Farewell to E.G.

Just over ah year ago the Classes of 1954 and1955 celebrated ah milestone that marked fifty years since we had entered Grammar School. In our preparations EG as in E.G. King and not talk-show host Elwardo “EG” Lynch was selected to head ah small committee to plan ah week of activities foh de occasion. Ah think ah did ah fair bit ah coverage ah what transpired at those preparatory meetings, but ah may have omitted to mention that we had all agreed that since we were all in our sixties and like ripe mangoes ready to be picked; that our names were high on the list ah candidates foh selection foh duties on de Other Side; furthermore any gather-in of the group in the future will most likely be at members’ funerals.{{more}} Since then we gather-in once foh Dougie Cambridge’s funeral and this week we will gather-in again to pay our last respects to our Cheerman EG.

EG was ah man with moods, not excluding those harassing moments that he himself add-myth were splashes of his “senior moments”! But de side that will long be remembered, is his selflessness and kindness, true Christian Qualities. Ah lot ah we does go church three, four days ah week and twice pon ah Sunday, but selfishness and greed foh material worth done eat out we soul, our life is as MT as ah barrel. Not EG King, he was Generous, Thoughtful and Kind. He was Compassionate to people he didn’t know at times, and found time foh people in need of his care and attention. Folks in New York speak volumes of his generosity. He gave up ah lucrative profession in the USA to come home to tek care of his Mother, Miss Norma and lately his former school-master Winston “Sir Bats” Baptiste who all ah we abandoned.

Undoubtedly one ah de brighter students to have passed thru the corridors ah de Grammar School, following in de steps ah Dennis Crichton who placed first in the Commonwealth HSC Exams and won the Island Schol all at age sixteen. EG however, had ah passionate love foh his Alma Mater and was always in touch with the school, seeking ways he could assist, and indeed he made his contributions. His last mission was during his farewell trip to New York in May where he collected and shipped all of the trophies foh de School’s Graduation 2006.

Ah don’t think EG saw last Friday’s Papers with the GHS past students gather-in in Canada way dey selected steering committees to start preparing foh their centennial celebrations in 2011, looks like dey planning ah Big Ting. Ah glad he didn’t see de Papers, something like that he wouldn’t miss calling to harass me foh our tardiness. One ah EG’s greatest wish was to be ah part ah Grammar School centennial celebrations in 2008. After de modest success ah our 50th anniversary, he was all hyped-up foh de 2008 Celebrations, he even tried ah couple times calling ah meeting to get plans going foh that grand occasion, but on both attempts no more than three guys turned up.

On ah lighter side ah things we shared ah couple bright moments together, like when he went with me to Shatto to do ah job, there was ah lady supervisor from de Bank with us. We had lunch at de Beach Bar and EG who is supposed to be this ain’t-no-saint guy, was at his sharpest wits. When we got back he phoned me to say thanks, then enquired when is de next trip and informed me that he will be interested in going along. And then he added: “ Make sure and get that young lady to come along as well, she’s very nice”! Ah sware ah ain’t know what he was trying to get me to do.

His brightest period since he is back home, was Christmas 2005. His son Eric spent the holidays with him and seems like dey had ah blast together. But if you know EG well enough, he’s tight lip and preserves his privacy, he however spoke ah great deal of his son’s visit. Ah think his spirit still remained energized after Eric went back.

While writing this article, Dr Franklyn “Priest” Jacobs phoned from the UK to remind us that EG would have kept ah compilation of ah lot ah valuable records ah the school, that we should get Eric to secure them as they will be of great use in the writing of the School’s history. It would not be me or it would be ah remiss if ah didn’t add that Priest of “corned beef and rice” fame, like he had something in his mouth while talking to me, ah couldn’t recognize what he was saying, so ah asked him if something was wrong with his mouth, in his strong English accent he replied: “ Nod-add-all Bessy, it’s lunch toime in Englond and I’m hoving lunch, I’m just putting away some good ole corned beef on roice!” You think my Classmates and dem was easy eh?

So on Friday we will say goodbye to EG and send him to meet his Heavenly Father, de King! And with that ah gone again.

One Love Bassy !