Eric lay on his back in the dark, staring up at the ceiling. He had been in that position for the past few hours. He could not sleep. Too much was on his mind.
Once more Eric thought of the events of the evening. It all started while he was pushing his bike up Tamarind Hill, after suffering yet another puncture. He was fed-up with this old bike and the constant breakdowns.
He loved the bike and it was faithful to him in the past, but recently it seemed to be spitting at him; something was always coming wrong with it. Eric needed the bike now. He really wanted to be on the national cycling team for the upcoming tours to Martinique and Barbados.
This old bike had shown Eric just how expensive it was to maintain a racer, especially an old one. He had used up all his savings and had even borrowed from his parents. But he couldn't ask them anymore. He was aware that there were experiencing hard times with three children attending secondary schools. Eric was looking forward to graduating from St Patrick's Secondary School and getting a job in order to ease the burden on his parents.
Then Mr Porter's pickup suddenly pulled up alongside Eric, the boy needed the lift badly. He was hot, angry and frustrated. The bike was making his chances of a place on the team impossible. Only a new bike could provide a guaranteed place.
"How things going, Eric? You don't look as if you going to make the team, boy". Mr Porter smiled sadly, leaning out from behind the wheel. "That's a pity though, I know that you are one of the best riders but with that old bike, you don't stand a chance making the team. Put the bike up and let me drop you home."
Mr Porter was a keen sports fan and despite being the biggest businessman in the parish he made time to be at all sports meeting as well as to watch athletes at practice. He was very knowledgeable on the subject of sports.
"I know that it will be very hard for me to make the team but I have to keep trying and hoping. Is this bike that keeping me back." Eric said gravely, looking straight ahead.
It was then that Mr Porter began to paint a picture of Eric's future. He said that indeed a new bike could bring fame, popularity, travel, money and other things. Eric was fascinated. He mentioned the names of two boys and few girls whom he had helped out. Eric knew them and had envied their cool looks in the latest fashion and the neat cars. He never thought that they had a Godfather, and that it was Mr Porter.
Eric had an offer! It was a chance of a lifetime Mr Porter told Eric that he only made such an offer to a few people and that the only reason he selected Eric was that he was a smart and ambitious young man.
Mr Porter gave Eric a hard and strange look after he said those words. It was then that the boy fully understood all that the man had said. Eric became really scared and uncomfortable.
The pickup stopped in front of Eric's house and he retrieved his bike and thanked the man for the lift. Before driving off Mr Porter looked sternly at Eric and said,
"Think about our little talk and I'll see you on the road next week, same time."
Then he was gone.
Drugs had become the curse of the parish. Each week there were reports of drug-related crimes. A few of Eric's friends had dropped out of school and had become 'zombies', there were five suicides in the last six months; and the number of young vagrants on the streets had dramatically increased. All these things testified to the damaging effects of the drugs.
No one seemed to know or be willing to say who was behind the drug menace. People had their suspicions, but the were too terrified to tell the police. But nobody suspected Mr Porter. He was the pillar of society. He was a respectable citizen and a successful and generous businessman, he attended church regularly and was a member of every organization in the society.
Eric was confused. Why should people like Mr Porter be dealing in drugs? He could see the reason for the young people becoming drug pushers. But will he be willing to become one of them?
He could not! He will not!
But he was in a difficult spot. It was easy to say 'no' to the chance of being in the big times. When it came to Mr Porter's offer, that was a difficult matter.
He had thought all he could, he must now pray. Eric got on his knees an bowed his head, "Oh Lord, be my light and protection..."
The boy did not know just how long he stayed in his knees but when he lifted his head it was daylight. Now he felt calm and at peace. He knew what he must do.
After school that day, Eric called all the athletes together and suggested that they start a sports club. They would organize fund-raising activities as well as seek sponsorship.
This would provide team members with uniform, equipment and even pocket money for overseas tours. Training practices would keep the young people fully occupied as well as healthy and fitness conscious, they would have not time nor need for drugs.
As for Mr Porter, Eric decided to pay him a visit to tell him that his offer was unacceptable and to try to talk him out off drug dealing.
But that opportunity never came. As Eric dressed for school, there was a special announcement on the radio- Mr Porter's charred body was found in his burnt out pickup on an isolated beach. The police were investigating.
Eric and the Tamarind Striders Sports Club launched an all out war on drugs and drug trafficking. They helped to keep drug dealers out of their area by harassing them and working closely with the police and other anti-drug agencies. But most of all, they helped other young people to stay drug free and to say "no".
