It is more than likely that whether you know me personally or as just a person whose face is familiar to you because of this column or my association with the entertainment business, you may find me missing in action for the rest of this week.
The reason is that I am surrounded by so many celebrations, starting yesterday and continuing until Wednesday, that there is little likelihood that I will be in any condition, physical or otherwise, to resurface for a while.
Straight from Trinidad enjoying the first taste, yeah, of this year’s pre-Carnival activities, I celebrated another . . . tieth birthday yesterday. It was not my 30th, my 40th, my 50th, nor was it my 80th. So I leave you to guess which . . . tieth it was.
You should be familiar with the fact that I also share my January 29 birthdate with my son Damani, and yesterday was a special milestone for him – his 25th. So you would understand how last night must have gone down in terms of shotting.
And as if that was not enough for one day and night, yesterday was also the wedding anniversary of my daughter Kelly and her husband Pedro. More shotting.
So picture the condition I must surely be in as you read this, a condition that at even a young age would call for a whole day of sleeping it off today. But that cannot be because my son Alex and his wife Renee came in from Boston with my twin grandsons Omari and Aidan to join in the celebrations.
And the reason why there’s no rest for wicked me today is that today’s also happens to be Renee’s birthday. That’s right, more celebrating. But before you start feeling for me, check this.
Tomorrow is yet another day of celebrating; this time the second birthday of the twins. It so happened that I was willing them to be born on the 29th to create a new Guinness record for the book in terms of grandfather, son and grandsons with the same birth date.
Renee was willing them to come forth on the 30th to share her birthday. But Omari and Aidan had minds of their own and, after keeping us in agitated suspense, they made their grand appearance on January 31.
So that’s all Saturday, Sunday and Monday of celebrating.
Under normal circumstances I would be waiting for Tuesday to get down to some serious rest and relaxation. But if I try to I get down, as Li’l Rick would say, I can’ stand down dey. The reason is that come Wednesday I have to come up, come up again for the birthday of Kelly and Pedro’s first daughter – my granddaughter Gabrielle.
Then the next day, Thursday, I have to come up again, this time to join another grand, Gabrielle’s sister Bianca, who will be celebrating her birthday. As we used to say back in the day, partying can’ done.
Did I mention that in the midst of all that celebration I also have to join my good friend Dorsie Boyce for a few shots as he also marks his birthday today.
Nevertheless, let me thank the many people who called me on the phone, sent text, email and BBM messages or hailed me on Facebook to wish me a happy . . . tieth birthday.
In turn, I extend my own greetings to all Aquarians, including friends like the aforementioned Dorsie and “Boo” Rudder and Sach Moore, as well as a friendly FirstCaribbean Fontabelle employee Orien Holder who also shares my January 29th birthdate.
Until next Sunday, fire one on that!
• Al Gilkes is head of a public relations firm.
