With our spirits uplifted
Clarence my aunt Yvonne and I began preparing for the big Easter Monday kite
flying day. Only to receive a letter
from my mother Aunt Gertis stating that she wanted us to spend Easter with her
in New Amsterdam. The next couple days was now spent preparing for the long
journey to New Amsterdam.
We boarded the train in
Georgetown, Lamaha Street in Cummingsburg to begin the trip New Amsterdam.
To our amazement and joy as
boys we were in the same compartment with two British soldiers.
Guyana the then “British
Guiana” was a sovereign colony of England.
The British army sent soldiers to help squash the unrest and riots and
return to country to a state of peace.
Between strained snips of
conversation we got to know the English soldiers. They proved to be a savior to
us after the train made one of its major stops at Mahaica. At this stop we are
allowed to leave the train to stretch our feet and buy food and stuff.
What we did not know was
Mahaica was also World Head Quarters for Sand Flies and Mosquitoes. The moment
the train pulled out of the Mahaica station colonies of Sand Flies and Mosquitoes
descended on us with most vicious attack of insect on man ever. Sand Flies will
attack you in swarms on every exposed part of your body. They will find their
way through your hair down to your skull and the bite every exposed part that
no hair grows from and leave your head full of bumps, they are bad. The
mosquitoes there will bite and drink every drop of blood you own by the time
you reach to Rosignol, you will have no blood and pale. So there we were facing
eminent death when the two English soldiers produced the most complete defense in
the form of a bottle of Citronella oil. They offered to share some with us. We graciously accepted their offer. We rubbed
that oil on our body from head to toe. We literally took off our Yachting Boots
and rubbed the oil between our toes and of course on our head, under our shirt
and pants. “It just takes one sand fly to get under your shirt and pants to
have you scratching and itching. My brother
and I will always be grateful to those two English soldiers.
Once upon an Easter.
With the
creation of this whimsical flower arrangement. I reminisce my aunt Yvonne, once
a year the horticultural society of Guyana holds an exhibition and show. I will always remember the frantic
preparation as my aunt got her flowers arranged for display.
Love Rowan
