SPENCER'S WISH

" SPENCER 'S WISH"

" A True Story About A PAN MAN'S(STEEL DRUM PLAYER) Who'sTragedies Turned Into Triumph.

By Author Jason Baptiste."

(THE DAYS AFTER THE NIGHT BEFORE)

"THE NIGHT BEFORE"

" One drunken Saturday night, i got into a fight, and smelled the fragrances of blood,when  

my nose was busted.Why? to much practicing? PAN? (STEEL DRUM INSTRUMENT).What i'm talking about?"

" Between the years of 1985 to 1996, i've worked as much as i did, practicing my steel drums night and day, 

I really wish i'had done more, or i should of taken the more peaceful couched potatoes road, between those years and beyond."

"This war, had it's silent and vocal battles for quiet sometime, but is not what this true story focuses on."

"Part two of this life experience is about my best ever supporter, DECEASED Mr.SPENCER. 

And to complete this chapter i'll say, Sometimes NOT always, friends and families can be just words."

"THE DAYS AFTER"

"Spencer's Wish" My loss friend deceased Spence, as he was popularly called,

was an elder to me, so i can't tell what i know not, what i know he was a PAN JUMBIE,

(meaning a lover of PAN MUSIC).and always supported musicians and culture."

"He loved cricket, soccer, all, he worked at an oil company, was a lovable person,

filled abundantly with kindness and honesty. and he loved his POINT FORTIN (Home town) to the bones of his temple."

"However, the DAYS AFTER is about Spencer's Wish."

"After the bloody Saturday night, on the Sunday morning, the smells of the hospital lingered,

whilst approaching my favorite dwellings, that housed my best friend /worse enemy, (BAR),

with a clearly visible bright white plastered nose."

"I meet Mr.Spencer and a couple of his close and distant buddies. After another confession about the night before, deceased Spencer asked me to enter the PAN RAMAJAY PAN SOLOIST COMPETITION 1996."

"Immediately my response was negative, i complained about biasness, the prizes as 1st place was $1,500TTD. STUPESSSSSSSS. but i never told him my confidence bailed. Spencer replies,

"Hey dread," "It's not about the money," he said, "Ah want the TROPHY in POINT FORTIN."

"He silence me."

"This is when i stared him in the eyes, my negative excuses nullified.i understood what he wanted, why he wanted,hummm, "Only you Spencer," or maybe those words."

"The following week Mr. Spencer and Mr. Jerry Kristo, took me to Port Of Spain, (The Capital Of Trinidad & Tobago).to register, collect the regulations and sixteen songs, something i wouldn't have done for myself, and i'm still not interested,"

"The days after i was mentally stressed, i felt burdened, weighed shoulders.

The music was really easy, what was uncomfortable was a few pieces with odd bars,

again, that's not to problematic, if you're use to 9/8 7/4 time signatures."

"The day for the preliminary round finally came, and as we approached the venue, we were slammed by a tsunami of spacecraft speedy notes, we firmly held on to our seats, as we witnessed the drowning tsunami, i then mounted my steel drums and returned to be seated."

"I began reading a book, that i'had already started, loaned to me by my deceased aunt/mother, Mrs.Iva Baptiste Broomes, to help me recover from my deceptive thirst quenching friend, then, Mr. Spencer intriguingly asked."

"Dread you should play something, you should warm up, you don't know what number you might pick," I begun after the death of the tsunami.Soon after, all ten contestants were assembled for the drawing of performing positions in which i got number ten."

" I immediately returned to my rehabilitating book, and listened sparingly whenever the doors to the performance area were opened. The performances dwindled rapidly, as it came closer, i gave up recovery for battle."

"Now, number ten, my heart turned into a jymbe, the palm of hands into a river, now that hat of sixteen songs, with eyes shut, the first piece of paper my snailed fingers touched,

I had chosen MIGHTY SPARROW'S JANE."

" I did what i loved, what i've learned =, what i can, but i came second in the preliminary round, I felt hurt. Not that i felt the winner didn't deserve, but my negative responses seams to prove itself to be real,but there's one more secret weapon, and it's time to shine it up and get triggered."

" In 1990, i started playing with FOUR mallets, and because of another conflict, i;had stop playing with four mallets. Well i got my self four heavier mallets, and said to my self, lightning will meet thunder, it's the final battle, do the mathematics."

" Before leaving the venue the night of the preliminary performance, the five finalist were called for drawing positions, my number, guess, FOUR!!!!.

Mr. deceased Spencer heckled, " DEAD MAN" he said, much to my displeasure. maybe i'm gone soon, but tensions elevated."

"The night before the finals, i've practice with SIPARIA DELTONES STEEL ORCHESTRA till 6.am the following morning, immediately left for practice with THE RUIZ BROTHERS. 

When i finally got to the venue, upon entering, contestant number one already began."

" Waiting at the entrance was Mr.Spencer, "This is the time you reach here?"I refuse to answer, i've never seen him looking so angry at me. I went back stage, mounted my pans and got settled. The venue was packed. It was also the night of the hundred meters finals in Atlanta USA where Trinidad & Tobago's ATO BOLTON expected to do great."

" A big screen was setup for the race, but also utilize for the competition. As contestant number three concluded, then came the race. With some relaxing space, my tensions were tortured. Ato dashes to a bronze medal without much dissatisfactions."

" Now, the final straw at number four, the hat of songs, eyes shut, snailed fingers, first paper touched, MIGHTY SPARROW'S JANE, (AGAIN). A shower of comfort soaked me, and i did what i loved, did what i've learned, did what i can, what i've bleed for.

I remember peeping at the judges, who preferred looking at the big screen."

" I was thankful for the appreciation,then a wind of sorrow blown towards my direction. It's over and done with. Now after performing with SIPARIA DELTONES. The tensions slowly began rocketing. Will Spencer receive his wish? torturing my mind.Me, NO, i think not."

" As the results began, i've been expecting to hear my name, every position announced, and when it finally happened,i still waited to hear if any last minute changes will be made, but there wasn't. The SIPARIA DELTONES lifted me unto their shoulders, and i was called to the stage as the 1996 PAN RAMAJAY SOLOIST CHAMPION. to receive "SPENCER'S WISH" to the people and ancestors of Spencer's POINT FORTIN."

"We did Spence,delivered, thanks for the many years of support you've given to those before and after me, your love for POINT FORTIN is beyond the present and the presence of eyes.

Thanks for trusting my dedication,and for the honor and teachings this opportunity presented."

" This was a true and non fictitious story, about life in a Willie Lynch Society where conflict is eternal, and the trusted, light speedily dissipating Great friends are worth knowing and following your dreams over someone's nightmares is sacred."

" To all who took their valuable time to read, thanks for your precious time, deeply appreciated."

YOURS TRULY

Jason Baptiste." 

Author's Note

"A True story about a life experience 1996. thanks for your precious time deeply appreciated"