about the book: It is the most comprehensive collection of information about everything Bahamas. In this book you can find anything from the current price of groceries to all the current laws pertaining to moving, building, or operating a business on the islands. It is the most current info, and it is very hard to get ahold of.
Today we were going to head south on a fact finding mission. Meeting people on the island is the key to everything, and everyone is so kind and wonderful, all wanting to help. We had planned on stopping by Joyce and Charlie's at some point and figured today was just as good as any, time ticking away.
Pulling up to their house we see Rudy who yells for Joyce who has apparently just gotten out of the shower. She sticks her head out their glass door, greets us with a big smile while simultaneously brushing her wet hair and waving us in.
It is hard to describe how welcoming people are here. And I mean everyone. We chat with Joyce noticing Charlie's absence.
Charlie is the kind of guy that you can't miss. Last Saturday night he and Joyce had brought a group to Pierre's for dinner and after everyone was finished Charlie pulled out this giant firework (and I am talking a 7 foot stick meant for major fireworks displays) and jubilantly headed out the door to the beach, with the whole restaurant in tow to see. He planted the thing in the sand, mentioned something about bahamian air space and police and then mischieviously lit the fuse with the smoldering butt of his cigarette. We all stepped back as the thing shot into the air with a loud pop exploding with a big beautiful star spray. Laughter and applause.
Now, asking about Charlie, Joyce informs us that he was flown to West Palm Beach with some annoying chest pains the following morning. He was fine, they were doing tests, and thought it might be connected to sleep apnea.
phew.
So we chatted about island stuff and I had noticed a copy of "the book" and asked her if she knew where I could get one. I had ordered it multiple times from amazon, and even the publisher for the last year, and kept coming up empty. A hard thing to get a hold of. At that moment I had Pierre's dog earred 1995 copy in our cabin on loan. Old info.
Joyce got on the phone and found one copy on the island (a 2007!) at the airport on the north of the island.
I guess we would be driving north.
Meanwhile, she gets a call from Charlie, and we wander outside to give her some privacy. A few minutes later she sticks her head out the door and says, "Charlie wants to talk to you".
Ok, I feel a little strange. The guy is in the hospital and all.
So I awkwardly takes the phone and he lets me know in two seconds that he isn't being rude, but he can't talk long but he thought that I had come by to ask him some questions so without pause he launches into instructions for the next thing we need to do, in Charlie speak...
"Ok, so there is this guy you have to go see (turnquest) and"...
I interrupt (not wanting to waste his time, and still amazed that he wants to be this helpful from the hospital...what a guy)
"Hey, I don't mean to cut you off, but we went to see "the guy", and things are cool and you should be concerned about getting well".
"Yea," he says, "They tell me I have to make sure I digest the red wine and chocolate before going to bed."
Ha.
I thank him and tell him to get well and give the phone back to Joyce.
So nice of Charlie to be thinking of our project. What I didn't tell him is that I really came to talk to Joyce.
See, Joyce has a gift.
Her plants.
Born on Long Island she knows them all, and she has a green thumb. She proudly took us through her garden and named each tree for me so I could learn. And then she did something else.
She gave me some seedlings.
Pulling little trees to take with me, we filled a big ziplock with seed and seedlings to plant on our property. And she showed me the best way to plant a coconut palm.
What dear people.
coconut palm sprouting
After saying goodbyes we headed north in search of "the book". We find the lone copy on a shelf in the tiny airport at Stella Maris.
Score.
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