True Story - Sherol Lee-James: my first police protector

When I was an early teenager, a police by the name of Sgt. Lee led a party of men into our yard to conduct a search on my cousin Henry Palmer home. Sgt. Lee did not enter the premises, but the other men who were in the party and conducted the search did. Apparently Henry had a contact on the Geest Boat who will purchased large quantity of Marijuana from him. That person will take the marijuana to the UK where he sold it for maximum price. 

The Geest boat came to the islands once a week where they will land goods, making a Windward Island tour dropping off goods and filling their hatches with green gold: Windward Island Bananas. This time around Henry’s contact was not on the ship, He had the cannabis all package and ready but there were not one to buy the good. So he made an offer to some random sailor. The sailor told him yes he will buy the drugs and then he reported to the local Geest Management who in turn informed the police of the situation. 

It was this that brought Sgt. Lee to the yard he apparently visited as a child with his parents. This time he came not as a visiting family member, or as a friend but as a police officer in the line of a criminal investigation. I was standing in the yard and Detective lee started a totally unrelated conversation with me. Suspiciously, I participated in the conversation. He told me that I must try my best to stay out of trouble among other things that I cannot remember. Then one of the officers passed on the message that we found it. Meaning that they found the package of cannabis, Henry apparently offered to sell the sailor on the Geest boat. 

Sgt. Lee appeared to be a little disappointed, but he did his job without fear or favor. Several years later Mr. Sister Clare told me that Sgt. Lee had die. I did not know who Sgt. Lee was, it was then she reminded me of the police officers, I was speaking to in the yard when they arrested Henry for the marijuana. I remembered and I remembered the officer name was Sgt. Lee, but I did not know why I should care that he die. As far as I am concerned he was just a random officer. 

It was then she asked me: Don’t you know who Lee was. Then she told me that he was family and she reminded me of my visit to their home as a kid. The visits I vaguely remembered, I also remembered going to their home as a teen, but I did not know that the young or older boy from my childhood became a police officer an action man, because that was what Sgt. Lee was. My sister Clare also told me that Sgt. Lee was married but I never knew who he was married to. 

Many years later when I became a police officer, I came into contact with a lady by the name of Corporal Sherol Lee-James. A woman with a very loud voice, and she was not afraid to use it. She always asked me question about how I am getting along etc. If Cpl. Lee and later Sgt. Lee-James saw me doing something that I should not be doing, on police compound or anywhere for that fact, I will hear this voice shouting Palmer! You know better than that; You know you should not be doing that! And she will leave her office and come down and give me a small lecture. She often sought me out to come and speak to me. She encouraged me to come and consult her if there was anything I don’t know or anything I will like to know. Sherol Lee-James was a season detective and she have worked Uniformed she was a source of police knowledge. 

It was not until later in my policing career that I got to realized that Sherol Lee-James was the wife of my deceased cousin. It was then It all began to make sense, when she was always looking out for me; she had my back. That was why she Mrs. Lee-James was so protective of me and always try to guide me in the right direction. Sherol was not only beautiful but she was hard to disrespect, that was because she command and own the respect she required and deserved. As a police officer she was bold, unafraid and very professional. She was not afraid of criminal and she was not afraid of the police authority. She always tell me Palmer always be respectful of your senior, but don’t be afraid of them, no matter who it is. 

Some people even try to speak bad about Mrs. Lee-James to me, I never entertained any such conversation, because, she may have interrupted some of the foolishness I intended to do, just for the heck of it, but she never lead me wrong. When those people bring their negative conversations about Mrs. Lee-James to me, I will stop them dead in their tracks and often say to them; "As I will not entertain any such conversation about you, especially in your absence, I do not want to hear any bad things about Mrs. Lee-James. I like her, she have never led me wrong, and I am not having it. 

Sherol Lee-James saw me as family and as such she became my first Protector as a police officer. I love her just for being Sherol. Today I learn that Sherol Lee now James is the Inspector of Police and she has the charge of overseeing the operation at the Calliaqua Police Station. When you see inspector Lee-James give her some love.

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True Story - Budge: the wisest child, my teacher & my best-friend.

I was about 8 years old, One evening, during the after school hours, I was walking along Lower Bay Street area, in the vicinity of the Anglican Primary School, in the capital city of Kingstown, on the mainland, in my native home land: St. Vincent and the Grenadines. I looked into the gate of the Anglican school yard and I saw a few young boys, some of whom I knew, but were not friends with, playing a game of Marble Ring.

In the Anglican School yard, there was a netball court, with dilapidated net ball rings, a patch of dirt off to the north eastern side of the yard that was used as a cricket pitch. It was on the cricket pitch, the game of marbles were being played. I had a pocket full of marbles so I entered the yard and I asked if I can join the game. They were playing for teck; which is the opposite of playing for fun. When players play for fun, it means that you are competing just for the fun or enjoyment of the game, you are required to return to marbles won. On the other hand, when one play for teck, it means you keep what you win and you part with that which you lose. The word tack is the dialect for the word take.

The game was going well, until an older boy, ran into the school yard, where we were playing, grab some of the marbles out of the ring and run off with them. As a result the other members of the game rush to the ring in order to try to salvage for themselves what we could.  At the end of the scramble, An argument erupted between Budge and I over the marbles that we collected. 

