The twin on vacation

Uncle Guillaume had a brother who had twin sons. One was darker than the next, one was healthier and stronger than the next, one was more out spoken and active than the next.

When they were big enough, they were sent « in the country » to spend some time with their grand mother, Mama Gath, a « learning to adjust to changing circumstances » experience.
The old house was small, there was no electricity, night came early and sunset was synonymous with mosquitoes setting in. A small fire with some green bushes created enough smoke to chase some of the mosquitoes. In the evening we mostly looked at the stars and passing satelites…

In the morning when they woke up, uncle Guillaume had already milked the one or two cows that lived around the house. Some fresh milk served to make chocolate tea. The rest was put aside in a big bowl, in the « safe », to make banaclower for the next day. Now and again some milk was reserved to make butter.

Some days uncle Guillaume would take them to « the hill » (petit Fond) to tend to the cattle and get some ground food. A good walk indeed, and easy to guest which of the twin toes came more often in contact with rocks…

Other days they would walk down to the bay, hop on the small row boat and get some fish or crab or lobster from uncle Guillaume’s fish pots. If there were lobsters they were thrown back in the sea. If there was a crab it was brought home and cooked for the dog. If there was too much fish the neigbours would get the excess.

Now and again they went to « lil Dan shop » with mama gath. (I cannot remember seing a prettier old lady than mama gath, with her long silky white hair. I don’t remember hearing her speaking loud but obediance didn’t seem difficult for her to get, she didn’t walk fast but no one wanted to walk faster…). They never used the main road but instead the walking tracks through the savanah.

And on sunday they would be taken to the church on the hill. They came through the traditional inland tracks and mama Gath was proud to show off the twin, her grand children from Mar’gut.

Some days they would listen to a base ball game transmitted by « the voice of america ». Uncle Guillaume was a fan of the New-York yankees.  In the afternoon, before sunset, They would play « ball » with uncle Guillaume. He was an excellent cricket’s player but he also had a base ball glove and a ball.                                                                                    Easy to guest wich of the twin played ball the best.

All in all, that way of life was pretty frugal but no one ever went to bed being hungry. The twin enriched themselves with knowledge of nature… the mangoose and the donkeys, the fowls catching sandopees and roaches, the lizzards and the wood slaves eating other insects, the cherry trees on the road side and the biggest of tamons or kennip trees, the harmless sleeping sharks in the shallow waters of l’embouchure bay, or the « not to walk upon dangerous black sea urchin », jack spaniard nest and feeding bees, the position of the north star and the constellation of Orion.

Years and years after, uncle Guillaume had become a respected old man, not only by family but by all the people of the village. So it was difficult to see him in the hospital when he got sick.
He went through the first surgery… but when he was told that « they » had to try a second operation, he said NO !… I believe that he had realized that he had given his most and best and that it was time to bow out…He was ready to leave and had already told his friend « Juko » where and how he wanted to be burried…

And Juko respected his last will to the T…
May he dwell in his best peace, untill…