July 01, 1996, exactly on my 11th birthday, I received common entrance results for BHS. Nine of us passed that year from Speyside Anglican. I entered the school in September that year as the only student from my village. I literally knew no one in the school as all my friends went to Roxborough Sec.

The early days were rough. I felt out of place. And in many ways I was. I was the most country; I had the most country accent and country Creole. Plus I had no friends. Everybody was already in a RC or Scarborough Meth or AC or St. Nicholas clan it seems.

I dreaded introducing myself to new teachers. The class would be dead quiet just to hear me speak and then will erupt in laughter. I remember one time Miss James Freddy Lee(Freddy) asked rhetorically, “who is this peculiar child?” Cause I really was peculiar. I remember being coached into saying “OrAnge” instead of “OrEEnge”. To this day, I still say Oreenge. I really don’t know any other way to say that word.

I was quiet in those early days. Very unassuming. Most didn’t know that my family at the time was closer to poverty than the working class in those days. I carefully hid the fact that I didn’t have running water at home as yet, or didn’t have a television as yet or that we were still using a latrine.

But I was mightily contented and pious. My mother at the time was doing 10 days and my father was a laborer on the road. But, food and books were priority and plentiful. The village was so proud of me that fish was always coming in just to make my fish broth.

As time progressed I settled in and my lot improved. We eventually got running water, a landline and a tv but I was never allowed to watch it except for panorama, holidays or weekends. I remember hiding when my parents were in bed sleeping, to watch tv and praying not to be caught. Imagine having to hide to watch TTT.

My father ruled me with a strong hand those days. As night come een this man use to come by the beach and summon me out of the water. We had nuff conflicts because I felt he was killing the boy days.

When I started school I use to wake at 4 am, to take that cold bath outside. The neighbours had to complain and quarrel before I started getting some warm water.

Between 1996 and about 1999, My transport was a man name Sugie. He was the only bus for school children from Charlotteville and Speyside. He use to leave Speyside by 6 am and he use to leave town by 3pm. Bishops ended at 3pm. So every teacher use to hear- “Miss me maxi reach”. After a while I didn’t have to say anything cause classmates will promptly inform the teacher that me maxi reach so they will be out early too. Plenty thanks to people like Eloise Julien who use to say: “Miss yuh ent hear the boy maxi reach? Yuh want him to walk home?” 🤣

I had two accidents because of that maxi situation. One time I ran straight into Miss Caesar while racing to catch this maxi. Now that was a BIG accident! I apologized to her for about an entire month. Another time a car bounce me down while running across the road to climb the walkover (I still respect that corner turning left from the Highway unto St. Nicholas street). The driver was nonplussed by the fact that I got up and kept on running. Nothing could stop me from my maxi.

After all, it was either the maxi or fighting up with Margaret Jack down by the bus terminus.

By 2000 things settled down because there were more maxis on the route and Guery became my transport. Guery was more flexible with time. By 6 form it was Zika and my time was his time. He was a trooper.

Class of 2001 treated me real good. That’s my family forever. These are the people that helped me find myself without knowing it.

I am writing all of this to show why I have allegiance to BHS. It is not just because I attended the school. It is because of what they have made of me. All schools are suppose to do for their charges what BHS did for me. I am sure there are some who didn’t have good experiences and that is sad. All of us are suppose to have a life transforming experience in school.

I am also writing this so you will know where I am coming from and why I so confident. No it is not arrogance; it is a recognition of and respect for all those shoulders that I now stand on.

I want to encourage Tobago adults to give back to their schools. Some of you think a 50 dollars for an event is sufficient while schools in Trinidad are benefiting in the millions from the contributions of their past students. We refuse to look back and we refuse to give much and then we complain about classrooms, teaching aid, space etc. I am in the front of the line saying that the THA is sometimes wotless when it comes to taking care of our schools. But all of us have a contribution to make. And we should make that contribution without looking for something in return. How else would new blocks be built, playing fields developed, sports programmes etc.?

Finally, I want to challenge you. Post your grad picture nuh! I dare you. I hated these pics so much that I hid them and couldn’t find them for years. They nearly got thrown away with the Christmas cleaning last year.

Dig up your old grad pictures and post them. Shout out your year group. Feel free to tell your story under this post.