5 January 2013

Circular No 583


 
Newsletter for alumni of The Abbey School, Mt. St. Benedict, Trinidad and Tobago, W.I.


Caracas, 5 Enero 2013 No. 583
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Dear Friends,
Sun, Nov 11, 2012 at 8:30 AM
FROM A Mickiewicz
Re: MSB 100th anniversary gathering at David Johnson's House
Hi Nigel & Mes Amis....
A very small world indeed.
I will venture to say that in different parts of our small world, many Mount alumni have passed (and will in the future) each other many times on the street, sat close to one another in restaurants, buses, metros, trains and planes etc. without realizing that they also shared many decades ago a common experience at top that high mountain in Tunapuna, Trinidad.......
May god bless us all,
George (Yury, Shis)
PS – Without any malice, what I most remember about Nazi is him sucking his two middle fingers while he sat on one of the school’s benches; the other boys would give him a merciless hard time over this instinctive act by a boy away from his home in Venezuela
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From: Nigel Boos
Sent: Sunday, November 11, 2012 6:23 AM
Subject: Re: MSB 100th anniversary gathering at David Johnson's House
Peter,
Nazi left MSB in 1964. I think he still lives in Sarnia.
You may also know Geoffrey Golding (Left MSB in 1961, I think. Tel # 519 - 753-9978 ). He too worked in Sarnia and is also now retired and living in Brantford.
I'm copying this note to him as well.
Who knows - maybe you guys can get together for a coffee sometime.
Best wishes.
Nigel
P.S. Geoff -Peter da Costa lives in Cambridge - Ph: (519) 622-5827
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On 2012-11-11, at 7:04 AM, Peter Da Costa wrote:
Nigel
What year did Alejandro leave school?
I vaguely remember the nick name Nazi.
Really small world I lived in Sarnia for 15 years, my kids grew up there and I go back often in the Summer.
There were many Trinis in Sarnia mostly from the south due the oil industry.
Do you have his email address?
Peter
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On 2012-11-11, at 6:45 AM, Nigel Boos <nigelboos@yahoo.ca> wrote:
Hi Mike,
Thanks again for sending me these great pictures of our last get-together at David and Debbie Johnson's home.
It was wonderful to see the guys again and your pics capture a lot of the spirit of the day.
The highlight for me was seeing Joe Berment prepare that fish for supper.
I have never, in my entire life, seen anyone wash fish, chives, and whatever else the way he did, to get it ready for the pot.
I'm sure he didn't learn that as a 2nd MSB Scout.
The coconut ice-cream was a real treat, and I'm asking David / Debbie, by copy of this email, to let us have the recipe (for nex' time).
I would love to caption each of the pictures, but I simply do not have the time to do so.
If anyone wishes to know the names of the OBs in any particular picture, I shall gladly try to accommodate the request, but in the meantime, I'm sure that everyone would simply enjoy seeing what you've produced and will understand that we have here in Ontario an enjoyable relationship between the Old Boys of MSB and that they're welcome to come along if and whenever they're in town.
Lastly, I received a telephone call last week from an old friend, who, when I picked up the phone, said, "You probably don't know who this is, but my name is Alejandro Lew"
To which I replied, "Nazi, how the heck are you, my friend"
He was shocked that I remembered him by his MSB nickname, but when I pointed out that he had been one of the Patrol Scouts when I was Patrol Leader, memories started flooding back and we had a great chat.
Nazi is now retired from his oilfield job in Sarnia and spends his time enjoying his beautiful garden. maybe he'll come out to one of our reunions one day.
Here is a photograph which he sent me, and here too is one which I took of him back, around 1959.
My sincere regards to Cornell and the boys.
Nigel
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From: mdc_on_ca@hotmail.com
Date: Thu, 12 Jul 2012 15:45:16 +0000
Hi Nigel,
Sorry that we have not sent these to you yet.
Can you please add some captions to the bottom with people's names and maybe some funny quotes?
You know more of the names than we do.
You are the only other person with edit access to these pictures.
After, you can download and forward selected pictures to the MSB circulars or you can send me the email address of whoever needs to see the pictures and captions for the circulars.
Mike
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Jon Golding
2013 Contract
After serious & cautious consideration... Your contract has been renewed for the New Year 2013
My Wish for You in 2013
May peace break into your home and may thieves come to steal your debts.
May the pockets of your jeans become a magnet for $100 bills.
May love stick to your face like Vaseline and may laughter assault your lips!
May happiness slap you across the face and may your tears be that of joy
May the problems you had, forget your home address!
In simple words .
May 2013 be the best year of your life!!!
Happy New Year!!
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Wed, Nov 14, 2012 at 5:38 PM
From Nigel Boos
Gentlemen,
I hope that you're all in good health, and that the coming winter will be a mild one for each of us.
I hope too, that you all had a wonderful Summer and are also enjoying this mild Fall.
And now comes Christmas, and with it, the arrival into Toronto of David de Castro (aka the Calypso Bandit) all the way from sunny Florida.
Bandit is coming to visit his family and friends, and it would be nice if a few of us could get together with him to meet the Original Calypso King of Ontario / Canada and to share a roti or doubles and a Carib.
However, the purpose of this note is to let you know that Bandit has written and published a book of his personal memoirs, which, among other things, incorporates stories of his life at MSB, his subsequent career as a kaiso-man, his involvement with Emil Straker (who went on to be an important member of the Merrymen of B'dos), and his continuing involvement with the calypso community back home.
