Man, I wish we wouldn't have missed this one..... Popper needed some down time and being the wonderful husband that I am I obliged.It is nice to live it thru your lens and realize that yep, you have one mad man crush on Mr Marcus. While the rusty trombone is not in order, I am pretty high on the guy myself....
Carry on please.
I have to comment on the Peg fun meter shot - The sunset is spectacular! And y'all are sitting there giggling - it shows that when in Negril, the sunsets are so rich and generous and amazing that life goes on in their presence.
Oh - and snowbird, eh? I live in Utah and we really do have some amazing snow!
What an amazing trip report !!! I'm only just catching up on all the "Turtle Report" ... Loving this one! The way you tell your story much like Clarity and Hubby-Man I feel like I'm there with you .. and then I come to realize I was!! lol Those photos of me .. thank you for taking me along ! It seems I really got around much more than I realized. The flop videos had me in real tears this morning .. and I couldn't imagine a better way to spend my Saturday morning (while at work).
Wish I'd made the pub crawl.....I had to chill out for a little bit lol....but eventually went riding around looking for yall LOL...at the wrong end of town at the wrong time when I finally got Shauna on the phone. Hearing about it now makes me really wish I had sucked it up and left with everyone....Looks like fun times!!! I love your updates they always make me laugh and leave me feeling just a tad bit confused. :P
Stir IT UP
Long delay, I know, life continues to be interesting...
wpyogi - I smile back
Booger - I didn't think you'd have the Rusty, I understand you stay lubricated...
sbeth - terrific fun enhanced by a magical location. I've skied everywhere in norther Utah many times. Love them all, well maybe not Deer Valley, but Alta/Snowbird is Nirvana...
Manda - We ALL had a lot of fun with you, some more than others...
Tizzy - we missed you until tomorrow!
So the party stumbles in like rock stars but we’re caught by Ivans before we can fall into a stupor. From this point forward it seems as if every visit to Ivan’s is with a large group of people – 7, 8, 10, 14 – and has to include one or more rounds of chilly blended cocktails. The gang at Catcha can ALL work a blender with some serious skill but tonight Kevin and Ty throw down a terrific Dirty Banana. It takes a while to make a bunch of blender drinks so we have a few stripes to tide us over. Then we have the DB’s. Then Marley starts talking about the Pineapple Upside Down Cake shots that they had with Hubbity and Hubbity start raving about them and I start raving about why are they talking about them and not serving them? “You’re right!” says Marley and leads a turtle contingent back to her house.
We’ve been on a little bit of a round and round about what to do for dinner. Our indecision, and numerous tasty beverages, has put us well past the typical Negril dinner window. We manage to agree that we’re going to try to hook back up with GerryG at Bentley’s. If that fails there are several great options in the general vicinity. We finish up our pre-dinner dessert (Holy Crap!! They are delicious!!) and have Louis rustle up van to run us down to Pee Wee Lane. The driver does not know where Bentley’s is. I ask him if he knows where Pee Wee lane or Ella lane is. He doesn’t really. I find this kind of amusing. “Just past Xtabi,” I say, “slow down and I’ll point it out.” There is much revelry in the van and before I know it Marley asks, “Haven’t we gone too far?” and I see Canoe fly by. We never slowed down, not sure the guy knew where Xtabi was either! So we get the van turned around and head back to Pee Wee Lane and turn up the road. When we pull up to Bentleys and I can see lights on up on the deck so I hop out. A quick romp up the stairs reveals GerryG, SuzieQ and wpyogi +1 hanging out on deck with Bentley. “Bentley!” I yell and get a great smile in return. “Can you do Crab Cakes for 7?” I ask. “Ya mon, of course, come on up!” He laughs. GerryG has a big smile on his face as well. It’s on. Down the stairs quickly and the bale is out of the van. “Prepare yourself for ecstasy!” I say as we amble up the stairs.
What's so funny 'bout Peace, Love and Understanding?
As we all pile onto the deck Bentley is quite happy, he has quickly arranged the available table and chairs into a banquet setup, extremely fitting. As everyone is saying hello and finding their seats Bentley works his animated way down the line until he sees Sweetie Pie. When I had come up to see if he could cook for us I’d received that wink of recognition from Bentley, but you can never be absolutely sure of these things with a Jamaican business person you’ve only met once before. They know it’s in their best interest to REMEMBER youIt’s funny because sometimes you can catch them actually remembering you a little bit later. This had happened with Earl Lockes on Sunday. With Bentley there was no question he remembered Sweetie Pie, after all, she was a “Movie Star”. Bentley is a man who smiles and emotes vociferously for a living, so when I say he was excited this is above and beyond his normally gregarious personality. His arms fling open and she is enveloped in a big hug. Bentley steps back with his arms on her shoulders, “It’s so good to see you again! I’m so glad you came back! Come sit down! This is wonderful!”
Yes, Bentley remembered Sweetie Pie!
