My name is George Austin and I sell fresh roses and gift baskets on the roadside twice a year.
I’m from Arima. I living there 30-something years. And I reach quite West Mall twice a year, every year: before Mother’s Day and before Valentine’s Day.
I grew up in Diego Martin, Sierra Leone Rd. Must get sting by jep in Blue Basin. I had a chopper bicycle and, when rain falling—those days, they didn’t have the highway—I’d head up through St Lucien Rd and come through the back.
Me and Steve Nurse and them from St Anthony’s had a chopper bike section. But I went Abbey School, Mt St Benedict. (Dutch Catholic priest principal) Father Odo. I was with Waba and them. I was a boarder but didn’t come home every weekend: I was always on detention!
I heard about Abbey School initiation in Boogie & Them days but that was before my time. All the boarders would pee in a garbage bin for a week and then, after school Friday night, you had to stand under the light on the basketball court and they tip the bin from the top and you can’t move until you see it coming.
Boogie & Them was from Barbados and used to do they thing but I wasn’t in that stupidness. When you come in, as a boarder, though, you must get initiated. They used to put soap in they socks and beat you in the bed. Like prison licks. But I love Abbey School. I’s still go up there. Not in the Rehab, in the church section.
Abbey School had the best food. Had a lady called Miss Alleyne used to cook all kinda baked chicken, baked this, all kinda thing. The priests used to make they bread real good. But then Fr Cuthbert tried out yogurt and, oh geed, Boy! Now, it tasting good but, back then, they was experimenting on them boarders.
I have one sister, she’s the elder. She living Sweden. My four kids big. Huge. My last boy going Holy Cross, my eldest is 36. She living in Texas. One of my boys working in the Newsday. I have one grand, through my daughter.
I’m not married. Them days done! Even if I selling roses for Valentine’s Day. Can’t live with them. They too commanding, Boy! They always finding a fault in everything! I got married once. That only lasted, say, ‘bout a year. Not me again. I’ll live with them. I lived with five, six women, but never ever marrying again. Can’t handle that, Boy, you mad?
My relaxation is Stag. I drink beers for my fun.
You’s see some real kaka-dra drivers in Trinidad. Them will see you coming and pull on you! Them don’t care ’bout you! But to make your living, you have to drive on our roads.
I’m a Roman Catholic. Christened, confirmation, went through all that stuffs. I believe there’s a God, even with all the suffering. He does give them the freewill, nuh.
I lived in Tobago for seven years and I love it. I’m really from “Trinbago.” Although the culture over there totally different. Doubles only now reach Tobago—and they can’t make doubles! Tobago have two real doubles man, one by the airport and one in Scarborough. All the others only trying a thing but they not making. People from Tobago have to come to Curepe for doubles. Or Arima. Under the Dial.
Twice a year I come out from the Friday before Mother’s Day or Valentine’s. And just sell until the stock sell out. Been doing it about seven years now. We sell bouquets for $200 and single roses for $45. You could fluctuate the prices with the hampers, different things, different prices.
The best part of the job isn’t the profit, but the passion in seeing a woman pull up Valentine’s Day, she buy something for her husband. Or a man, “Hey! Mother’s Day, Boy! Let me buy a little something for my mother!” The consideration, y’understand? The bad part is the hot sun and you have to watch for the bandit-them. We never get jumbie though.
A Trini is the most happiest individual on the face of the Earth.
Trinidad & Tobago means a whole lot to me. No place like home. I’ll never leave!
Read a longer version of this feature at www.BCRaw.com