Circular No 1025

 

Newsletter for alumni of The Abbey School, Mt. St. Benedict, Trinidad and Tobago, W.I.

Caracas, 15 of July 2021 No.1025 July B

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Dear Friends,

The third issue for July.

Recent conversation between Bruce Locke, Norman Smith, and Don Mitchell

Remember to send in your collaboration, be it: Essays, emails, News, good news, and funds hahaha.

Sad to notify the deaths of Glen Schaefer and Salvador Coscarart.

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nsmith@filmsmith.net

Mon, 12 Apr

Sorry for the delay in responding.

I had the idea that we should write short stories, anecdotes, memories that Ladislao can post on the blog.

These "Memories of Mount" could help us all recall things we would like to share.

I need to attend to some urgent business, so I'll save some of my stories for later and just for now, answer Bruce

There was so much that Mount gave me but what my musical genes received was awesome.  

I learned to play the bugle, Jeremy DuBarry taught me the chords on the guitar and to this day, if I strum a calypso on the guitar, I do it just like him.

I played my cornet with "The Interpreters" I was a groupie and was allowed to chime in when they played "There is a Rose in Spanish Harlem".  

Then the Echeverria brothers Rafael "Cheche" and Gustavo Echeverria showed up and we formed a great sounding band that covered the Beatles to the T.

Upon graduation I returned to Medellin with an electric guitar to find out that my childhood friend was part of a pop vocal trio that became a band when I joined Tosing and play the bass and we picked up a super drummer. Being a part of Los Yetis was a super hoot. Too bad I don't get a dime from royalties.

English surnames show up all over South America.  

I know a Henry Edwards from Argentina, Kevin O'Brian from Peru, Kenneth Hunter another Colombian.  

As far as my surname is concerned; my father was the son of a young Englishman (Alfred Smith) who worked for the telegraph company setting up the infrastructure throughout the country and a Colombian lass (Elena Velez) from a small town on the slopes of Colombia's Andes...

My mother's father was a German-Mexican that was the big honcho for Westinghouse in Colombia and an Irish-American gal from New York.  

So I was raised bi-lingual in Medellin.  

I was quite confused when I arrived in Trinidad to see cars with no drivers zipping around on the wrong side of the road and not understanding the "English" the people were speaking.

We have in common that I also wound up working in the creation of Audo-Visual communication.

Lots to share.

Warm regards

Norman.

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From: idmitch@anguillanet.com

Sent: Monday, March 29, 2021

Bruce,

What an amazing memory you have!  I doubt any of us could top your reminiscences for detail.

All I remember of those days is daydreaming, wasting time, and getting lix from Bobo and later Fr Eugene. 

I remember in the late 1950s, MJ de Verteuil sitting next to me in Prep in the big classroom on the first floor each evening before bedtime writing essays and answering questions that always got him a first in class. 

Meanwhile I played a boardgame I invented until it was time to go to bed. 

I never got into the top half of class in my reports.

I remember also in the late 1950s running wild in the bush and roasting bread fruit we picked on the slopes of the stream that ran down the valley behind the school.  I remember standing on the hill above the cricket field at weekends shooting reed arrows onto the fielders below, resulting in more lix from Bobo on Mondays.

I remember being madly in love aged 14 with the cutest girl from a neighbouring village who made me so tongue-tied from sitting next to her in the cinema that I froze up each time she touched me by accident. I was never able to tell her how much she meant to me, and lost her eventually to a ruffian I hope later died a long and painful death. It was only when I was in my 50s that I learned that I had such an obsessive personality that when the adrenalin struck, I became totally paralyzed in the presence of the female sex.  I then understood why it was not possible for me total sensibly to any woman who captured my heart.

Fortunately, being a bit of a sociopath as well was to prove a great boost to my later legal career. There is advantage to being quite advanced on the Asperger syndrome as I am. When I practiced law, it was no problem to tell a client that he faced 20 years imprisonment if convicted on the charge I was defending him on. Now, in retirement, I can quite coolly contemplate drowning trespassing chickens that dare to eat my peafowl food or shooting goats that wandering to my yard to nibble at the fruit trees.  I get up in the middle of the night and grab my Afghan scimitar from where it is leaning on the bedside table to practice arming myself when the pandemic-inspired home invasion begins .

Onward ever!

Best,

Don

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From: nsmith@filmsmith.net

Sent: Wednesday, 10 March 2021 14:47

I have been very excited about making contact with you and giving us the opportunity to remember, retrace and enjoy the memories of our lives lived ever since we had the chance to be "room mates" in the prep dorm up on the Mount.

I have not yet been able to adapt to and enjoy the wonders of the digital age when it comes to staying in touch with people... a glitch in my brain I developed when I learned to live far from my family and childhood friends all those years spent up at the Abbey School. Sorry for the time that it took me to make contact.

I remember many moments there, including the 3 times I got 4 lashes from Fr. Eugene, and would love to remember more of the wonderful moments and my experience there which I cherish and will always be a very important part of the person I have become.

I remember when I first arrived there with my mother and we stayed at the Guest House. We arrived on a Wednesday, the only day of the week that BOAC would fly from Bogotá (Colombia) to POS, before the start of school. The Prep Dorm was empty and (probably Fr. Bernard) had taken us there to show us my bed and where I could unpack my stuff: The uniforms with my laundry number (76) carefully sewed on by hand by my mother and my paternal Colombian grandmother, as well as my sheets and towels... every time I smell a new towel, I’m transported to that moment in time.

To think that only a few days later, after taking in the emptiness of the grounds and having said my goodbyes to my mom, there was the invasion of my future schoolmates... including you, setting up your spot right next to mine.

