AncilKate and I decided to hit the beach after Kate’s shower which seemed to last an eternity. Kate stated that she wasn’t going into the water and would just chill by the sand but my intentions were to go in and to bring her with me.
We hired a taxi and headed to a beach called Maracas on the North of the island. As was expected, the number of coconut trees skyrocketed the closer we got to the beach, and the number of high-raised buildings diminished to none. It was only then did I feel the Caribbean atmosphere which wasn’t all too present at the hotel and among all the hustle and bustle of the busy town of Port Of Spain, the capital. Kate got all fancied up with a romper that stopped a couple of inches above her knees but I on the other hand decided to dress a little less conservative and fancy. All I wore was a long pair of beach pants and an old shirt which I buttoned up only a quarter way through, exposing my chest and abdomen.
The driver whose accent was clearly not anywhere close to Jamaican, told Kate and me that Maracas “is just the beginning. You eh see beach yet. Wait till allyuh foreigners hit Tobago. Oh GAWWWWDD!!! Beach for so!”
“Are all Trinidadian people as excited about beaches as you are?” Kate asked.
“I can’t speak for all Trinis but I love meh beach too bad. Is not only because of the relaxing nature but because I grow up in the beach, you know. Some of my best memories come from on the beach. Cricket with friends, racing on the sand, and hear this nah. I find my wife on the beach too but that’s a long story. Even though I don’t go as much as I used to anymore, beach is my life.”
“Wow,” Kate said. “That’s actually pretty amazing.”
“Take my stupid advice. Savor every second allyuh spend out there because when allyuh leave the only thing allyuh go have is the memories.”
“We’re not leaving,” Kate said.
“Yeah, we’re here for a long time,” I added.
“Don’t make joke,” the driver said.
“We’re not joking,” Kate said with a hearty smile.
“Allyuh two have it nice boi. How come allyuh sticking around?” The driver asked.
“We’re trying to start a new life together,” Kate said.
“Well allyuh come to the right place.” The driver pulled out two business cards from his pocket and handed it to me in the backseat. “If allyuh ever need transport again feel free to give me a call. Don’t trust them other drivers out here. I would get allyuh wherever allyuh want to go safe and sound.”
“Thanks. We’ll keep that in mind,” I said.
I glanced at the card and it read, “Sheriff’s Transport And Rental service.”
“Your name is Sheriiff?” Kate asked after glancing at the card in my hand.
“Yeah. My mother was a big Bob Marley fan and she named me after his song ‘Who shot the Sheriff””
“I love that name. If I ever have a son , I’ll probably call him Sheriff too,” Kate said.
“Yeah, the name’s pretty neat,” I agreed. “Wait, wasn’t it ‘I shot the Sheriff'”
“Oh right right. I getting real old boi,” Sheriff said.
Kate and I both had a laugh at Sheriff. He dropped us out, led us to the beach then left, informing us to give him a call when we were ready to leave. I walked with only a towel and a change of clothes which Kate so generously kept in her backpack. Kate strapped her backpack filled with all her stuff firmly on her back disallowing me from helping saying that she preferred to keep a hold on her bag. I didn’t argue but just let her be. The bag looked pretty heavy and I felt this overwhelming guilt come over me as I watched her with the bag. My masculinity seemed threatened and I felt as though everyone at the beach was judging me for letting my girl carry a big and heavy bag while my hands swung freely in the wind.
“Why did you bring that bag anyway?” I asked.
“Because I came to the beach to relax on the sand with all my stuff.”
“What’s the point of coming to the beach if you’re just going to sit and use your laptop all day?”
Kate sat down on the sand and said, “the beach is a great environment to write and that’s exactly what I’m going to do — write.”
“Are you really going to write the whole time we’re here?” I asked.
“Well, I haven’t written anything in ages and I think now is a perfect time to get back to my real passion.”
“You know I was really looking forward to spending the day at the beach with you.”
“But I’m here,” Kate argued.
“Yeah but you’re going to be stuck in that fantasy world of yours the whole time,” I said. I walked closer to her and switched on my almost nonexistent charm as I held her hands, just the tip of her fingers. “Let’s make a deal.”
