Happy 50th

It was about 1985. I was in a bank in Cross Roads, Jamaica, with my freshly styled afro (short on the side) when Liz walked over and complemented me on my "do." My spirit took to her immediately. I liked her spunk and obvious comfort in her own skin. Imagine my surprise when a few months later I walked into a coffee shop and saw Liz. We were both freshly minted employees at Dynamac Corporation, Maryland, USA.

I quickly learnt that Liz was no ordinary person. She held court at Dynamac, befriending anybody "interesting" who came her way. This included a gentleman, his name slips me now, who we gathered was fresh out of jail or some kind of probation. She introduced him to curry goat and such delights and would zip over to Bevin in Silver Spring to buy a Jamaican lunch at his and our insistence. Her warm personality earned us friends in high places (Bloomies, Paraphernalia, Ann Taylor) during our frequent forays at White Flint Mall, unhappily across the street from Dynamac.

I lost day-to-day contact with Liz after I returned to JA some years later. Luckily, Donnette kept me in the loop and continues to do so through Liz's various incarnations and adventures. Throughout this period, I remember her calling me after Gilbert to find out how I was faring; sharing her California highs and lows; her exercise odyssey, enlivened by chats with Bryant Gumbel and other such media notables that she took on while on the treadmill; her “arrival” in Florida and more recently, her unpaid job as chief Obama organizer for the unruly outpost of Florida.

Liz, I'm honoured to be considered a member of your tribe. I don't think I (and my family) could have been more favoured than to be with you on this pilgrimage to South Africa. Happy Birthday! Happy rocking and rolling to many, many, many more.

Click on my journal below as I share some of my wonderful memories of our trip to South Africa.

http://liz50thtripjournal.blogspot.com/