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'orange car'






Probably one of humankind's best ever rituals is a Saturday afternoon zzz, that's if you are not one to have both Saturday and Sunday which is seventh heaven. This weekend we are looking after the last child's children. He refers to them as the 'caimans' and after a horrifying scream of 'how can you say that' he simple says 'try and bade dem'.
After my two hour slumber, hey I am a retired working man, I hear that the 'orange car' has gone missing. OK, I don't know what we are talking about but I look as though I am on top of my game and the search starts in earnest. Of course as always, different interests take over and soon we are on to many other things. As the night approaches and dinner and baths are in order for the 'caimans' I stumble upon the 'orange car'. The boy 'caiman' goes to bed tonight clutching the 'orange car' knowing that all is well with the world. Life is too short to be complicated.

 Yesterday was the final official day for the 'cocoa man'. Many friends and family turned out to say a final farewell. I look back on my own childhood in Arima and I know those days will never return, at least not on the rock, but the values and morals could and we should ensure that we maintain as much as possible. Reminiscing on the days gone puts you in a place where you say that is why I stayed, that is why I made a decision to make Trinidad and Tobago my home. After the service we all went back to a family member's house and there must have been over 75 people that visited throughout the day, all connected in some way, everyone knowing each other. There are not many places in the world where that can happen.

Saturdays are music days at home. From midday we put on the 'gram', actually Sonos, and today's choice was Latin Pop. After a while it's like listening to Disco music. We started off with Despacito then Heroe Favorito and when later in the day Hula Hoop by Daddy Yankee played that was it, back to Dylan and then some serious Motown. I listen to everything, all music is great. My friends and worse yet, my family, don't have the same discerning ear. I have had family ask, 'and what part of the world are we tonight?' Shims, music makes the world go round!

Today was a good day! Driving out the valley to buy 'papers' I met one of the readers of this blog walking in the area and of course we had a talk. We all want the same thing, a T&T that we can live in without all the negativity. We don't mind some of the bacchanal but not with everything, not when it comes to our safety, governance, the economy and the future of our children. Again, these are all man made issues that can be dealt with by having the right people in the right places. The island of Montserrat could not stop the natural disaster of a volcanic eruption but we can surely avoid the catastrophe of a man made disaster.

Another to die for custom for me is to buy doubles on a Saturday. My doubles man [it's never a doubles woman] has his two boys and his life partner working with him. Of course it's always a discourse on things happening on the rock. Today I am asked by his life partner 'what you like about here?' My immediate reply was 'just what I am doing'.

It's Saturday night, the Bajan frogs are noisier than ever, our neighbors visited tonight, they are off to Norway tomorrow, to live, au revoir and we on the rock look forward to a great week. Emancipation Day is on Tuesday, I hope when I go to support no one tells me that I did not meet the dress code and I am disrespecting the culture. Not being the 'blackest man' in T&T sometimes can be a bit disconcerting.

Good night and make sure all 'orange cars' are found before you go to sleep!

Final final, congrats to Akeem Stewart and Nyoshia Cain, winners!

 

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