Good Friday - Good Time on Hinson's Island

It was around noon when I contacted my landlord who explained that the tank was empty and the pump had died. He was very apologetic about the water situation and noted that 'these things happens'. Being no stranger to 'these things' I was more than happy with the explanation, and was strangely relieved I was not the only one affected. There was the couple and their guest next to my studio, the tenant above them, and my landlord and his wife below me. As the rain had eased somewhat I readied myself, sans bathing, for the the short ride to Hamilton Ferry Terminal.

My brother Ayo Johnson, and his girlfriend were two of a handful of people on the ferry headed to Hinson's Island. Ayo had recently returned from Sierra Leone and England, and this was the first time I had seen him in about five or six weeks. He was on crutches, so I assumed he had an accident somewhere. Although I would have loved to hear about his trip to 'Salone', this is not something Ayo would share with me... in fact there is pretty much no communication period, save small chit chat if we bump into each other. Although I find this status quo unacceptable, I have found out the hard way there is nothing I can do about it, as he appears comfortable with the arrangement.

All in all it was a beautiful day on Hinson's Island with some kite flying later in the day as the weather improved. This took place on the water catch of the 'Main House'.

Good Friday - Water Water 'Almost' Everywhere

It was Good Friday morning and it was raining cats and dogs. The right half of the gooey grey matter within my skull was busy integrating the ambient sounds of wind and rain into a boring dream that involved filipinas.

The alarm on my cell phone went off at 5:10am and I made a mental note to see if I could programme the devise not to do that on Sundays or holidays. The left half of the gooey grey matter within my skull scripted some swedish girls to replace the filipinas in my fledgeling dream. My TV was still on and someone at BBC News was saying Alan Johnston should be released forthwith. Actually he said 'immediately'. At 5:30am my computer alarm announced itself by playing the song 'Love Letter' by Yellowman.
Go ahead and have a listen...

Next it was my alarm clock/radio. It was making a seriously annoying grating sound and it's display indicated 5:15am, but I knew it was 6:15am as I had yet to adjust it for daylight saving time. This grating sound, with Yellowman in the background, was soon joined by the BBC News theme song. My capacity to tolerate the ensuing cacophony indicated, to my way of thinking, a gifted and virtuous personality, although admittedly, it would have intrigued my psychiatrist. Permit me to digress here. I don't remember her name but she was an absolutely lovely, drop-dead gorgeous lady, and I wish I had met her under less incriminating circumstances. As it goes, about four years ago, she got married at the Newstead Hotel where I was the bartender. Anyway back to my day. It was Good Friday morning and it was raining cats and dogs, and maybe a horse or two...

The swedish girls had left by now, so I got up and turned the TV off.... turned my music up.... threw the clock/radio in the trash.... got a guinness from the fridge.... sat down on my bed.

I started to think. My plan had been to go to Horseshoe Bay Beach to photograph the Easter festivities and then make my way to Hinson's Island where I had been invited to spend the afternoon. I got another guinness from the fridge and came to a decision. I will go to Horseshoe Bay next year, and sometime in the next six hours it should stop raining long enough for me to make it to the Ferry Terminal for Hinson's Island.

I was happy with my simple plan, I'm not a complicated individual contrary to what people say. Little things make me happy. And so it was, as I looked in the bathroom mirror above the wash hand basin, listening to the Lover's Rock that was piping from my speakers, I think I was cautiously smiling. I wondered if the 'Jinx God' would give me a break today. The answer came swiftly. So swiftly in fact, it would have rattled the most ambitious of paranoids. I glanced down at the water faucet... there was no water running out of the thing! I checked the shower, the kitchen sink.... NO WATER!

Hmmm... It was 7:00am, Good Friday, still raining cats and dogs. I got a guinness from the fridge.... sat down on my bed.... I started to think.