Ole boys dat com

Last week ah end off me article on the “Class of 1954/1955 Re-union” with ah prayer that the fellars dem would wake in time on Sunday morning foh the 8 o’clock Service, and that they remember to come.

Well bright and early at 7:30 a.m. they were all there outside St Paul’s Church waiting on me to bring the School Ties. All this time Paddy Corea and me dey up Mc Kie’s Hill sweating in the vehicle, waiting foh Bully “Ello-man” Lawrence to get dress’, he just beer-ly made it, he came in from the USA very late the night before. {{more}}We got there five minutes before the Service started, yuh should ah see them fellars scramble foh School Tie to put on; yuh wouldn’t believe is the same Colonial Tie that we resented and uses to wear in we shirt-pockets even if it meant Black Book and Cane-in! We even got Dexter Lewis, who declared war on wearing ah Tie, to surrender on Sunday.

Ah believe that our Headmasters, Lopey and Miller would ah been proud to see all 20 of us strolling down the Church aisle garbed in our ole school uniform: Grey pants, white shirt and school tie, then actually seated up front, singing together. The scene was emotional; after all, how often do yuh see twenty past students, all over sixty years young, that’s 1,200 years altogether, re-assembled with some of their teachers of their day foh ah Silver Anniversary? Foh us it was nostalgic, we were proud yes, but yet humbled; and the vibes we felt coming across from the congregation, smell of warmth and appreciation foh our presence. At the end ah the service, Norma Keizer who was ah GHS teacher in our time, admitted that being among us (her boys) again made her feel rejuvenated. We looked so smart again that some of the GHS and IHS girls of our time who uses to brush us aside, couldn’t resist identifying with us: Melanie (John) Mc Kenzie, Rosie Mc Intosh, Brenda Quashie, Arlene (Deare) Kirton, Judy Roberts and Cherryl Williams. Their company helped to mek our day, thanks girls.

IT WAS APPRECIATION SUNDAY

Sunday was also ah big one foh St Paul’s Parishioners. In addition to our Re-union, it was also Members’ Appreciation Sunday foh the Parish that includes St Paul’s (Calliaqua) and St John’s (Belair). During the Service, four long standing members were recognized foh “Serving God”: Mother Gwen Jack (97 in Sept) and going strong, Joyce Haynes (73 in June) looking as sweet as when she was Miss Milligan, my Primary school teacher; Owen “Hopey” Hope, 84 yrs ah Builder who helps to keep God’s House in good repair; and Fr Huggins ah “Calliaqua Boy” regarded as de senior Spiritual Mentor of the District. After such ah hectic morning, there was ah Mass in the afternoon foh the Villagers Re-union.

Our Service was graced with the presence of Fr Ulric Jones now based in the USA, ah former Priest at St Paul’s and Past Student as well. The G.G. Sir Frederick, ah past student; the Deputy G.G. Lady Monica Dacon our Art Teacher; former Masters Pat Prescod, Leroy “Pokes” Mulraine and Cedric “Pronto” Harold who heard of the Service and appeared pronto! Minister Bug-in, ah Parishioner was there too. But we were treated with dignity by the members ah St Paul’s. We were graciously ushered to our seats, allowed to participate in the Service by singing the Ole School Song and then brunched at the Parish Hall to some nice food and excellent service. Ah get the feeling that Fr. Regisford got ah good thing going with his team of committed, awe-sum ladies; awe-sum as in Elm-awe and Alm-awe Dougan, Kore-awe Cambridge and Learn-awe Mc Barnette. There were others of course whose names ah didn’t get, sorry about dat ladies.

DE NEXT STOP

After the Brunch we went to Lunch at John’s, Horne foh Dem. Now when we did Algebra we learned ah Maths formula that states: Nice Food plus Nice Friends equal Nice Time and that is what we had at John! Fred Providence head was Nice too, he moved ah Motion: “Be it resolved that come next year, same time, same place we will all meet at John’s”. And all said Aye! De Ayes had it of course! Oops, there was one abstention, John!!

We took ah break on Monday and Tuesday foh Mas and Wednesday, we headed foh Georgetown to spend the day with Ferdie Footstep. We told Ferdie that we coming up dey months ago, so he had time to catch out all the cray-fish and tri tri in the river, purge some Creole fowls and fatten-up de ram goat. On these occasions Ferdie does tek over the kitchen and yuh getting nothing but the best. We were entertained by ah group of young, promising dancers from the G’town Guv-ah-mint school. we had ah bawl! It is not difficult to overs when the Boys enjoying themselves; when it’s good they start talking bout de Next Stop. At Georgetown they were hinting that 2008 is the one hundredth Anniversary of the School and that is de Next Stop!

Lie-Za mad vex with us, she asked me if any ah the guys single, so ah fool she and say most ah them; then she asked me to line her up with one from the USA. Well she came on Sunday and got an introduction and hinted to me which one she liked. When ah told her that she out ah luck, my boy was not impressed, he sensed something phony bout her. She hit de roof: “Phony? Yuh want anything more phony than all yuh. All ah yuh sit down in Church with Cap pon yuh head. Who didn’t have on Snow-Caps (grey-hairs), either had on ah Re-Cap (hair-dye) or No-Cap (balded)”! And as to yuh friend, tell him he is in ah class by he-self, he’s all three, some ah he hair grey, some parts like it dye and like he start ah get bald already”! That is Lie-Za foh all yuh.

And with that, ah gone agin.

One Love Bassy!