Echoes of Andros

Meeting Toto

The beginning of winter of 1975 marked a significant transition, as I Left the sanctuary of my grandmother's care and ventured to New Providence Island. This move was not merely a change in location but a pivotal moment in my educational and spiritual journey that was garnished in Driggs Hill, accompanied by my two cousins and brother, I adopted the new lifestyle that was offered by this new figure affectionately known as Toto.

Toto's presence was not just familial; it represented the start of an adventurous chapter in my life. Growing up on Kemp Road, my childhood years were filled with explorations and adventures that spanned the breadth of my new community. These experiences were not fleeting moments but rather the etchings of my future path, as each adventure contributed to the footprints that would guide my coming years. The community itself, with its unique landscape and culture, provided a rich ritual upon which my childhood memories were painted.

These formative years, replete with discovery and learning, takes me back to the person who I would become. The bond with Toto and other members of my family, strengthened through shared experiences, with scrape knees from escaped dogs or falling from trees had a higher purpose in our aspiration as citizens of the universe. The starting gate being Uriah McPhee Primary, oh, the hallowed halls of learning, where the ritual of the Royal readers were replaced with Peter and Jane series the foundation of our understanding of the world. It was here among the chatter of classmates and the wisdom of teachers that laid a lifetime of discovery. A crest unlike any other stood the uniform a history of our Scottish regalty adorned with bobby socks and wool ribbons that displayed my innocence masked in our culture. Let's not forget the quaint ambience of St. Margaret's Church, with its stained glass windows and echoing hymns, led by Father Reece and the congregation which mocked the times of ancient and modern hymnal. A beacon of fraternal hood formed from the entrance of Shirley Street to its corridors of Wulff Road lasted a lifetime for this neighborhood.

As children, the communities were a playground of endless possibilities, where each day brought new challenges to overcome and mysteries to unravel. The adventures I embarked upon were as diverse as each community itself, from the serene beaches of Montague, watching annual boat races or playing on the park, as the echoes of each favorite rival for the highest chant of victory. To the bustling marketplaces of Potters Cay Dock, where Patsy's Eatery became another chapter into offering its own lessons and stories into the families secret culinary skills of savory crab dishes to ancient ways of seasoning and preparing fish.

These adventures, though unique to my upbringing, resonate with the pledge as children to follow the path of discovery in unity, no matter which road we trod. They underscore the importance of our early experiences in shaping our environment and personal development; fostered through dreams of our ancestors from the trail winds of Long Island to the shores of Andros, capitulating on the highways of independence. These narratives are a testament to the enduring power of childhood memories and the profound influence they have on our lives. It is a reminder that the paths we tread in our childhood can lead us to unexpected destinations and that the bonds formed along the way can last a lifetime. As I reflect on these memories, they serve not only as a chronicle of my past but also as a compass for my future, guiding me with the wisdom and strength gained from those formative adventures on the island of New Providence.