Circular No 579

Newsletter for alumni of The Abbey School, Mt. St. Benedict, Trinidad and Tobago, W.I.

Caracas, 8 December 2012 No. 579

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Dear Friends,

Mon, Nov 19, 2012 at 9:57 PM

GETTING TOGETHER IN CANADA

From Nigel Boos

Gentlemen,

I'm proposing to get together with David de Castro, a.k.a. the "Calypso Bandit" who will be visiting Ontario in December.

The date:         December 21st

The time:         7.00 - 10.00 p.m.

Location:         Rotilicious Restaurant, 89 Commercial Avenue, Ajax, ON.

(Ph: 905-686-8070

I would greatly appreciate if everyone could please respond to this email and let me know ASAP whether you would like to attend.

This might be a nice way to prepare for the Christmas celebration, eh?

Also, (2nd request), if anyone is able to pick David up at his daughter's home in Scarborough and return him there after the get together,

I'll sure appreciate it. Please let me know if we have a volunteer.

Thanks, everyone.

Nigel

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From: david decastro <calypsobandit@live.com>

Date: 19 November, 2012 10:51:29 AM EST

Hi Nigel,

Thanks for organizing the lime.

Can you give me a time frame for that day from?? to ??? and seeing that you are doing all the work it would be my pleasure and delight to pick up your tab.—

THANKS "BANDIT"

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From Gillian and Leary O'Connor Gillian and Leary O'Connor <gilleary@raafawa.net.au

Hi Ladislao,

Not sure if you are still sending news to Mount Old Boys but thought I would let you know that we have moved into a retirement village so have a new email address which you can get from this email.

We are very happy here - a new experience living in a two bedroom apartment after a four bedroom house but at least we have a pool and garden and don't have to look after them!

Leary still misses his shed and can never find his tools but he will eventually get there I'm sure.

We would like to wish you and your family a very Happy Christmas and all that's good for the New Year.

Leary & Gillian O'Connor

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30 Nov 2012

From Nigel Boos

Dave,

You've got a point.

Normally, whenever we have a get-together, we always bring along our wives or girl-friends without any specific invitation to do so, and the girls always seem to have a good time.

But maybe I should make it clear to everyone that their women folk are also invited and welcome. (In fact, some kids also come along too, and that's nice as well).

So, I'm copying this message to everyone, with a specific invitation to bring along their ladies for a roti and Carib on Dec 21st at Rotilicious in Ajax.

I quite agree with Jennifer - I'd hate to be the only man in a bunch of women as well, so let's see what we can do.

If I guess correctly, with Christmas only 4 days away, many of the women will probably be baking, preparing stuff, decorating, etc. at the last minute and perhaps may not be able to come, but we'll see. . . . .

Fellas, please let me know if you can make it for the 21st, and also, please bring along your wives or girl-friends for the little get-together.

Nigel

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Thu, Nov 29, 2012 at 9:08 AM

From Nigel Boos

Thanks, David, for the update.

I'm passing this email on to Cornel de Freitas, to see if he can handle the picking up and dropping back to Markham.

I hope there's no problem with this.

Don't forget to bring a few of your books with you.

My wife's name is Jackie.

Now, she runs a cake-making business from her home-based business, and I have no idea, come Dec 21st, as to exactly what orders she will have to contend with, but Christmas is her busiest time of year, and I wouldn't be surprised if she's going to be fully occupied at that time. I'll see what we can do. We'd love to meet your wife, but for the time being, I'll have to play this one day by day.

By copy of this email, I'm again asking the MSB Old Boys in Ontario - will you be able to make it to Rotilicious in Ajax on Dec 21st? We'd love to have a Carib with you for Christmas. Please respond if you haven't already done so.

Thanks,

Nigel

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On 2012-11-27, at 11:52 AM, david decastro wrote:

Hi Nigel,

I see the guys are bringing their wives. I hope you will bring yours as my guest {what is her maiden name.) I therefore will bring mine.

She is a Demontbrun from the Deverteuil family (her mother was a Deverteuil--family also to father Deverteuil and all those Deverteuils that went to mount. now here is the situation--the guy that is picking me up will have to p/u my wife who will be at another daughter in Markham (corner hwy 7)

I will show him the way and we can then take the highway to Ajax to the meeting place (which I hope he will know.) and when he drops my wife back to Markham I will stay there also at that daughter. This should be easier for him.

