Saturday, March 20, 2010

Reading what Reid read and wrote

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4 comments:

nanton29 said...

Big Up to you Earl for such a sincere an honest article about Reidy. I am regretful for not remaining in touch although we hung out whenever he was up in New York. I remember a dinner Irving organized in Queens, N.Y. that hosted Bro George who was at the time at the UN. It was a small and intimate setting but an occasion to get up close and personal with Bro. George. I too will miss my friend.

March 20, 2010 at 9:35 AM
Zapon said...

As I read your article, the tears came streaming down my face. Irving "Kalmas" or "Karl Max" Reid was a good buddy of mine. We first met the first day of school in Form 1A at St. Mary's. He came via the Anglican School and I from R.C. Boys'. At first I was taken aback by this brash loud mouthed boy, but I soon learned to like him and admire his wit and his oratorical skills even at this young age. And as the school year progressed, we became a click that included Carson Millar, John Vincent, Ricky Serve, Anthony Taylor, McKenson Lionel, Mickey Charles and myself.
Irving was always an avid reader, and it was because of him we in that group began reading in earnest. We read the complete Hardy Boys series and were also fond of the Mickey Spilling detective series, before promoting to Karl Max and Franz Fanon and books of that nature. We read everything we could lay our hands on. While most of us struggled to read a book in a couple of days, Irving could gouble up one of these books in one night. Those of us who were waiting their turn to read the book had to beg him not to reveal us the whole sequel of that book. We were also deep into the "rock-and-roll" era of the late 60s and early 70s. Our usual listening venue was either at Luther Francois' or my home. It was not uncommon to come home to find Irving grooving to some Santana or Led Zepplin even in my absence. You see even my mom was partial to him. She found him to be a very well mannered young man.
To me Irving Reid was one of the most intelligent and gifted friend I have ever been associated with. True, like most of us he had his faults, but I always knew where he was coming from.
Thanks Irving for getting leading me into reading and writing. I may not be the best, but you helped instill in me the love for the written word.
Peace my brother!

March 21, 2010 at 5:30 PM
Ras Creation said...

I knew Irvin Reid,
he was a little older than me, I knew him at the Castries Anglican Primary School. His sister Rita Reid was in my class. He was a good kid, he used to attend a little wooden church along with his mother, sisters and brothers right there at the intersection of Chausee Road and Jeremie street which his father Mr Reid who used to be a preacher.

Yes mi breddren Bousquet after reading your article paying tribute to Irvin Reid, I man sitting behind my computer out here in new York went into rewind mode. I went way back to the days when I was a kid growing up and rolling my tire on the side-walks of Castries. In retrospect I saw Castries when it was a very peaceful and quiet city with friendly people who greeted one another as they went by. I can see Mr.Reid, Irvin's father standing behind the podium of that little church under the breadfruit tree speaking to a small cogregation which included Irvin and the rest of the Reid family.

This is good writing Mi brethren. You are versatile. This seperates you from other writers who only bring out hardcore political stories that are sometimes so depressing to read.

March 25, 2010 at 5:09 PM
Anonymous said...

Thanks Earl. That was a touching piece written from close range. I think you captured Ried's eccentricities to the "T". He had a "loud" self-confidence that bordered on "boasta". I remember his Dad just as you described him.
The last time I saw Irving was at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital at the besside of Claudius Francis. He had just received a round of dialysis and Claudius was receiving a round of chemo. We chatted for about 30 monutes and Irving took about 25 of those.

May he Rest In Peace.

CSI

March 27, 2010 at 9:57 AM

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