Roy Benjamin
February, 1992
Once more Eric thought of the events of the evening. It all started while he was pushing his bike up Tamarind Hill, after suffering yet another puncture. He was fed-up with this old bike and the constant breakdowns.
He loved the bike and it was faithful to him in the past, but recently it seemed to be spitting at him; something was always coming wrong with it. Eric needed the bike now. He really wanted to be on the national cycling team for the upcoming tours to Martinique and Barbados.
This old bike had shown Eric just how expensive it was to maintain a racer, especially an old one. He had used up all his savings and had even borrowed from his parents. But he couldn't ask them anymore. He was aware that there were experiencing hard times with three children attending secondary schools. Eric was looking forward to graduating from St Patrick's Secondary School and getting a job in order to ease the burden on his parents.
Then Mr Porter's pickup suddenly pulled up alongside Eric, the boy needed the lift badly. He was hot, angry and frustrated. The bike was making his chances of a place on the team impossible. Only a new bike could provide a guaranteed place.
"How things going, Eric? You don't look as if you going to make the team, boy". Mr Porter smiled sadly, leaning out from behind the wheel. "That's a pity though, I know that you are one of the best riders but with that old bike, you don't stand a chance making the team. Put the bike up and let me drop you home."
Mr Porter was a keen sports fan and despite being the biggest businessman in the parish he made time to be at all sports meeting as well as to watch athletes at practice. He was very knowledgeable on the subject of sports.
"I know that it will be very hard for me to make the team but I have to keep trying and hoping. Is this bike that keeping me back." Eric said gravely, looking straight ahead.
It was then that Mr Porter began to paint a picture of Eric's future. He said that indeed a new bike could bring fame, popularity, travel, money and other things. Eric was fascinated. He mentioned the names of two boys and few girls whom he had helped out. Eric knew them and had envied their cool looks in the latest fashion and the neat cars. He never thought that they had a Godfather, and that it was Mr Porter.
Eric had an offer! It was a chance of a lifetime Mr Porter told Eric that he only made such an offer to a few people and that the only reason he selected Eric was that he was a smart and ambitious young man.
Mr Porter gave Eric a hard and strange look after he said those words. It was then that the boy fully understood all that the man had said. Eric became really scared and uncomfortable.
The pickup stopped in front of Eric's house and he retrieved his bike and thanked the man for the lift. Before driving off Mr Porter looked sternly at Eric and said,
"Think about our little talk and I'll see you on the road next week, same time."
Then he was gone.
Drugs had become the curse of the parish. Each week there were reports of drug-related crimes. A few of Eric's friends had dropped out of school and had become 'zombies', there were five suicides in the last six months; and the number of young vagrants on the streets had dramatically increased. All these things testified to the damaging effects of the drugs.
No one seemed to know or be willing to say who was behind the drug menace. People had their suspicions, but the were too terrified to tell the police. But nobody suspected Mr Porter. He was the pillar of society. He was a respectable citizen and a successful and generous businessman, he attended church regularly and was a member of every organization in the society.
Eric was confused. Why should people like Mr Porter be dealing in drugs? He could see the reason for the young people becoming drug pushers. But will he be willing to become one of them?
He could not! He will not!
But he was in a difficult spot. It was easy to say 'no' to the chance of being in the big times. When it came to Mr Porter's offer, that was a difficult matter.
He had thought all he could, he must now pray. Eric got on his knees an bowed his head, "Oh Lord, be my light and protection..."
The boy did not know just how long he stayed in his knees but when he lifted his head it was daylight. Now he felt calm and at peace. He knew what he must do.
After school that day, Eric called all the athletes together and suggested that they start a sports club. They would organize fund-raising activities as well as seek sponsorship.
This would provide team members with uniform, equipment and even pocket money for overseas tours. Training practices would keep the young people fully occupied as well as healthy and fitness conscious, they would have not time nor need for drugs.
As for Mr Porter, Eric decided to pay him a visit to tell him that his offer was unacceptable and to try to talk him out off drug dealing.
But that opportunity never came. As Eric dressed for school, there was a special announcement on the radio- Mr Porter's charred body was found in his burnt out pickup on an isolated beach. The police were investigating.
Eric and the Tamarind Striders Sports Club launched an all out war on drugs and drug trafficking. They helped to keep drug dealers out of their area by harassing them and working closely with the police and other anti-drug agencies. But most of all, they helped other young people to stay drug free and to say "no".
Roy Benjamin
February, 1992
Comments
Post a Comment