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Off
to Neverland
As
you read this, I will be doing one of the things I hate most
of all, flying. If it’s day time and you are reading
this space, most likely I am suspended 36,000 feet in the
sky, somewhere over continental USA, heading out to California.
For what is the biggest assignment of my career thus far,
I have been invited by the WPA (World Press Association) to
cover the ongoing Michael Jackson trial in Santa Maria, exclusively
for the Trinidad Guardian. It’s actually a fairy tale
story how I achieved this honour. A WPA official apparently
came across an article I had written on Michael Jackson when
he visited T&T back in the ’80s with his siblings,
then known as The Jackson 5.
In his invitation letter he wrote: “I was moved by the
poignancy of your article when Michael visited your beautiful
country 25 years ago, and after discussions with his family,
it was decided that the people of your country, and the Caribbean,
need a perspective on the trial that is not jaded by the hype
and sensationalism of the American media.”
While in Santa Maria, I will be staying, with all expenses
paid by the WPA, at the prestigious Columbus Renaissance Hotel,
which is a stone’s throw from the Santa Barbara County
Courthouse where Jackson is being tried for child molestation.
Having received the exciting news on the Easter weekend, I
have been busy since then making travel arrangements, and
setting up interviews with District Attorney Tom Sneddon,
defence attorney Thomas Mesereau, and Jim Thomas, an NBC News
analyst and former Santa Barbara County sheriff.
I am expected to be in California until the end of the trial,
whenever that is, but promise I will keep Pulse alive from
my hotel room every week. In addition to my normal e-mail
address, I can also be contacted at bloodline@aprilfool.com
Right:
Patriotic Trinis give support to their Warriors on Wednesday
at the Hasely Crawford Stadium.
left: Soca stars Maximus Dan (right) and Destra (second from
left) sign autographs for fans at Wednesday’s Concacaf
World Cup qualifying game between T&T and Costa Rica at
the Hasely Crawford Stadium.
The
weekend past was one of mixed emotions, divided between stress
and anxiety, and fun with friends. The fun part included taking
in the Robin Hood production at Queen’s Hall, checking
out some Phagwa action, and enjoying the programming on NCC-TV,
especially Monday’s re-run of the recent Clash of Steel
II, and Sparrow’s 50th birthday celebration, featuring
Charmaine Forde.
NCC-TV outdid itself on Tuesday night by bringing a live telecast
of the hotly contested Carib Shield Final cricket final between
W-Connection Wanderers and Alescon Comets, at Guaracara Park,
Point-a-Pierre. Comets won the match and took home the shield
while the thousands of patrons packing the venue were also
treated to a glimpse of the steamy Carib Girls who tossed
Carib foamees into the crowd and stopped to pose for pictures
with their many fans
The stress and anxiety occurred on Saturday night as I awaited
word on the score in the Concacaf qualifying game in Guatemala
and T&T’s Warriors. All of Saturday night, my phone
kept ringing as friends called enquiring: “Yuh get any
score yet?” “We beat dem?” But it wouldn’t
be until early Sunday morning that ESPN2 replaced my anxiety
with utter depression.
I had to do a double take when the ticker tape read T&T
(1)-Guatemala (5). My brain, at that hour of the morning,
simply wasn’t sufficiently awake to digest this shocking
news. Not even the news of USA losing to Mexico by 1-2 could
console me. I couldn’t even eat lunch until four that
afternoon. My warriors, in just their second game on the road
to Germany, already conceding seven goals.
I didn’t feel any better either when I contemplated Wednesday’s
game against Costa Rica, a supposedly stronger team than Guatemala.
But, our “Soca” Warriors made amends, treating us
to their best performance of the tournament thus far at the
Hasely Crawford Stadium.
While I don’t like the sobriquet “warriors”
for team T&T, preferring something else like Bachacs or
Marabuntas, even Soca Jeps, the lads did play on Wednesday
like warriors. I was particularly impressed by the performances
of captain Dwight Yorke, Carlos Edwards, Atiba Charles, Silvio
Spann, Dennis Lawrence and custodian Clayton Ince. These guys
reinforced my belief that we have a chance of making it to
Germany next year for the World Cup final.
The Carib girls pose at the bar at the Petrotrin Sports Club
during Tuesday’s Carib Shield Final.
Photo: Anthony Harris and Adrian Boodan
Drenched
in abeer, she was a beautiful sight at Sunday’s Kendra
Phagwa celebrations at the Divali Nagar site.
Condolences
It is with a sad and heavy heart that I extend deepest condolences
to the family and relatives of my old QRC schoolmate, media
colleague and friend Keith Sheppard.
“Sheppie,”
as he was fondly called, was a most affable chap, played almost
every sport at college and was a well known masquerader with
Burrokeets, playing in full formal wear each year.
The last time Sheppie and I limed was on March 13 at the Queen’s
Park Oval, in the Concrete Stand, when T&T succumbed to
Barbados in the Carib Cup cricket match. With just a handful
of Concrete Stand Posse members in attendance, he ensured
that our cups were never empty, while capturing the day’s
shenanigans on film.
That day, Sheppie, a fierce and outspoken agitator against
injustice, was on the floor, expounding on the current cricket
impasse, suggesting that there should be stouter protest by
locals for the inclusion of the Cable & Wireless seven
in the team. Sheppie was in the midst of the fracas outside
the Oval 1986 when England visited the Caribbean, and was
arrested when police officers used strong armed methods to
disperse protesters.
Farewell my friend, and thanks for the Carib.
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