Lisa Allen-Agostini - Trinidad Noir

well raj & lil buddah say u did start to SMILE lil bit now, u was still sad & folorn but now u was smilin lil bit 2, now dat dey plant dis idea in u head, & mr robot u say ok, u not going back home in amerika, flight cancel, u stayin here in t’dad & u doin what is right according to de rules, & u tell raj & lil buddah please to tell miss ramsol u would be in de archives bright & early tomorrow mornin to settle everyting good and proper, & anyway u did always dream to settle down in t’dad, & despite dat a trini wife & trini children was never part of dat dream before, it is now, cause you doin what is right and proper according to de rules, and raj and lil buddah say dey was smilin now 2, & all 3 of u was smilin happy huggin up 2gether, 2 coolies & 1 yankee-whiteman, & raj stand up to he feet & raise-up he glass & say, let we drink a toast to mr robot, we new yankee brother-in-law!!!

cordial,

miss ramsol

director, t&tna

ps mr robot i would be waitin in de back room wearin my dentalfloss panties, & dat machine runnin waitin fa u 2

pss MONSOON WEDDING IN U TAIL!!!

San Juan

Ka Pau was humming with gamblers. Coins clinking into machines echoed throughout the casino punctuated by winnings jangling in metal trays.

“Hey, Andre!” Honesto bounced his friend on the arm and leaned over his shoulder to peer at the images crossing the screen. “How yuh goin’?”

Andre looked up from his twenty-five-cent game and grinned. “Not bad. What’s happenin’?”

“Nothing much,” Honesto yawned. “Yuh winning?”

Like clockwork, Honesto showed up at the casino each Friday night looking for his friend. He and Andre had met a few months earlier when he had arrived in Trinidad from the Philippines. Twenty-nine-year-old Honesto been recruited to work in Trinidad as a pharmacist. Andre drove a taxi and was looking for a return fare from Piarco Airport when Honesto had emerged from Customs. Since then, they had become friends, with Andre providing taxi service for Honesto and his Filipino buddies.

“Win some, lose some,” Andre shrugged. “But,” he winked, reaching into the white plastic container for more coins, “mostly winning.” They laughed as Andre pulled the lever, the screen blurring and whirring before abruptly stopping. Immediately coins rattled into the tray.

“Way to go!” Honesto slapped Andre on the back.

“If this keep up,” Andre declared, “I go make my car payment this month. This machine hot. Before you came, I hit three lemons and made an easy hundred. This better than driving taxi.”

“I hear yuh, man. Sometimes it’s like that. Yuh get lucky and hit a good machine.”

The cocktail waitress appeared with Andre’s Carib. He reached into his pot and dropped some coins onto her tray. She turned to Honesto. “Yuh having the same as your brother?”

“Yeah, but he’s not my brother,” Honesto grinned. “He’s not good-looking enough.”

“You lucky to look even a little like me, boy.” Andre scooped more coins, inserted them into the machine, and pulled the lever. Two cherries appeared as coins clanked below. Again Andre fed the machine. When the spinning stopped, there was silence. He deposited more coins. The reels whirled and twirled then stopped. Nothing.

“Hey, you’re losing your touch.” Honesto edged closer. “Let me try.”

“Find your own machine,” Andre replied. “Yuh may be my friend, but there’s no way I’m sharing this cash cow with yuh!” He fed the machine again. The machine hummed like a blender, followed by clattering coins just as the waitress returned with Honesto’s beer.

Honesto reached into the winnings for her tip. “Timing is everything!”

“I need another pot,” Andre bragged. “Go get me another pot. This baby is set to pay.” While Honesto went to the cashier’s cage for the container, Andre dropped more coins into the slot. The reels raced, then stopped abruptly — three cherries on the pay line, more jangling in the tray.

“Thanks,” Andre said, taking the plastic container from Honesto and scooping up the coins. “Stay here and keep my place. Whatever you do, don’t give up my machine. I’ll be right back.” He drained his Carib.

“Hey, man, can I play with your money while you’re gone?”

“Use yuh own money,” Andre retorted, standing the empty bottle sentry-like behind the plastic pots.

“I’m broke.”

“What the hell yuh mean yuh broke? Is payday!”

“You know I send my money home to the Philippines on Friday. Hey, you don’t want to chance letting her get cold while you’re gone, do you?”

“Okay,” Andre laughed. “Just don’t get too attached.” He turned to leave and then stopped. “But what if yuh win with my money?”

“It’s yours,” Honesto said.

“No, no, that’s not fair,” Andre protested. “If yuh pull the arm and win, the money’s part yours.”

“But it’s your money and your machine.”

“Hear what. If yuh win, we go split it, 50–50. How that sounding?”

“You sure?” Honesto asked.

“Yeah. Keep she warm!” Andre grinned. He turned and headed for the washroom, maneuvering among throngs clustered around the slots and tables, drinking beers while waiting for a machine.

“Good evening, good evening, Mr. Persad,” beamed the manager. “How is everything tonight?”

“Real good,” Andre grinned. “Just don’t go resetting my machine before I come back!” They both laughed.

When Andre returned from the washroom, an annoying bell was clamoring like a car alarm. Then he realized that the flashing amber light was above his machine.

“Yes, yes! Honesto! We win!” he shouted, craning to see the face of the machine through the crowd that surrounded Honesto. He caught a glimpse of the manager conferring with Honesto. The manager straightened and worked his way through the crowd past Andre. “How much is the jackpot?” Andre asked.

“Twelve thousand dollars.”

“All right, man!” Andre yelled. He shouldered his way to the machine. Three magenta sevens crossed the pay line. “Hey, Honesto!”

Honesto stopped scooping coins into the plastic container. He jumped up and hugged Andre. “Jackpot!” he beamed, pointing to the screen.

“I knew this machine was going to pay big!” Andre crowed.

“Twelve thousand dollars! I calling Mary.”

While Andre was on his mobile with his wife, the manager returned and handed Honesto a check. He shook Honesto’s hand then left. Andre pressed off and shoved his cell in his pocket. He rubbed his hands in anticipation.

“Lemme see that beautiful piece of paper.” Honesto handed him the check. “Hey,” Andre stared. “This check is only in your name.”

Honesto shrugged. “The manager said they only put one name on it.”

“So let we change it now and split it,” Andre said.

“They don’t pay out that kind of cash,” Honesto explained. “That’s why he gave me the check. Monday on my lunch hour I’ll go to my bank and cash it. I’ll give you your half when you pick me up after work.”

“Okay,” Andre answered. “But I really wanted to go home and throw money all over Mary.” They laughed and finished gathering up the coins. On their way to the cashier’s cage, they passed their cocktail waitress. Andre tilted one of the brimming containers above her tray. “Is good luck to share the wealth,” he grinned.

The cashier handed Andre over three hundred dollars for the coins. “We hafta celebrate, Honesto. Where yuh want to go?”