Of the many friends I made, there are very few I have been with since I left in 66. Jeremy DeBarry, who I give credit for teaching me and inspiring me to play the guitar, came to visit me at my home in Medellín where I had returned to family and a wonderful post "high School" life as member of a popular rock group (Los Yetis... available on Spotify but I’m not making a dime). I also went to MSB when there was an event to celebrate Fr. Cuthbert and had the chance to spent time with Don Mitchell (we stayed at the same Hotel) and had a chance to check out other old pals (with their old look).

Rafael "CheChe" Echeverria, who with his brother and another Venezuelan chap and I, had formed a great band and covered the Beatles incredibly, lives close in South Florida and I look forward to making music with him sometime after Covid19 fades in to the past.

Ladislao Kertesz came to my home in Miami to share a meal and memories.

So now it’s turn for us to figure out how we can get together and jumpstart the memories we can share.

We did have a great spot in the Dorm... close to the entrance and right across from the lavatories.

I’m forwarding this to Don Mitchell and I hope the others that are aware you are herewith us again can also get the courage to say Hi.

Warm regards and looking forward to hearing from you.

Norman 

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B L <brucelocke@live.ca>

Tue, 30 Mar

By the way, Norman, I meant to mention in my last email: Los Yetis ey? I checked them out on YouTube. Real Beatles stuff man. I have a friend here from high school days who had a band back in the sixties or early seventies called Reigning host. With the advent of the internet their albums became popular again and the vinyl can still be found. Incidentally, I still have all my early Beatles 45s on the Capitol label.

Ever since I met you I wondered about a Colombian boy having a name like Smith. I remember telling my Dad about you and he refused to believe you could have been from Colombia. No offense intended (I mean, the Lockes lived in India until the 1920s and Bernardo O’Higgins founded Chile) but I’d love to know how your family came to be in South America.

Don, that’s some blade there! I hope you’re not the Minister of Tourism for Anguilla lol. I think lawyers have to be cold. I ran group homes for juvenile delinquents in the 70s and 80s and spent a lot of time in court with those boys (16 meant adult court – 18 now) and I hobnobbed with a few lawyers. I met some as you described. I guess you can’t carry it home to your dinner table. I would get too emotionally involved.

Best to you both. Happy Easter.

Bruce

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From: idmitch@anguillanet.com

Sent: Wednesday, March 10, 2021

Thanks, Norman, for copying me.

Don’t forget to copy Ladislao in on everything. He is always looking for material to circulate to assist the Old Boys in getting back together (even if only for distance reminiscing!).

Best,

Don

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idmitch@anguillanet.com

Wed, 28 Apr

Hi, Bruce,

Glad you liked my reminiscences about MSB.  There were two blog postings, and both can be accessed here, in case you missed one: 

https://donmitchellcbeqc.blogspot.com/search/label/Abbey%20School

And, sure, feel free to use the photos of Mount in any way you would like.  If you do go back, it is as well to go with some of the Old Boys who reside in Trinidad.  All the tracks have changed.

I have just come in from four hours of pickaxing, shovelling, sifting, and wheelbarrowing soil.  Normally, I can manage only between two and three hours in the blazing sun.  But, Maggie has forced me to wear the kepi she got for me, and it does help!

Best,

Don

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From: B L <brucelocke@live.ca>

Sent: Wednesday, 28 April 2021 10:23

Hi Don,

Just a short note. I came across your blog about your return to Mt. St. Benedict and I loved the photos you posted. They’ve helped me place myself a little better, particularly the ones of Mt. Tabor.  I knew I remembered a “fireplace” which your picture tells me was actually the kitchen.

I also, for some reason, liked the shot of the roof of the boys’ dormitory. I never realized there was a courtyard between the dormitory and the chapel. It was all a bit of a rabbit warren below the dorm it seemed to me. I was looking at George’s photo albums as well. The photo of the shower room brought back memories of 3 minute cold water showers controlled from a main valve by one of the brothers, Eugene if I remember correctly. I suppose timing and temperature was for a reason lol.

May I share some of your pics of the buildings on my Facebook?

One day I would like to go back and see the place. The last time I was there was in 1988 to visit the grandparents at the seniors’ home.

Well, that’s all for now. I have a busy day ahead napping on the couch.

All the best,

Bruce

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B L

Fri, 12 Mar

Hello Norman,

I’ve only just picked this up. Thanks so much for your reply! I’m running around today but I’ll get back to you over the weekend.

Again. Lovely to hear from you.

Even though I was only there for a very short time I remember you quite well.

Talk soon.

Bruce

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From: nsmith@filmsmith.net

Sent: Wednesday, 10 March 2021 18:05

I totally agree!

I wanted to copy Ladislao of course, but Like Fr. Bernard told me he told my mother: "If Norman were to apply himself, he would do much better"...

When I went to CC, your address appeared like magic but Ladislao's and others seemed too hard to find to attach the news of Bruce Locke's joining the band of brothers and share my selfie with Cutty...

I didn't apply myself to the fullest but I was smart enough to know that you were the perfect go-between.

Warm regards

Gran saludo a todos.

Norman.

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EDITED by Ladislao Kertesz,  kertesz11@yahoo.com,  if you would like to subscribe for a whole year and be in the circular’s mailing list or if you would like to mention any old boy that you would like to include, write to me.

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Photos:

68NS0012NSM, Norman Smith

62NS0003FPA, Fr. Paul

68NS0006THEYETIS, The Yetis

21BL0001BLO, Bruce Locke