Shortly after our wedding we returned to Bequia, myself to teach at the school until my replacement arrived, Mac to take up where he had left off at the construction site. Momma, my new mother-in-law, would be traveling home with us.
Air Canada’s baggage handlers were on strike the day we left, causing confusion for the rest of the airline staff in the terminal. Momma (bless her heart) had three huge suitcases and I was dreading the overweight fees this would entail. Inside her bags, well wrapped in newspaper, were several turkeys and hams as well as other items not obtainable on Bequia. I was pleasantly surprised when the bags were weighed and tagged with no fuss…… because of the strike the personnel were overworked and had no time to deal with the baggage allowances.
The ‘plane was filled to capacity and I sat in the middle between Mac and his mother. Momma was not a good traveler, when she wasn’t gripping my right leg she was clinging to my arm. We had to travel with the window closed because the sight of the clouds scared her, and I wished we could trade places. Momma was a large woman, and changing seats in a cramped space would be difficult so I kept my thoughts to myself. She refused to eat the meal offered, convinced that it would make her sick, and claimed her tea tasted like dirt. Sigh. It was going to be a long flight!
The ‘plane from Toronto had not departed on time and I knew we were going to miss our LIAT flight to St. Vincent. Sure enough, it had already left by the time we landed in Barbados and Air Canada had to put us up in a hotel. Momma was not happy, sleeping on a hotel bed was NOT going to happen, God only knew who else had been using it! The food provided by the hotel was dreadful, so bad that Momma went to her room in disgust while Mac and I went in search of better fare. Momma ate the fish and chips we returned to the hotel with, sitting upright on a chair in her room. That chair is where she spent the entire night, she adamantly refused to lie down on the bed.
Early the next morning we caught a LIAT flight, and I was surprised when Momma once again got through with her overweight bags, which by now contained THAWING turkeys and hams! We arrived on St. Vincent in time to catch the Friendship Rose home to Bequia, where a whole new chapter of my life was about to begin.
Oh Judy, another beautiful and most enjoyable story
Thanks Ute, so happy you enjoy my stories!
I was talking to your Dad at De Reef one Saturday afternoon and he said “Have your children been baptised?”. A little embarassed I had to say “No”. “Oh I do baptisms on the last Sunday of each month….gosh that’s tomorrow…come to church in Paget at 8am in the morning” was the reply. So we piled into Messengah taxi at some unearthly hour, Teresa was Godmother but she disappeared, possibly with GodFather Mike, into the rum shop down the road (this is just after 8am) so we had to call out for them in mid-ceremony. The holy water out of a Sunset Very Strong Rum bottle and your Mum playing autoharp with the choir (beautiful singing) remain wonderful memories. Gilly has been diving and had walked on a huge urchin, he had a foot full of spikes, we had to carry him into church.
Glad you are reading the stories Nick.
I remember one trip home on the flight to Barbados I was seated next to Bajan lady. She put her carry on in the overhead bin and at some point it began to drip. For some reason the stewardess thought it was mine, but I assured her I had nothing that would drip. The lady next to me was reluctant to admit what she had. Finally she admitted she had a bottle of Windex in her carry on! The stewardess was perplexed, and the lady explained it was expensive to buy in Barbados. Didn’t stop the stewardess from dumping it down the drain! I understand why they have the liquids rule now – it’s because of us West Indians! Cuz you done know I had nuff peppersauce and little bottles of rum stashed in my suitcase on the return trip!
Remember liat well, aka luggage left in another town.! One trip the pilots were boarding after we were all seated, and one pilot recognised a passenger and asked him why he was going to St Lucia, he replied “I’m not, I’m going to Barbados” we all laughed as the pilot made a quick exit through the curtain. That was liat.