EDDIE'S FRIENDS IN TRINIDAD

excerpt from TRINIDAD REMEMBRANCES (see Aug 31, 2010)

Eddie seemed happier in Trinidad than he had ever been anywhere else.  He seemed to have a natural affinity for the native Trinidadians and they were drawn to his open-hearted friendliness.  He had many playmates who continually sought him  out.  Though his only toy was a bag of marbles  he seemed joyful most of the time.  One of the mothers of the children he was playing with stood on my balcony watching as he and several Moslem children , several African children and a Chinese child played together.  She said she had never seen the children mix together peacefully before but she liked it.  She loved Eddie and his complete acceptance of all the kids as his friends.  The kids seemed to respond  to his attitude by being more open to others themselves.  They taught him how to ride a water buffalo, how to drink from a coconut, and climb the skinny trees nearby.  One of the boys seemed very close to Eddie and they spent the night at each other's homes two or three times a week.

Zorida, the lady who dreamed of me before I came to Trinidad (see ZORIDA'S DREAM  9-14-10), grew very fond of Eddie and would have a special treat for him when he came in from school.  It was called char, and consisted of mango rolled up in  curry powder and baked.  Eddie would eat a whole cereal bowl of it every afternoon.  She would worry that he was eating so much of it.  She said, "not even we can eat this much.  It is too hot."