We does call a lot of people “friend”.
De truth is dat yuh does have many acquaintances, but true friends? Yuh blessed with three. Iiffing yuh have more, yuh cup overfloweth!
Many years ago, a “friend” invite me to hear Tradewinds in Pandora’s Hideaway next to de Yacht Club pun Bay Street. I get trapped by de music and so started a friendship wid de leader of de band, Dave Martins. I know I tested de friendship many times because whenever de ole Ford Maverick did need a velocity joint, carburettor, new fenders, guess who had to find them and bring them down in he luggage from Toronto? Dave!
Over de years, de friendship grew, like de size of we families. To dis day, we does stay by one annudder and would do anything fuh one annuder, but mostly, we does talk ’bout life and share de good and bad times.
A time, my cousin Tony and I went to St Lucia and end up in a fete with Boo and the Tru-Tones, St Lucia’s all-time No. 1 band. A pretty Lucian lass befriended me and introduce me to Boo.?Sometime after 6 a.m., all ah we did leaving de fete after talking fuh hours.?So started another lifelong friendship.
People would go to St Lucia, come back and say, “Market, I spend de weekend by Boo and he tell me he gine let me sleep in your room but I mustn’t disturb anything and he let me drive your car.”
One Carnival morning, we leave Boo house. something I did drink earlier start to wuk de intestines and head. I only have Boo Hinkson version, which I know get embellish many times. He say Vendor coming down de road, three ladies holding he tight like plastic wrap. Boo exclaim: “Eh, eh, my boy lucky, but wait, he two foot off de ground!”
I was out cold. Next thing, I in Bam Charles brand new Mitsubishi Sapporo and puke all over de car! When I regain consciousness and emerge from de bedroom, it was night. Boo and de Madam break down laughing: “Garcon, you famous, oui!”
Years ago in Vincie land, I met another lifelong friend Vidal Browne. We shared many high and low points – mostly high – travelled together and shared many family moments, a passion fuh dogs and de simple things in life.?When Vidal laugh, he body and de whole room does reverberate!
Aubrey Choy and I met by coincidence moons ago.?We got some traditions, including breakfast every Xmas that, except fuh travel, is never broken. He teach me to play squash. He was great at it and throughout my life he has been a part of it. He was my best man three times, but dat is another story!
De families have travelled more together than with anyone else. Choy does laugh first and loudest at he own jokes. One time, I rent out muh house and couldn’t find a place to live. No problem, says Choy, and he lovely wife Sonia say: “Come and live wid we.”
We live wid dem fuh three months. Today, we is still inseparable friends. Dem is only four, but duh got many more: Denis, Pat, Alex, Rachel, Is, Tony, David, among others. De cup overfloweth wid dese brothers and sisters from other mothers.
But I still looking fuh two SOBs I thought was friends, who owe me money. Iffing I find dem, one of de real friends gine have to stand bail fuh me!
Wunnah know who wunnah is, so bring my money before I tek a jail fuh wunnah!
I, Market Vendor, gone fuh now.?You have a blessed and a wonderful day, yuh hearrr?
