Dean’s Christ-Mas was ah high Mas

Ah Jel-Us Lie-Za bad. She called me early Christmas Morning to tell me ah miss ah High Mas at de Kingstown Anglican Church, Christ-Mas Eve Mid-night Service. Of course “pro-tek-all was fully established,” sanitize hands etc and de ‘Mass’ gathering all wore ‘Mask’ to celebrate de ‘Mas’! But she kept repeating: “ de singing was different!” It seems dat team Dean Nicholls wid Bishop Friday’s nod, decided to Rev-all-yuh-shun- eyes de Spirit of Christ-Mas, adding some sweet and appropriate Vincy Christ-Mas Music to de Mas dis year. Was some lusty singing as de combined voices of de Choir and congregation sang CP’s Christ-mas Parang: “Give ah Little Something,” and Becket’s Calypso/Soca: “Sing Me Noel!” I actually looked at it on You Tube and it was good. Ah crowning moment foh CP and Becket. Ah told Li-Za Bishop Friday loves his Kaiso and is ah regular at Nah-shun-all Calypso Finals; and Dean Nicholls, ah Pan Lover who actually had Starlift playing in Church foh his Order-nay-shun. Ah remember sitting next to de Dean at ah Pan Show where his three daughters were playing in Potential Steel Band.

Dah’s Very god foh de Church. Next year de Dean could have ah full Novena/Nine Morning. Open the doors and let the poor people enter with Thanksgiving, Prayers and Praise. Raise funds, sell creole foods, cakes sorrel and ginger beer. Thank you Dean and your committed team, no name no warrant.

DE CASSYTHA
FILIFORMIS

Ah read of the quiet passing of Dr Basil Williams ah former Chief Agriculture Office of New Montrose. Basil was very much my senior and House Prefect in Grammar School back in 1955. Ah remember him and Dr Ken John moving close like two peas in a pod. He played cricket foh BGA, den went to ICTA/UWI where her studied Agricultural Science and later lectured at UWI, until Sir James invited him to head de Agricultural Department in SVG. Ah remember him as ah very humble man, always willing to assist. Ah had ah pleasant lecture from him years ago when SEARCHLIGHT had just started in 1995 and ah chose to use de Pseudonym “De Love Vine” foh my articles. All ah knew bout De Love Vine was what was visible to de eyes: a plant or ah very thin orange colour vine, no leaves, no flower, no fruit; a parasite dat spreads miserably like wild-fire onto any plant on which it is lodged. Its use was hilarious, full ah Folklore, one could ah use De Love Vine to predict if ah girl had ah crush on him or vice versa. Just simply break off ah piece ah De Love Vine, and before throwing it on a fence or plant, you simple say : “Love Vine, Love Vine, if Lie-Za Loves me den please grow!” . If the parasite grows then Love is in the air, if not then it was a sign to look elsewhere for Love.

So the opening paragraph foh my article was ah Jingle: “Love Vine bears no flowers, no branches, leaves or Fruit; Love Vine spreads all over searching foh de Truth;” dat remained ah white lie until Dr Basil Williams called to congratulate me on my jingle, but said he ought to appraise me on the facts. First he said, de Botanical name is “Cassytha filiformis” it is a higher plant that produces flowers and seeds not easily seen wid de naked eyes. The flowers are white. The fruits are black when dry.  Interestingly De Love Vine is ah boss of ah medical plant, The extract is an effective method of cleansing the liver, fighting eye diseases including glaucoma, boosting heart health, toning the kidneys and cleaning the urinary tract and bladder; all of which I am yet to try. After dat lecture, dey was no more Jingle, Sparrow say “if de doctor say so is so.” May Dr Williams Rest Peacefully wid de Lord. And wid dat is gone ah gone again.

One Love Bassy