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Harry and Clover Linton were ... Destined for love

Clover and Harry show their affection. - leighton williams

MOST PERSONS MAY not have thought that Harry and Clover Linton would be married today. Perhaps not even Clover herself after she erased any thought of Harry from her mind after their first meeting.

But, apparently they were destined to be together as 51 years later they are celebrating 45 years of marriage.

Harry and Clover were wed on June 25, 1960 at the Kingston Parish Church. At that time, their wedding capped a six-year relationship which had gone through some ups and downs.

"We met at a dance in Fletchers Land on a Saturday night. While there, he came over to me and asked me for a dance. After a while, I answered him and decided to dance with him," said Clover.

"She stared me up and down and just when I thought that she would say 'no' she said yes," Harry continued. "The first dance we were far apart. The second dance we came closer. The third dance we were even closer and by the fourth dance, we were dancing together," said Harry.

Harry told THE WEEKEND STAR that after a few dances, a drink and exchanging of names he thought he had made an impression. But, he was quickly humbled when he called on her in Allman Town the following evening and she did not remember him, let alone his name.

"She didn't remember who I was. It was after I asked her where she was from that we started talking, as she knew my father and brother ...," he said.

Forgot about him

"I had forgotten all about him. To me it was just a dance. I wasn't even thinking about him. When my friend told me he was here to see me I asked 'Harry who'," said Clover.

For the next six years, Harry and Clover were together. Clover describes Harry as a 'ladies man' but he eventually settled down. But, she said what attracted her to him was his dapper appearance.

"He was very tidy, and he was a good dancer. He looked smart and that's why I danced with him. That's why I was looking him up and down because if he wasn't tidy I wouldn't dance with him," she said.

Harry, on the other hand, said he was impressed by Clover's body. He said 'it was like somebody chop her out' and so he had to meet her.

The couple has three children who were born in England where they lived for almost 25 years. They also have seven grandchildren and three great grandchildren.

These days the couple spends a lot of time together. Both were talkative during the interview but Harry talked much more than his wife. He said they were always playing and giving jokes and one of their pastimes was playing dominoes.

"She tief yuh si. Mi can't even win a game. Sometime when she get up, the amount a domino yuh si a drop out a her skirt," he said as they both laughed.

But, at the end of the day, they say the key to their marriage has been love and forgiveness.

"None of us are perfect and we all make mistakes. Most people have differences and malice each other. But, we used to talk about it in the morning. When you don't live good it makes the kids unhappy and also makes you unhappy. That's why you have to forgive," said Clover.