From Flo McCalla
Hi Guys,
I know this e-mail is long - but you have not heard from me in such a long time I know you will forgive me - thanks! 
Well, today those of us living in the USA are off from our usual schedules (work/school), because it is Memorial day. Last night some of us in the South Florida area got together at Joy's house to enjoy some good food and nuff fellowship. We had a good time and Albert (the cameraman) showed us his collection of tapes including his trip to Haiti and highlights of Carmel camp 2004. We saw a beautiful set of young persons from the Carmel community - most of us present, did not recognize 90% of these faces. But they were sure having a good time - the dance competition was very entertaining - I am sure the "moves" I saw was not just learned at camp. We have come a long way - a dance competition at camp! They were all doing 'pan de riva' - Ho to be that young again!
Well, today those of us living in the USA are off from our usual schedules (work/school), because it is Memorial day. Last night some of us in the South Florida area got together at Joy's house to enjoy some good food and nuff fellowship. We had a good time and Albert (the cameraman) showed us his collection of tapes including his trip to Haiti and highlights of Carmel camp 2004. We saw a beautiful set of young persons from the Carmel community - most of us present, did not recognize 90% of these faces. But they were sure having a good time - the dance competition was very entertaining - I am sure the "moves" I saw was not just learned at camp. We have come a long way - a dance competition at camp! They were all doing 'pan de riva' - Ho to be that young again!We started sharing stories about Carmel as we always do when 2 or more Carmelite are in the same place. Barry, we had the share the one about "On a cold winter's morning.......that infamous song written and performed by a sister at one of the services at Carmel. I mentioned you Barrybecause you tell that story best. As we watched Dully's son(Andrew) singing to his date at the camp banquet, we could not help but share the story about Freddie Davis - and why all banquets were banned from Carmel camp when his potential turned down his offer of escorting her to the banquet (know anything about that Melodie?). As a result he did not eat for thelast 2 days of camp. So many stories too little space.
From Barry Williams
ReplyDeleteThe rest of you guys will notice that I have been a bit silent lately, the reason is that I am doing some detailed research at Flo's request into exactly what happened regarding the following among other things :
1) That famous Carmel Camp when Freddy Davis spent nearly 10 or was it 12 hours shining his shoes to go to the Banquet with a certain girl - initials MH. My early findings are that Freddy wept so much when the girl of his dreams went with another boy - initials BW - that Camp Banquets were cancelled FOREVER. I will give further details soon.
2) What early kind of Spandex material James wore as his bathtrunk to that famous trip to Cane River Falls. My Research seems to suggest that while James was under the waterfall enjoying himself (in the presence of the ladies) the force of the water took his "bathtrunk" past his ankles and downstream in a nano-second.
Being a non-swimmer, James refused to try to retrieve said piece of garment and stood petrified in his "birthday suit".
All the girls screamed and dived for cover - UNDERWATER.
Yvonne,(Miss Shapely - Danny's sister) also dived but being a non-swimmer - started taking in water. Martin Brown eventually rescued her."Brains" then dove in and wisely pulled up James' bathtrunk and while holding it to his(James') waist escorted him from the river. I am still researching the fibrous contents of James' bathtrunk, why it left his waist so easily, and why the ladies reacted so violently. I will report my findings soon.
In the meanwhile, I am hooking up with Danny Priestly to find out which bird it was that gave sister Cunny that "LOVELY" Christmas Song she sang some years ago while the above-mentioned MH played the piano. Danny is undecided as to whether it was a "CROW', "PELICAN" or "OWL" from which Sister Cunny got the tune. If my memory serves me correctly, I believe she said she heard a "BARBLE DOVE" going "tweet","tweet", "tweet" and that's how she got the tune. What I really have great problems remembering is the reason Sis Cunny gave for looking steadfastly to the east(in the direction of Rock Spring) while singing all six verses, while the congregation was seated due south, directly in front of her.Don't quote me, but I think she said she was looking for the "BARBLE DOVE " for inspiration for a couple more verses.
Next time I hope to bring you up to date on 1) which girl Shanty advised "to give in to love" way back then,
2) Why the "love of food" almost caused Danny to miss a trip to the Blue Mountain Peak.
3) Why for the "love of a girl" Brains destroyed all his earthly possessions( including an expensive camera) - declaring them to be "vanity and vexation of spirit".
4) How Ray Wynter waited under a certain "STINKING TOE" tree until yours truly climbed down and gave him 6 of the best with his leather belt for stealing said fruits from said tree at a Sunday School Picnic. Doubling back later to declare to a crying yours truly, "Still enjoying your spoils huh?
I am tired now . More anon.
Kind Regards
Barry
From Flo
ReplyDeleteHi Barry,
Thanks so much for sharing those priceless incidents(memories) with us. However, in your research - which I must admit was very good you
overlooked one important detail in that incident at Cane River at Bull Bay when James lost has trunks - How could you forget that
DonnaT was standing opposite to James when he lost his trunk - she stood rooted to the spot screaming her head off - she was in shock and could not move. She had to be led away and it took at least an half an hour to get her calm enough to speak. Let me try and guess at some of the initials you mentioned could MH be Melodie Hunter (now Williams) and could BW be Barry Williams. By the way does any body know where Freddie Davis is today and what of James? I wonder if Auntie Pam knows (Pam Anglin) he (James) had a hugh crush on her. Ooh did I write that, sorry Pam - I promise not to tell any body else we will keep it our little secret! OK. Barry you will definitely have to give us more details on all those other stories you seem to know so much about - I am sure the one you are telling about Ray Wynter is true. Brother Raymond would never do something like that - plus it is the first I am hearing that story and I thought I knew most if not all of these "carmel stories".I am looking forward to when you and Danny can perform "On a cold
Winter's Morning" (I thinks that the title of the song) written by sister. I don't remember very much more about it only that it was
looooooooooong.Barry what about the incident when one of these "bad" guys (I think his name was Wallace) in the area was killed by the police and his mother came across the street from the church and asked to speak to Jasper. Jasper when over to speak with her (this was immediately after Sunday morning service). We were all standing around in the church yard some of us were looking at the interaction with Jasper the mother - then suddenly she took out her breast and said to him "them kill me son but this is the breast on which mi feed him" The
look on Jasper's face was one of "what do I do now". I think at this point he may have asked her to put her breast back in. These thinks
happen only at Carmel!Anyway I have to go - I am going with a friend to pick some mangoes.
That i cannot miss. So walk good and have a great week-end.
Love Flo
From Jasper
ReplyDeleteHi All Aoonu,Flo, I thought I was the only one who remembered this incident with Wallace's mother. That was an 'eye opener' to say the least. I wonder what happened to her. Does
anyone know if she is still alive? She started coming out to the meetings for a while. In her earlier years she and her husband operated a sport house (bordello) at the foot of Peters Rd.(southwest corner). There were three
of them in the neighbourhood, one being directly beside Carmel across the open land which we later bought. At meeting times, as a youth I would watch sailors in their white uniforms flood the neighbourhood when their ships came in. Man, 39 1/2 D'Aguilar Road has seen a lot in it's 47 years.
Walk good,
Jasper