For some reason, we expected Saturday August 24th to be a beautiful, bright and sunny day, but instead it was quite the opposite. Nevertheless, we did not dwell on the day’s appearance. Also, the joy that shined in our faces as we met each other seemed to have minimized the threat posed by the ominous clouds lurking in the sky. The little drizzle that ensued after, in any way, did not affect our merriment. After all, my basement was more than ready to accommodate all of us. So there we were, a number of long time friends, reminiscing over some good Haitian dishes, at times bringing about some great, almost forgotten past experiences, that triggered teary laughter. (I thank my lovely wife Mary, for her culinary expertise.) Although we've talked over the phone, some of us hadn't seen each other for more than 20 years. This was too long a time apart, considering the strong bond we'd developed during our dire years within the confinement of our dear Corridor Lakou-50, in Port-au-Prince. Penniless in a society that had nothing to offer us, we held onto the pride our parents would have instilled in us, and kept our dignity, while spending countless hours reflecting on our seemingly bleak future, over that memorable wall in Rue Capois. Indeed, the discussions we entertained there served as a rationale in the shaping of the very life of each and every one of us. We all somewhat subscribed to the core values and characteristics necessary to achieving a balanced, desirous existence. Not-surprisingly, we did not stray off our predetermined course, even under the tremendous pressure we would come to face here in the new land. God knows what we'd been through, but with his good grace we are alive and kicking. Beside I, among the RC crew present were Aimond, and Ti Bob from NY, Pierre-Richard from MA, and Gaby all the way from CA. Most undeservedly, some of us of course could not be there, as dictated by life's inevitable contrarieties. Thus absent at that reunion, were Harry (still living and working in Haiti), B.I.G (people say he had lost it in Haiti), Pierrot (still living and working in Haiti), Ti-Daniel Romulus (Unreachable, but living somewhere in Brooklyn), Tcho (lost somewhere in NJ), Dieugrand (From Queens, but could not be reached before the reunion), Patrick Laporte (From Queens, but could not be reached before the reunion), Naze (From NJ, but could not make it because of last minute's family engagement). At the same time, we yearned over the felt absence of those who'd left this earth before us, namely Pinson, Patrick Romulus, Patrick Dina, Renel, Chedner, Weber, Nênê, Pacha, and more recently, our dear friend Gustave (Ti-Pechard). Our prayers go out to them all, and may they rest in peace. 
Please forward all correspondence regarding this page to epierre@uhhp.com Copyright © 1996-2002, All Rights Reserved. Page designed by: Evings Pierre |