Last week, when I got dressed for work, I made it my duty to add a bit of excitement to my life through dress, to combat the mundane reality of the 9 to 5. Since Friday happened to be the legendary Bob Marley’s birthday, I decided to pay tribute by dressing up like a rasta. I went full blown turbanista (fashionista with a turban) on Friday morning, complete with “mary jane” patterned suspenders. This would be considered highly inappropriate in almost any other work setting, but again, if you brush off any questions and mention Bob Marley’s birthday around here, people tend to forget their initial concerns.

My boss noticed my outfit as soon as he walked in and asked why I was wearing a turban. A day prior, he decided to acknowledge me at the morning staff meeting for wearing what he called a “Kentucky Derby outfit” so I wasn’t surprised that he commented on my outfit at all, and I took that as an opportunity to inform him of the paramount importance of Bob Marley Day, before he noticed the barely hidden suspenders. He is American, but by no means a stranger to the legend of Robert Nesta Marley. What did surprise me that morning, was the way my American manager decided to start our morning meeting. He said good morning to everyone, and immediate went into “Usually, I would say ‘Thank God it’s Friday’, but in honor of Bob Marley Day today, I’d like to say ‘Thank Jah it’s Friday!'” Yes. Jah. He went on to acknowledge my Bob Marley Day outfit, which I can’t say was at all unexpected. It is possible that he was still too excited about Jah, and Friday to notice the pattern of the suspenders.

Later that morning, I was well settled in my cubicle, and had just made a sale, to the sweet sound of a Bob Marley playlist, which my team manager thought was not only appropriate, but highly necessary. After he put it on, he made sure to call my name, and made sure that I realized what was playing. The other manager, who had conducted the meeting, came by my desk, and realizing that I had made a sale, blurted out “Yeah girl! You really did it for Bob Marley today!”

All day, it was just impossible for me to shake the Bob Marley referencing. And at the end of the day, when almost everyone was gone, and I was just about done processing another sale, my team manager walked in and noticed, and could you guess what he told me? “Yeah, you did it for the team today, and you did it for Bob Marley! Good job!” all while repeatedly fist pumping, or as we say “jamming” me.

After a long productive day at work, I had plans to meet up with a friend and coworker at our favorite spot “Irie Bar” in Gros Islet. It’s a great spot for drinkers and smokers alike and quite frankly, there was no better place to end Bob Marley Day, but in a small room, with a red light, in the back of Irie Bar, to the tune of “Buffalo Soldier”, thinking about the immortality of someone like Bob Marley. Even in death, a man so powerful, he has us all throwing him small birthday parties across our rocks, and has middle aged American men saying “Thank Jah it’s Friday” at a business meeting.

Thank Jah, it is again Friday, and that this day will continue to grace my sweet rock, every seven sunrises.