Budge is the older brother of Pepper, they lived on Higginson Street or Devil Street, in Kingstown. Budge was a big boy for his age and had the strength to match his size. Budge also had a little reputation, among children our age as a strong man, no one dear to fight with Budge because of his strength. I had one little fight previously, where I got the upper hand over my opponent, as a result; I had a little reputation of my own, among my little friend. Budge lived immediately opposite the Anglican school, on the other side of the street; I on the other hand; live four city blocks away from where I was involved in an argument with Budge. Most of the other children, who were involved in the game of marbles, were children who lived in the general vicinity of the Anglican Primary School or who attend the school. In other words, I was the only outsider.

Someone came up with a bright idea, for Budge and I to fight in order to settle the argument, I did not think it was a good idea, and neither did budge. But on the other hand, each of us: Budge and I had a little reputation to uphold. So we agreed to settle the argument in a fight. Neither Budge nor I wanted to appear to be coward or afraid of the other. So we consented to fight. Both Budge and I locked up in a clinch, but we did not get anywhere, this happened a second time and we did not get anywhere.

I was willing to go a third time just so I will not appear to be afraid, It was then I heard Budge said, Allan you are strong and I am strong, let’s call this fight a draw. I quickly agree with budge, because my big Brother Nazi, who often taught me karate moves always told me, never to fight and never to use these move against anyone unless you are in danger.  Budge had another surprised for me; Budge stretched out his right hand as if to shake my hand. I took Budge’s hand and we shook and that was the beginning of a forever friendship, that extend even onto Adulthood.

A few weeks later, school were on Easter Holliday, As a result, Bread Head, (Garfield Mayers) Bangalan (Anthony Culzac) Boy-e (Wallsworth Bellgrave) Nie Blue (Nigel Sylvester), Animal (Steve Fox) and I went to catch bird over the reclamation sight. The reclamation sight project was still incomplete and some small birds that we call Garlings, and Ground Doves love the area. The unfinished project became a habitat for Garlings and Ground Dove. While we were making chaps to snag the birds, up come three older boys from Devil Street, and about six young boys our age group all of whom were from Devil Street.

The first thing came out of one of the guys mouth hay let’s play fighting. It was the first time I have ever heard of any such game. This was the way of the older guys to get we kids to fight for their own enjoyment. Among the older boys was a guy who my mother and his mother were very good friends. We often visited each other homes with our parents. This fighting game was his idea. So the older devil street boys began to pear us up to fight. They match it so the devil Street boys will have the advantage. 

The guy waned to ensure that I lose the fight, so he match me up to fight with you know who Budge. I did not want to but I was willing to fight budge to save face. Then I heard the words coming from budge mouth. He said: "Allan Never do me anything, Me and Allan are friends and I am not fighting with Allan, the bigger and instigator said to Budge, Budge don’t be afraid, you can beat him. Budge say I am not afraid, Allan never did me anything and I am not fighting him, I will fight someone else Budge continued. After a little while budge said I am going home and he walked away from the crown, in the direction of his home, Budge Say Pepper lets go home, Pepper was reluctant to go because he wanted to belong, then budge said, Pepper I am going to tell Ma-ah (Ma-ah was the name the brothers called their grand mother) you over the wharf fighting. Then Pepper followed his brother, from Budge's courage, everyone got the courage to tell the bigger guys we are not fighting. and we went back to what we were doing.

Budge and I developed a wonderful friendship over the years, when we were older and began go play soccer representing our respective school, Budge had developed a reputation as a dangerous defender, who will cut you down without hesitation. He often played with the older guys on Devil Street and held his own. I on the other hand was just an average player; nothing special; I made the School team because my school team had a reputation of always and consistently being the worst soccer team on the island. In the game of soccer I was average but being from Bottom Town on the school team I was good enough to be in the first eleven line up.

I remember, Budge and I met in a qualifier football game to advance to the quarter finals, I was playing right wing and Budge was playing full stopper. The venue was the Bishop Collage Football field; I could remember the events as if they had just happened yesterday. It was a rainy day; just the kind of pitch Budge relished and loved to play on. This means he can slide and tackle any one cutting them down, like a lumber jack chopping down trees with even greater ease.

Then I was given a pass and I broke away, coming down on the right wing with the ball, On my way to the gold, I held up my head, and guess who I saw coming at me full speed ahead? Yes you are right, it was Budge. Fighting each other was one thing, but this was soccer a different thing all together. I knew Budge was going to look for the perfect opportunity and them he is going to cut me down. If I am lucky I will leave the field with a sprain ankle. I was in danger because budge took no prisoner and he did not show any sign of easing up his pace was consistent. I was hoping by some lucky move I can get around Budge and evade his notorious tackle. I was shock when Budge forgo his vicious slide and tackle move, which he had master even at that young age and decided to defend me in the regular. Needless to say, Budge detained me until the other members of his defense came back and foil my attack. This was Budge remembering our friendship he had forged with me a few years earlier and was not going to make me look bad even on the field of competitive football.  

From that day until today, I have never forgotten the lesson My friend Budge have taught me even as a child. Budge will forever be my brother and my friend. We have had many more encounter as we grow up into teens, and adulthood. One thing we had incommon was a great respect for each other. Through it all Budge have always been one of my best friends and still remain so today.