2015-DEC-24-2043Hrs
Dear Errol,
Re: Roy Chadband (Chaddy)
As Felix Edinborough suggested last week Chaddy was a pretty big fellow. My memory of him is that he might have been closer to seven feet than he was to six. The pioneers speculated that he would be the perfect centre for our basketball team.
One morning I was standing in line in the Cafeteria, right behind Chaddy - all the while being monitored by the Home Ec lecturer, who was there to make sure we were following proper Dining Room etiquette! "No more than two slices of bread on your tray at once" was the mantra. "You can always return for seconds".
As I said, Chaddy was a very big man. When he got to the bread section, he simply opened his hand, spread out his fingers and caressed about eight slices into the palm of his hand, and then on to the tray.You could see it in his body language, he was proud of his accomplishment. I was envious, and was just about to say, "wow"! Then I heard the voice: YOUNG MAN! Put. It. Back.Take two slices at a time. You can always come back for more.
To this day, I can't remember what Chaddy said or did. I imagined he did the right thing and probably returned to the line at least three more times.Neither could I recall the reaction of other students in the line or at their tables.
Later in the school year, the said lecturer was leaving and a few members of the Student Council were invited to the Staff Room to say good bye. I was asked to say a few words. Immediately, the Chaddy "incident" came to mind and I tried to say something positive about it, but the word that came out was not incident, but insult. I am not sure how I got out of that awkward situation.
It's amazing the events that stay with you, and the people involved in them. Every time I think about lessons learned in Mausica, I think about the Chaddy episode.
Rest in Peace.
Selwyn Jacob (63-65)
