Re: MAUSICA WEEKLY EMAILS

2012-DEC-29-0659Hrs

I corrected a Typo and added a mine and one other name.

Dear Errol:

I read the comments of "Kelvin Francois" on my note asking for support of Machel Montano. The point was that he is the child of a Mausican. In any family, there is variation, and we have to cherish all. We remain the Mausica family, and that family is extended, and I would ask for leniency for anyone who belongs to it. Leniency is not to be conflated with condonation. Mr. Francois misses my point, and decides to label me as a "fan" of Machel, and declares that he is not a fan. I believe in forgiveness. I know the parents, and don't need to be a fan to empathise.

The second point is that Mr. Francois refers to me as "an unknown Theodore Lewis". I am not sure what to make of that. There are many, especially those who came after 1970 who I do not know. There are Mausicans who came before 1967 whom I do not know. But that does not make them "unknown." I am among a small group who spent THREE years at Mausica, being called back for a third year for specialist training (agriculture, industrial arts, Home Economics) for the junior secondary schools. So I had more exposure than most, and was active the whole time, in extra curricular activities.

I am known by people who know me. I feel somewhat like Lord Nelson who was called "foreigner" by the immigration people at the airport, and he had to point out to them why he is not a foreigner, just because he had a Green card.

I do not feel I am unknown. I went to Mausica in September 1967, and joined Fairhaven hostel which was the headquarters of the RED GUARD. Red guard men in the hostel included Geezmo (Kent Rennie), Rodney Foster, Calsbury Gonzales, Martin Brathwaite (deceased), Andrew Miguel, Michael Murrel, and Sto (Selwyn Bethelmy). These men ran the place.

In my first week in Mausica I made the football team. On the team were the following second years: Efebo Wilkinson (Goalkeeper), Phillip Kendall, Geezmo, Carlsbury, Frederick Beckles, Joe Ragoonansingh, Darnley Gittens (captain), and Gerald Hernandez.

The first years who joined the team that first week along with me were Gregory Byrne, Nazir Khan, Roy Jagroopsingh (deceased), Dave Didier, Kelvin Newton, and Wray McBurnie.

The next year 1968, a new batch of players joined us second years---Ronald Benjamin, Reynold Davis, Andy Forbes, Richard Spence, among others.

I was in the alumni choir that practiced on weekends. I toured the country with them, and was part of Village Bacchanal, and the recording in the auditorium that was spoiled because there are croaking frogs in the background. I went to Grenada, Martinique, Guadaloupe, Puerto Rico, and Jamaica with the choir. Me and Paddy used to do the little skit in "Long time gyul". I was in Grenada for "Bellingsgate" when the warden heard Gregory Wallace and others cussing and decided to manners we.

I was in the regular choir that sang Clang, Clang, Clang. We lost that night in Queens hall because most of us were studying backstage for a final next day. Our minds were not on singing.

In 1968 when Efebo won the calypso crown, I was third. Gregory Byrne was second.

In 1969 I won the crown, with Pearl Mulrain and Gregory Byrne runners up. Pearl sang "the pudding tumble down (while the Joe was speaking).

I was nearby when the pudding actually fell in the FORMAL DINNER (on Cheryl Gittens-deceased).

I was part of the Fairhaven squad that went to the Villa and pulled Django from the cupboard in which he was hiding so we could TAKE him for disrespecting a Havenite. He had thrown cow-itch on my bed.

I was part of the famous study group led by Gwendolyn Williams, that included Yvonne Fitz-Andrews (deceased), Barbara Davis, Carol-Ann Doolam, Judith Chrysostom, Monica Davis, Bernice Placide, Monica Ali, and Allison Gibbons, and Andrew Lum (tenor).

Gwendoline, Noel Duncan and I were the members of the debating team that beat UWI in the auditorium. Topics in the competition were (a) "nothing is right or wrong: it is thinking that makes it so", and (b) Professionalism in sports frustrates true sportsmanship.

I was the runner up to Geezmo in 1968 in the race from Piarco to the auditorium. I won that same race the next year. On the sportsday I was Victor Ludorum.

So the point is, I was known when I was at Mausica, because like many others, I participated. Fitzy and the Cuff know me still. As do faculty such as Linda Romain and Cliff Bertrand.

It was I who shouted out "Bolero" in the auditorium causing the Principal to find out and send for me, only to be confronted with a very large delegation that caused him to change his mind, about whatever was on it.

I am the Lord Scratchie, from Fair Haven. I was a member of Glory Guys,along with Foo, Clydee, Kenneth Bobb (deceased), Gregory Byrne, Allisford, and Wray McBurnie. I was there when some men from Haven flood the ground floor of Mayfair and Beckles started crying because all of his stuff was floating down the corridor, and he take up a cutlass.

I just don't think I could be unknown with this level of activity, which does not even include my work on campus radio stations in the night, calling home my roommate from Kirkendale.

Santimanitay.

Theodore Lewis.