Bandit will be bringing with him a few copies of his book, and he'd be willing to part with each of them for a few Canadian bucks. (I don't know the price).
Anyway, if anyone is interested in getting a copy, please do yourself a big favour and contact him directly by email ( calypsobandit@live.com ) or by telephone (1-727-785-6824).
And if anyone would like to get together for that roti, please let me know, and I'll see what I can do (No promises, OK?)
Adios.
Nigel
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To all who came along to our get-together at Rotilicious, thank you for coming, and thanks for the memories.
It was great seeing you all, and thanks for bringing your wives, girl-friends, better-halves and kids as well - the Bhopa foursome and Christian and Lorenzo.
To those who couldn't make it - sorry you couldn't come. But we'll try again.
In the meantime, here's wishing you all a very Merry Christmas, as we celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, our Saviour, and may Almighty God bless us all in the New Year.
Nigel
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On 2012-12-23, at 6:22 PM, Salah Wilson wrote:
Greetings my brother Bandit,
Believe me I was now thinking about you as I put on my computer to send you a message and yes the rest of the mount boys and by extension Trinidad and the world.
I am not 'biggiing' you up for 'bigging -up' sake.
I know you don't need that, ..you are an humble man and don't need the alcolades.... but all of Trinidad really needs to know you and what you have done for the culture and for Trinidad & Tobago.
I will be proud to announce to the world that first this Historic phenomenon
(1) the Steelpan was still in its infancy if you count Pan really starting after the WWII in 1945 and six years after that you brought the Pan to the Mount in 1951...not just the first school in Trinidad & Tobago but the first school in the world
(2) You introduced Calypso to Canada in the early 1950's with the 'Calypso Bandits' not withstanding becoming the First Calypso King of Canada.
(3) The 'Great Merrymen' with Emile Straker who started up in your band "Calypso Bandits" literally 'stole' your concept and became famous and the sad part of that was that they never acknowledged you and gave you credit for that.
I am really honoured to have met you and now know you to say that this is a personal friend.
Bandit Trinidad needs to know this information man.
I am going to meet up with Historian Kim Johnson and literally tell him .."Go re-write your book.  You have left out one of the most important parts in Pan and Calypso"
It was also a great pleasure to meet with your family...they must have been a great support in all your endeavors ( I know because my wife and family had to put up with all of my crazy exploits also LOL)
It was a great re-union of the old Mount boys and their families thanks to Nigel and all the brothers who were there including Cornel, Jerry, Dave and the others.
Bandit you are still a great entertainer.. a natural......all the best to you and your family.
Here is my phone in Toronto (647) 832-4820 ..
I will need to talk with you...
I will need to do an interview with you by phone and email for my studies at York University...
I will set up some relative questions one in particular I believe you came to Montreal first ....
Did you meet any Pan players or did you see any Pan activities at that time in the 1950's in both Montreal and Toronto.
if so what year this is very relevant to me because It can also paint another picture...that is why I keep saying that you are a Giant...
Again all the very best.  Tell your son to keep playing and do not hesitate to call me for anything.
By the way I listened to the 'Landfill Harmonics' and there are some definite parallels with the Pan and its inception.
I wish them all the best and know that they will continue on because it is a good cause and it also makes me feel proud to be a 'Pan Man"
Best regards
Salah
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From: calypsobandit@live.com
Subject: FW: Landfill Harmonic
Date: Sun, 23 Dec 2012 16:24:11 -0500
hi sala,
is this not how our steel band started --but with no help--so great meeting up with you --your book is fantastic-when I opened it --I got blown away--my son beats a tenor pan will let him take what he needs to help him. What a great nite.
mount boys are definitely the best--what is your ph. no will call you when I get back to florida--and anytime you want to call me just leave a message and I will get back to you --as I only pay one bill a month and can talk anytime and for as long as I want so long distance is easy for me and does not add to my bill--keep that in mind –
later " bandit"
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From: Demorvay Peter
Sent: Wednesday, September 26, 2012 5:38 PM
Subject: FOR GOLFERS - THE PERFECT JUSTIFICATION
Hi George.
Based on the evidence provided, maybe I should retire from the oil industry and go on to golf or similar activity, just to increase my chances of surviving another 20 years of living.
Last week I went to the funeral of an “old” Mount boy, Francisco Raffensperger ,
Rafi as we all knew him, another victim of cancer. He was my age, 65.
Next week we have elections and the whole country will be at a standstill, waiting anxiously for the results and the possibility of getting rid of these corrupt goons and make the country a better place, to live and work.
We are now at aprox 19.000 violent deaths/year, best in the world...
Enjoy your life and God bless.
Peter
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Ladislao Kertesz at kertesz11@yahoo.com,
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Photos:
12NB0007AJAX21DEC, Salah Wilson and the BANDIT
12NB3143AJAX21DEC, Joe Berment washing fish
12NB0040AJAX21DEC, Joe Berment making a salad
12NB0010AJAX21DEC. Prefect´s Badge
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