Lifeguard from Maracas Bay

Chapter 21 - An Impromptu Vacation

After lunch, Maria thought about calling the boys to share the good news with them. Wisely, she decided against it when she envisioned Auntie G frantically calling her friends. Auntie G, as much as they loved her, was their greatest risk with information about their winnings. They knew that she had to be managed with kids’ gloves.

The four of them were pooped by the time they got home. Uncle Eddie opened a few cold beers and suggested that they sit out in the backyard to relax. After the first beer, the girls went upstairs to pack their bags for the trip. Maria was packing to return to Trinidad with all the gifts and gadgets she bought earlier that day. Auntie Joan was packing for an impromptu vacation.

Uncle Eddie and Willie joined them and brought along a few more beers. Auntie Joan said, “There is no way I could prepare dinner after a second beer, you better order in some Chinese food for dinner.” Uncle Eddie winked at Willie and said, “We could polish off the rest of the Johnny Blue with dinner.”

The flight to Trinidad was very peaceful and everyone welcomed the opportunity to rest from the hectic days since they won the jackpot. They agreed to let Willie and Maria walk ahead at the Piarco International Airport terminal. Auntie G spotted them as they came around the corner. She waved both hands over her head and called out to Willie and Maria. Halfway down the path they saw Auntie G’s hand drop slowly down to her side.

Fortunately, Uncle Ralphie noticed when she slumped down to the floor. He grabbed her and said, “Help me Alfie, Auntie G just fainted.” Uncle Pete frantically pushed the crowd away while shouting, “Move back. Move back everybody. She just fainted. She needs some fresh air.” Auntie G woke up with a start while they were fanning her and asked, “Where did they go? I say them. I saw Joan and Eddie.”

Still squatting around her, Ralphie said, “It is worse than we think, she is hallucinating. She is seeing things.” She pushed everyone away and jumped to her feet. “There they are,” she shouted. Ralphie and Pete trying desperately to subdue her said, “Calm down Auntie G, people are watching you.”

Uncle Eddie, sporting a straw hat and sun shades, stretched over the blockade, hugged Auntie G and said, “How is my favorite cousin today?” She pushed him so hard that he crashed into the barricade on the far side of the walkway. She said, “Never do that to me again. I almost had a heart attack when you came around that corner.” After all the hugging and kissing they left the airport for Alfie’s home where the rest of the gang was patiently awaiting their arrival.

Freddie and Teddy met them in the driveway. Freddie opened one door and hugged his Mom. Teddy opened the other door and reached over Auntie Joan to hug his Dad. Auntie Joan asked jokingly, “Does that mean that I am ah nobody to you?” Teddy looked at his Dad and asked, “Who is she?”

Maria and Willie went inside to a house full of family dressed in colorful Hawaiian shirts and hats – just like their wedding on the beach so many years ago. They all had tall glasses of rum punch with little umbrellas at the top. The music was as loud as can be and Peter, Maria’s brother, was trying to do the limbo dance under a flaming bar. Uncle Eddie joined him to the amusement of the crowd.

After a few more drinks, Auntie G announced that Eddie and Joan will be staying at her home for the duration of their trip. Alfie would have none of that, “They are our guests,” he insisted. Peter piped in and suggested that they spend a few days with everybody. Auntie G clapped loudly and said, “Finally, something sensible cometh forth from the moron. I mean from his mouth.”

Auntie Joan looked at Uncle Eddie and asked, “I wonder if anybody cares about what we want to do?” Smiling brashly Uncle Eddie said, “You are so right. No one even bothered to ask what we want to do.” Then, deliberately slowing his speech he looked up and asked pensively, “What … do … we … really … want … to … do?” With a coy smile he said, “We want to hike over the mountain from Santa Cruz to Maracas.”

“No we don’t,” protested Auntie Joan. “The first time we did that you had to carry me most of the way up to the top of the mountain and that was more than thirty years ago. I definitely don’t want to do that again.” Looking around Uncle Eddie said, “The ladies could go by car” and making a fist with his right hand, “the men will hike over the mountain.”

When they asked for Uncle Ralphie’s input, he said, “Don’t look at me, you know about my heart condition. I’ll drive you to Santa Cruz and then take the ladies to Maracas Bay in my minivan. We’ll wait there for you.” Uncle Eddie agreed and said, “OK boys, we’ll meet here at Alfie’s on Saturday morning at 6 o’clock, ready to roll.”

Not wanting to be left out of this important decision making, Auntie G said, “Because of the scare you gave me at the airport, you will stay at my house tonight.” Maria quickly came to their rescue and said, “They desperately want to go to the beach; they will spend the first few days with us in Maracas.” Uncle Eddie raised his glass and declared, “Hear. Hear. When do we leave?”

When the twins said, “We’ll be ready too!” Uncle Eddie raised his eyebrows and asked, “Ready for what?” They cheerfully replied, “For the hike, of course. We are boys too you know and old enough to go hiking.” Peter then looked at his Dad and said, “Sorry old man, but you are not going to hike over any mountain. You are going with your older brother in the minivan.”

Prancing around like a deer, Alfie shouted, “Bloody hell. Ever since you got that credit card statement addressed to Mr. Peter Doolper, you think you are the man of this house. Well let me tell you something buddy, this hike is for the men and I am one of the men in this family.” Auntie G laughed heartily and said, “Don’t waste your time boys. There is no way that you old timers could make it over that mountain.”

“Sure we can,” said Uncle Eddie. “When I was younger, we literally ran all the way to the top without stopping for a drink of water and then raced down to the beach in less than two hours.”

“Well, that was a long, long time ago,” chided Auntie G. “We probably couldn’t do it in two hours but I bet we could do it in four hours,” offered Uncle Eddie. “I bet you can’t,” said Auntie G. “Looks like someone wants a friendly wager,” said Uncle Eddie. “What do you want to bet?”

Auntie G wasted no time. “If you make it in four hours, I’ll buy you a 40 ounce bottle of Johnnie Walker Black. But …,” and she paused while wagging a finger at Uncle Eddie, “if you don’t make it in four hours you will wear my curlers and face cream all day for the next family trip.”

“Eww! You want me to wear them ugly things out in public?”
“Did I hear a chicken go cluck, cluck, cluck? Are you afraid that you wouldn’t make it in four hours?”
“No! I am not afraid. I know I’ll make it.”

“So we have a deal then?”
“Yes. We have a deal.”

Wagging her right index finger again at Uncle Eddie, Auntie G said, “Not one minute more than four hours.”

As expected, the party continued into the wee hours of the morning, long after all the women and children had gone to bed. Auntie Joan and Maria were understandably tired from the partying in Toronto and the flight to Trinidad. Lucy, Auntie G, Aunt Edith and Brenda succumbed to the tall glasses of rum punch with little umbrellas at the top.