew for a living and he would farm to provide for his family. Mass Dalson disclosed while finance was their most major challenge they were never short of love.

"Love was one thing we were never short of; we had love with credit and distinction," he declared.

So strong is his conviction that Miss Winky is the right woman for him and that their union was ordained, Mass Dalson said he feels that God made her special for him.

"This is one of the best thing that I have done in my life," he said in reference to his marriage.

He said the most important occurrences in his life have been getting married, getting saved and having children in that order.