Good bye darling, i'll see you next trip.
Well, it's been 6 months and i'm back.
I got use to my private driver Nick, picking me up at the Airport in Mobay.
I come out of the arrival door and look around.
These guys are still working hard, trying to get a fare.
Taxi mon? Taxi? Need a ride?
No thanks, i'm waiting for my buddy.
So, i pull my bags over to the seating area right by the door.
I make sure i can see the road, so if Nick pulls up i can jump in.
The cops are making sure nobody lingers.
If your pick-up is there, cool, but you can't wait in front, parked or just double parked.
One of the guys comes over and says, Your buddy, maybe he will not come!
No way, Nick's my man, i can count on him.
Call him mon, here.
He handed me a cool little celly phone.
I dialed the number.
"Yo, whatgwan,"
So nice to hear a familiar voice.
Hey Nick, where are ya?,
I'm on my way, traffic jam coming in, but i'm in Mobay now.
Coool, see you when you get here.
Yeah mon, later.
I give the guy the phone back.
He's looking at me, (like he did me a great big favor)so, i give him a buck.
Beep, beep!
Man, i was on the look out, did not let any car pass me without checking it,
but, Nick slipped in some way.
Whats up Marko,
oh, i'm good man, now that you're here.
That's when i vacation really starts.
At the Airport, when i hook up with my runnin buddy.
It's funny, he'll pull the car up, and get out, and i am envious/jealous already.
He only wears a mariner shirt (we call them dago tee's)
Some blue jean shorts and sandals.
That's it.
His dread locks flowing and a very deep smile.
I can tell that he dons this attire on a daily basis.
The life.
So, he starts to pop the trunk and then
there are drivers calling him and waving hello.
Nick knows alot of Taxi drivers.
He has a route mobile, and use to run the strip in Negril for years.
He still does, but only when he needs some money.
Many locals know his car on sight.
So, we're all loaded on our way, reggae thumpin and bumpin out of the radio.
How are your rollin skills mon?,
Man, give it here, i can roll.
While still driving, Nick reaches some place under the dash, pulls out the little black bag,
He has the Rizzaler's and ganja.
I'm trying to get it just the way the locals do it.
Cone shape. Very fat at the top, and gets narrower as it goes down.
I got it! Done.
He looks at it, then looks at me, looks back to the spliff and smiles/laughs.
Ok, you're getting better.
By now, we are leaving Mobay, and the cars start to spread out.
I hand him the spliff and like the professional that he is, he lights it while driving and has that satisfied look in his eyes.
I fire mine up and
"wow" This is different from US stuff.
5 minutes later the green hillside starts to vibrate, the sea pulsating blue/green colors.
Such a nice feeling to be with your main man, flying down the road, sounds bumpin.
Bluish green water on your right, very green hills on your left, no air conditioning, just wind coming through the car like it is a convertable.
Ahhh, now i am in day dream mode.
I'm just tingling all over.
13 years ago