Hope this is not a problem. Please advise--"BANDIT"

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From: vcl28@aol.com <vcl28@aol.com>

Date: Friday, 30 November, 2012, 22:42

Cheers Guys,

Bandit and Glen are raising an important point and as members of our small fraternity I think that we must address it, since it goes to the philosophical heart of the issue.

Are the old mount boys more important than the institution which nurtured and brought them together in the first place? I for one feel that it was where I became a man, it was probably why most if not all of us have excelled, since we were on our own from the time our parents dropped us off there for the beginning of the term; no running to mommy and daddy when you were a Mount boy in trouble, you were on your own and learnt to fight your own battles at a very young age and it made us men.

I want to feel that again with guys like Eddy Lloyd and Clyde Vieira and Don Mitchell. Hope Don doesn't don his cape and go flying up the mountain but look what happened: Don Mitchell is a judge today, would he have been a judge if he was pampered by mommy and daddy every night when he went HOME with peer problems and bruises?

Would I have fought my battles in life with the confidence I have? Would Eddy Lloyd, Clyde Vieira, Timothy Mew, Nigel Boos and the right honorable Ladislao had we not gone there? Look at the discipline and dedication it took to get us together like this after nearly [for me] 50 years!!

These are questions which are important since they go to the heart of the issue; we are what we are since we learnt from early that we must fend for ourselves and the place we did that was on that mountain.

So with the greatest of respect my opinion is that it is bigger than me, than any of us and indeed all of us, and I think that we are assembling one last time, to see if it is possible to feel what we felt when we were young, I for example want to sit on that concrete bench next to the toilets with my back to the mountain looking forward to the school and feel what I felt then. e.g. what am I going to do about the Wayne Gittens matter since he wants to TRY beat up my rass, those nostalgic reminiscences cannot be resurrected anywhere else in my mind and that's all I will say on the subject, the old boys must decide.

Tony Vieira.

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Clive Bettincourt Gomes is that you? Did I not used to come into your family's store in G/T on numerous occasions and we sat at the main desk looking and laughing at the shoppers???

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Dear Bandit,

I live in reality; we don't need to discover the Mount. It's there, the Castle for everyone to visit, their personal choice.

We, the Alumni of The Abbey School, need to Rediscover and Rekindle, this Silver Thread of Friendship, which we Share Right Now, The Abbey School Old Boys Club, where ever we have this 70th Reunion, does not really matter, for we are discovering each other again, We are the Castle, We are the Abbey School Alumni, We are The Club. Long Live The Spartans. ha! ha! jejej.

Long Live The Mount in us, it remains, a secret, sacred place in our hearts, good enough for me.

Maybe we should organize a cruise soon and talk about it, ha! ha! Bandit, for me it’s a reunion every day, November has been a sad month for this Club. I hope the Sun Shine's in soon.

Best Regards Mis Amigos –

Glen McKoy.

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From: Ed Lloyd edwardlloyd@yahoo.co.uk

Sent: Fri, Nov 30, 2012 9:18 pm

Subject: Re: Don and Gordon Mitchell's mother

This email chain has gone on for a quite a few weeks now and I can honestly say that it looks like there may be an agreement somewhere as to the locality for the festivities.

Be what it may, and as Tony has pointed out, the place is unimportant, what is important is the friendship and feeling that we have for one another and the fact that we do hold a special place in our heart for the Mount.

Albeit some had a great time during their sojourn, some not so, so be it, we are all different. I personally have mixed emotions but that’s for me to live with but what I did take away from my time there is the friendships that it has natured.

Some of us have stayed in contact with one another through the years and some have not, now we are in a much better position to rekindle that special friendship we had on the hill.

I have had the good fortune to speak and see a few of the old boys and for this I am truly grateful to the Lord – Tony, Mike, Jeansie – a very special hello to you all.

This year and most recently some of us have lost a dear one in our family.

Losing a parent or a sibling is tough and something we can never ever come to terms with.

My heart goes out to the Mitchell & Golding boys and to Anthony & Tony, but especially to all of you out there who has lost a dear one in the past.

I won’t and can’t say in the ‘near past’ because that’s not correct as it can still be very raw – remember that time is a great healer for all as we love to hang on to our thoughts – block out the bad bits and cherish the good ones.

Take care you lot and trust this meets you happy and in good health.

God bless and best wishes

Eddie Lloyd

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Hello Nigel ...

For the next database update you can put me down as working and residing in Quito, Ecuador, until further notice.

I am flying for Bell 412/212 and a Sikorsky Skycrane helicopters here.

