Very few people had telephones on Bequia in the early ‘80s, and for quite some time I ran a restaurant without one. We used VHF radios to communicate, and in those simple, uncomplicated days it worked. Times would change of course, visitors would start wanting to make reservations and order take-out pizzas, but at that point in time the radio was IT.
Mac and I got a telephone for the house in 1980, what a luxury! Until then, if I needed to make a call I went to Momma’s house. I didn’t need a ‘phone often but was glad to have one of my own. I could now order goods for the Pizzeria from the comfort of my home, and that was a treat. Overseas calls were still difficult and expensive to place and were therefore rarely made.
One of the drawbacks to owning a telephone back then soon became obvious. People would want to use it from time to time and Mac didn’t know how to say “no”. If I were home when they asked I would gently suggest they make their calls from the Frangi Yacht Services, that’s what they were there for, but Mac allowed pretty well anyone to use the phone and it irritated me to no end! It was hard to figure out who owed what, and often we were stuck with hefty bills as a result.
I was at home and quite pregnant the time a special request for the phone occurred. I hadn’t been feeling well and was stretched out on our sofa bed in the living room, which also served as our bedroom. Mac had cooked some stew chicken for lunch, and my dirty plate with gnawed bones was resting on the table beside the bed. My hair was hanging in two disheveled braids, and there was a dark gravy stain running down the front of my ugly nylon nightgown.
I heard Vanessa’s voice calling from the porch, and as I struggled to get my pregnant bulk up from the bed she appeared in the door-way with a man. Vanessa was my best friend and I was used to her popping up to the house for visits, the man with her was a total stranger. I was embarrassed by my appearance, I knew I looked a mess!
Vanessa said, “Hey Judy, this is Bob. Bob, this is my good friend Judy.” Bob just looked at me, his eyes traveling over the dirty nightgown covering my swollen stomach, and without saying a word he slowly nodded his head in greeting. Vanessa asked if Bob could use my phone, he missed his guitar and wanted his girlfriend in New York to bring it to Bequia for him.
That was the memorable day I met Bob Dylan.
Too cool Judy!! Did you get to see him again when you were looking gorgeous?
For sure but he still didn’t seem impressed, he also hated pizza with a passion….
I talked to him for a while at the frangi, but it wasn’t until my friend asked me “did I know who I was chatting to?” did the penny drop. As you said in another story, the celebs were ordinary people in bequia.