Good to be back home

Dis week ah accompany ah group of ex-patriots, mainly members of de late Edward Richardson’s family, originally of Mespo Gospel Hall fame, to a Fun Day on de Leeward side of de island.

Last month was sad times foh dem, wid de passing of two immediate family members, ah brother Bradley and sister, Thelma (Richardson) Providence. Wid just about all of de siblings living abroad: England, USA,

Canada, Bermuda. Ah number of surviving siblings and family came in to put to rest de remains (ash) of de (two) deceased.

So Tuesday was de North Leeward leg and ah was told dat our tour operator was ah Mr Kenlyn

Neverson, dat’s our Social Activist, Kenlyn of No 17 Market Shop in Little Tokyo. He’s ah North Leward Man from Shatto who is familiar wid de roads and who knows everybody from town to Shatto, shouting dem every step of de way. Now Kenlyn handled himself well and earned ah high rating from de visitors. He enhanced his service wid Ice Tea, soft drinks etc real good.

My charge was to find dem de Best in doved Black Fish, Roast-Breadfruit and Crips, and dat was easy. Ah contacted de Mayor of Bagga, Dr Fraser, who sub-contracted his cousin, Andre “ de Magic Man” Quow of Nice Radio Late Night Show fame, man wid ah tremendous Radio Voice one ah de better “round-de- clock” specialist in de region. When we arrived in Bagga Jennifer from Layou, de Chef, Cook and “Doved Poisson Noir” specialist “had done her thing and gone. But was trouble when de visitors saw her dainty looking Black Fish dishes, Is like dey wanted to have lunch in Bagga.

On leaving Barrouallie, someone asked: “ are we near de site where Pirates of de Caribbean was filmed?” Dat was an embarrassment, and Go-venom-mint ought to be ashamed to allow dis unique site wid so much potential foh Tour-is-him to just “rotten down” like dat. De driver very kindly told dem we will stop by on our return. He never did.

Next major stop was Richmond. Ah must add-myth dat it could be scary skirting de edges, round dem steep corners overlooking de sea, Ah overheard one of our Visitors (ah senior citizen) asking if we in a cable cart? We finally got to Richmond and ah was hurt and turned off wid de excavated area for Quarry now abandoned leaving de place looking devasted. We parked near de beach not even ah bench under ah tree to sit and have lunch, dis is unacceptable, awful. But de food was ready: Souce, and Fried Fish wid Roast-Breadfruit, Touch of Dawn cocoa tea, Ginger beer mauby etc. We sang ah couple folk songs and den headed up to Dark View Falls.

De folks all planned foh de Dark View leg, ah talking bout 60, 70 and 80 year ole folks. Dey crossed de Bamboo Bridge, headed down to de falls. De high point of de trip was watching

Jason, ah second generation Richardson, English Mother Vincentian Dad, gently taking his 80 year ole Aunt Adina Richardson, who literally crawled down de steps no hand rails to support de legs. Den he helped her get under de Water Fall foh ah water massage. Incidentally Jason is an

Engineer and was very impressed wid de way we hand-made dat Bamboo swing Bridge to cross de river. Dey’s miracle in dat Dark View Water Massage, those who could have hardly crawled down to de base, were climbing dey way up de steps wid vigour. .

Again de same none-cents when we were about to lace into de main course: “Bread-fruit, Bull Joule, Doved Black Fish, Crisp, Pelau and Mac Pie. Yes dey wasn’t even ah wooden or bamboo bench foh dem ole people to sit and dine. Way happen to our Nah-shun-all Pride. Is these lickle things dat add I-sing to de cake. No wonder de Kaisonian sang “Sin Vin Sin mash-up and ULP to be blame!”

Notwithstanding de few hitches, minor but significant, de Folks all hade ah Glorious Day back home in Vincy Land. And wid dat is gone ah gone again.

One love Bassy

• Bassy Alexander is a land surveyor, folklorist and social commentator.