My Email (gyuris@yahoo.com) remains the same , contact voip US phone number (951-780-4197... it is a California number but it rings in Quito) remains the same, and basically everything else remains the same as well.

Cheers,

Attila Gyuris

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From   KAZIM ABASALI

Dear Don, Gordon and Jon,

Jon, may God strengthen you and family on the loss of your dear Dad.

Don and Gordon, may God be with you all and family and your Mom.

My love continues to be with you all.

Still working on my stroke recovery.

I am in Sweden getting medical attention and dedicated therapy.......

Kazim

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From: nigelboos@eagles-wings.ca

Date: Thu, 29 Nov 2012 06:46:42 -0500

Dear Jon,

Please let me know what funeral arrangements are being made for your dad.

Jackie and I have a prior commitment for December 2nd that we cannot avoid.

However, I'd sure like to join you if another date is selected.

Please give me a call when you're in town.

Nigel

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On 2012-11-29, at 6:38 AM, Jon Golding wrote:

Dear Don and Gordon,

My sympathies to you both and the rest of your family.

May God bless all of you at this time of family focus which has its many plus points and if we still have Christian beliefs we should be happy that the time has come for her to be reunited with her own family in the afterlife.

And even look forward to our own passing when we too will be reunited with those who have gone before.

I am speaking with direct awareness of this topic since on Tuesday morning I lost my own dearest Dad when he died in Toronto after a long illness.

I am flying to Toronto on Saturday to be with my family (most of them live in Canada now) and we shall be celebrating his marvellous life and values and over 70 years of marriage (never apart) to our mother.

So at these sad times I believe we need to take an orbital view of everything from outer space and thank God we now have cyber space to communicate so freely and intimately with our friends, family and loved ones.

Wishing you all the very best of closer bonding with your family and lasting memories of that great tennis coach I sadly never got to meet since I was lousy at tennis!.

Your brother in spirit from our formative years

Jon

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From: Tim Mew MHC [mailto:tim-mew@bigpond.com]

Sent: 29 November 2012 05:14

Dear Don, Gordon, Stephen & Alix,

There are no words of comfort that one can really pass on to someone when their mother is dying, however Gail & I deeply sympathise with you all and hope her end is as peaceful as it can be.

After so many years have passed as one gets older, I struggle to put names to faces with clarity, also I was ahead of you in Class 1958 and I do not recall your Mum being a tennis coach at The Mount.

Your mother Murie's advice on getting older is wise, but unfortunately we cannot stop the clock.

Retain all the good memories of your mother and trust in God, whilst living your life as best you can.

Condolences from our hearts,

Tim & Gail Mew.

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From: Don Mitchell [mailto:idmitch@anguillanet.com]

Sent: Thursday, 29 November 2012 2:48 PM

Dear all,

I am not sure how many of you remember Murie Mitchell, who came to be the tennis coach at Mount in about 1956. At that time, she had to drive from Chaguanas to Mount to keep that commitment. It took her an hour and a half driving each way in those days. She only did it to be able to see her sons, Don and Gordon. Meanwhile, her sons in question were too embarrassed to meet their mother on the tennis court, when none of the other boys were allowed to have their mothers visit them. So, ignored and abandoned by her sons, her stint as tennis coach at Mount was not a very long one, and she abandoned that project.

She has been living in Anguilla with her sons Don and Stephen for the past 30 years. Gordon has been living and working in Trinidad and Tobago during that time. Her daughter Alix made a new life for herself in Canada. Alix is now in Anguilla with her daughter Michelle, and has been a tower of strength in our mother’s last days. Gordon and his wife Joan are also now in Anguilla with their mother to help us see her through her last adventure. She has now, about a week ago, had a massive stroke, and is not expected to last much longer. She lies uncomplaining in her hospital bed with tubes coming out of every orifice, and is unable to speak or to signal to us. Only her hearing appears relatively unaffected. She indicates to us by a nod or a shake of the head that she is not in pain. We hope that she is not saying that just to make the mother’s usual sacrifice for her children. We try to shower her with love, in the hope that she is able to perceive it, even with her eyes shut.

Keep well. And, remember my mother’s advice to us all through all the recent years, “Boy, just don’t get old!”

Don

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Ladislao Kertesz at kertesz11@yahoo.com,

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Photos:

12LK6352BBQ, with corrections Dennis and Jeremy De Barry

12NB0216AJAXREUNION, Photo of the reunion

12NB0215AJAXREUNION, Phot with the unknowns

374051LK12FACEBOOK, Anniversary celebration card