****Childhood Memories "They'll never pass away" ****

My mother gave birth to five children, four girls and one boy. I have two elder sisters I am the third of my mother’s children, and then came my little sister who is three years younger than me. We grew up part of our lifetime in the Capital of Trinidad which is Port of Spain. From a Chile I never liked where we use to live. I guess it was the environment, the house burnt down and in a way I wasn’t sad at all. If you use to live there you’d understand why I said that. I use to pray to God to move out that place and He answered my prayer.

My cousins lived next door to us and one of my uncles live down stairs. We use to have a lot of fun at times. After school we'd hurry along to go to the center/Quarry to play. Doing monkey jumps on some old piece of discarded iron thing that was there. There were times it would have basket ball competition and we would ask our mother to go and she'd send us. I remember a fat dark guy name Rocky who use to cell chicken foot souse. We use to take whatever pocket change we had to buy it and for us it sure tasted good.

I’d say we love to knock about many times we got licks for it but yet harden and stubborn as most kids are we'd do the same things again. My granny went to the United States and she brought back bikes for some of her grand children. I was one of the fortunate ones. That bike was special to me and I love it dearly imprinted on it was miss kitty. The colour was lilac and pink.

I could not ride at first I got many falls on my first attempts. I use to watch the bike instead of the road. My sisters use to laugh at me, but then naturally it came to me and so I began to ride, with one hand and very fast to. At times I would try no hands I became a riding professional. Sometimes my mother would ask me to go and buy meat or go to Payless Supermarket for her I would hop on miss kitty and down the Bonaparte Lane and unto Basillon Street and into Observatory Street I would pedal away.

I parked my bike with making several checks to ensure that it was safe and sound. I'd get my stuff quickly and head back home.

Sometimes you can hear my mother’s voice hollering and shouting our names very loudly when she came home and we wasn't around. We'd come running along as fast as we can because if we don't there will be a sound licking coming for us.

My mother use to beat a lot sometimes when I expected a cut skin she'd buy pass it. Then it seemed like she use to pile it up for a next time. My little sister Cherene was naughty she'd do exactly what you tell her don't do. She use to beat up children in school, get licks for it when she came home and do the same thing the next day. I use to play mother for and hit her sometimes in places where I should not, we fought a lot. My big sister and I never agreed, somehow she just enjoyed picking on me. We use to fight plenty and I loosed all the time, but the good thing was I went down fighting her back.

My second sister was Miss serious and quiet but they say don't trust quiet people they can be deadly and so she was. She won't interfere with anybody but if you interfere with her she would fight like a tiger cat, I seen her beat my big sister several times. She used to pick up for me a lot and save me many times from being bashed in by my big sister. For that I loved her most and I still do.

There was this guy who was a spranger (piper) and handy man his name was Tony Skeetes he used to do any handy jobs for my mother very helpful, empty the rubbish and such like of course not for free. To sad he's not around anymore someone chopped him and he bled to death.

Sometimes if you were looking for me I'd be by my friend Britney she lived on the hill and I spent many of my childhood days playing by her. I still see her now and then when I passed across where we once lived.

An old lady by the nick name of Neighbour use to sell sugar cakes, paw-paw ball and red mango I liked them very much. She was a nice old lady, but somehow on full moons she'd trip off and won't speak to us and run us when we go to purchase something. She is yet alive and lives in a home because some wicked mean person raped her two years ago, and she refused to go back home. What a pitiful situation.

Another old lady by the name of Galwa (Maria Maraj) an old Indian lady that could have barely walk she use to walk a little an stoop down every minute. I helped carry her bags on many occasions. I use to full water for her and sometimes clean out and she'd send me to the shop to buy her things and I'd get a little pocket change. Such a lovely woman I have no idea what have became of her, she no longer live where she use to.

There was a man who had a parlour we called him Zoap that little parlour rescued us many time from having to walk far.

My sisters and I use to fetch water like it's going out of style. I heft buckets for years due to little water coming through the pipes. There was a Baptist Church on Siparia hill and as kids we'd go in just for the fun of it and watch and sing then we'd run off or scale over a wall.

Every morning as a rule we must watch little Lulu and the Triplets cartoon before we go to school. Almost every Monday morning is either my little sister or I would misplace our school ribbons or socks. Sometimes I use to sneak hers just not to get licks; sorry about that but I had to save myself.

We did not live far from our Primary school so sometimes we'd come home for lunch or go and buy. After school my little sister and I would take different routes home. I don't think there's anywhere I know of that has so much ins and outs to get to one place. My little sister use to live by her aunty part of the time sometimes I'd go over and ask her to come home when I was bored, lonely or scared.

We use to go by my school friend Jamie who live through the canal or by a lady name Joanne and we’d lime or play with the children. I say through the Canal because you must cross a very big long canal to get there. I thank God that none of us ever fell in. Looking back now it was dangerous passing there although it was an empty canal, unless rain falls it would be filled. Miss Muriel had a shop behind there also where we use to go and buy snacks and drinks.

There were times we’d lime on a steps by a lady name Carlene, sometimes waiting there to see when our mother was coming home. My cousins were very wild they taught us how to skate on slippery boards down the canals at the side of the road where we lived. It was fun but I got some bruises from that though.

Then it was 2000 December that my little sister was leaving us to go away and live with her granny and aunt in the USA. As the saying goes you will never miss the water till the well runs dry. I was very sad at the news that my little sister would be leaving us. My uncle was traveling with her I had school that day. My granny and her husband was going to the airport and I didn't care about school I had to go and see my little sister for the last time for I never know if we'll meet again.

I remember well she was wearing a Yellow and Blue track suit. When we got to Piarco International Airport I asked her for us to go to the washroom. I was twelve years and I know that I had to tell her sorry for all the wicked things I had done to her. I cried but I dried my tears quickly didn't want my granny them see me crying. My conscience was clear and then I was able to let her go.

It has been ten years since and I never bless my eyes on my little sister in person except via the internet or by telephone communication. I love her and miss her very dearly; at least we had a few nice childhood days to keep in our memories. My little sister has grown into a young lady somewhat different from when she was younger. She has matured and is now attending college and already married. I wish her all the best and above all God's blessings and I do hope to see her again before I die, May God make a way for us to unite again even if it's just one more time.

When you have something cherish it and don't treat it any old how. For when it goes away you'd be the one to perish. Take time to love one another, be good and the best you can.

Written by: Joanna Chandler

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