Due to a tough itinerary, I arrived on Antoine Lane at 4:14 am a couple Sundays ago. As I exited from the car, I couldn’t help but wish for the dirt laneway that I ran up and down thousands of times. With my left hand I touched the brick wall of the tent, however, it seems smaller to me. I do remember when we had two rows of benches on each side, now it’s just one row. Where did the kitchen, with the large fire pit go? Where are the huge, large pots that produced the best coo coo on the island? The coo coo that was stirred with the largest swizzle sticks by every available hand – male, female, young and old.
I miss the chaos at Mammie’s house that was so central to all activities at the tent. We were in and out of the house, greeted by the kitchen with the dirt floor and that too large of a sink for a house so small. In the name of progress, the latrine (under the chennette tree) is gone. Mammie depended on both the chennete and tamrind trees to support her family and they are also no longer there.
My early morning visit is interrupted by what seems like all the dogs in the neighbourhood barking. Someone (maybe Korey) tried to silence them but to no avail. Okay I get the message, I’ll be back in August!
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