And he is right, this is wonderful. We’re on the deck at Bentley’s with GerryG. That makes me smile. I don’t know the whole history of Bentleys but I know that Gerry has been a huge supporter. I know that I took Sweetie Pie to Bentley’s in February because of the stories Gerry and Rum-pole-phoreskin told about it. I know Rum went because of what Gerry told him about it. I know that Gerry loves Bentley and not only wishes him success but actively tries to help him. I know that Gerry is very happy tonight to share “his” place with us. Bentley is very happy to have Gerry there with SuzieQ!! We had experienced in February how those who are close to Bentley become enlisted in the operation, tonight SuzieQ takes the role of ScubaPro. Whenever Bentley is short a pair of hands he calls for Suzie. Eventually he doesn’t even begin with, “Suzie,…” He just says what he needs and Suzie does it. She is incredibly good natured about it, such a lovely lady.
Bentley enlists SuzieQ for assistance
So everybody is down for crabcakes. It’s the right thing to do. Everybody except Ninja who just can’t do crab. He gets the crabcake dinner, except no crab cakes. This ends up being perfect. Bentley could not have actually made him a complete crabcake dinner as he had only one crabcake left at the end of the night. On the way to Bentley’s I had thought how I would have liked for a few more of our cohort to be there. As it turned out we had exactly the right number for the time and place. Gerry is in his element, Bentley’s benefactor is the deity of the deck tonight. The interplay between him and Bentley is fun and funny. Early on, as we’re trying to get drinks in order, hoping for a couple of those refreshing Red Stripe Lights – “You can drink lots of them!” – Bentley is talking up the amazing fruit juice he has made. “It’s fruity and delicious! It’s good for you! You gonna love it!” he says before he asks who wants one. “It’s also the only thing he has,” says Gerry with mischievous little laugh. We all get the fruit juice. It IS fruity and delicious and we do love it. Apparently Markus gets a batch that was allowed to ferment because it’s rocking him…
Markus was very animated!!
What's so funny 'bout Peace, Love and Understanding?
We have a great time on that deck, kind of hard NOT to have a great time on that deck. Funny stories abound as we are all repeat Negril visitors sharing our histories together. Bentley has a lot of history to add. At one point Ninja has left the table for some sort of relief when Bentley comes out of the kitchen. He scans the table and notices the empty seat. “Where’s this guy?!?” he asks excitedly as he sort of simultaneously lunges toward and points at Ninja’s unoccupied seat. The entire table busts out in laughter, Bentley is hilarious. “Hey, you’re back!,” says Bentley on Ninja’s return, “I thought you were gonna run off!” Another big laugh rolls around. We decide that Ninja is Bentley’s favorite tonight, quite a feat considering the high quality babes seated everywhere on the deck this evening. Bentley manages to make everyone feel a little special, though, he definitely has a talent for this. After everyone is served and the five things are pointed out in classic Bentley fashion and everyone has oohed and ahhed and moaned and offered many kudos, Bentley starts coming out of the kitchen with the pots and pans to serve up the leftovers. He starts with me on every dish before spreading the wealth to the rest of the table, which mostly involved Markus as everyone else was pretty much overwhelmed by the quantity of food. Everyone except Katho that is. You hear a lot of funny stories about what the tiny ones can put away, Katho holds up her end of that tale. A couple of the pots and pans, most importantly the magic sauce, come back to me for the last. If I had only been dealing with my original plate I would have finished it, might have even got close on the seconds but the thirds are going to require a doggie plate. Only this time there is only one dog going to get these leftovers. Woof woof…
Where’s THIS guy!
Good God did we laugh!
Sweetie Pie for dessert!
At some point well into our meal, GerryG, SuzieQ and wpyogi +1 gather up for goodbyes. They had to have been there a long time, they had just finished their meals when we arrived. It was truly an epic day with the MC, I have to thank him for a lot. We had breakfast, lunch and dinner together. He bought me dessert!I’m sure the only reason Bentley had enough crabcakes to serve all of us was because Gerry told him to be ready for a crowd. And it ends up being the exactly right number! Thanks for everything Gerry, you helped my head and you helped my heart this day and I will remember it forever. And I don’t think I’ve passed this on yet but later in the evening in a conversation I was having with Bentley the topic of Gerry came up. Let me be very clear about this. Dude loves you. You been berry, berry good to him. Respect, brother…
A great day with some awesome people – wpyogi +1 – or the Doppels…
Chillin’ with the Dude at The Man’s… Thanks Gerry!
What's so funny 'bout Peace, Love and Understanding?
We carry on for some time after Scooter Team Bravo and the Doppelgangers have left. We are well past knowing we are dealing with some extraordinary people here. Future talk starts to enter the conversation. The first seeds of return are planted. Family planning and its impact on the future are discussed. By this point Bentley has joined us. I think that only on Bentley’s deck in Negril could the conversation have swerved in the directions it did. Apparently Bentley is something of a fertility god and has offered his services as a backup plan to a few of our bale. It’s all in the soup from what I understand. The whole episode left Sweetie Pie “Hankering for some conch!” She continues to hanker for some conch to this day, thank you ladies…
As things start to wind down Bentley grabs me and pulls me to the kitchen. “$15,000 for everything,” he says, “You collect it, OK?” Yeah, baby! I’ve been enlisted! What a strange feeling, to be honored to help at a dining establishment. That is exactly how I feel.
As we’re pulling together the bill we talk about what to do. We could call the taxi that dropped us off, he said he’d come back for us and left his card. I mention that we’re a couple of hundred yards up the lane from Pee Wees, one of the great bars of the world. I go on and on about their Pina Colada, the second best one I’ve ever had after the Caribe Hilton in San Juan where it was invented. I remind folks we had met Perrell, Pee Wees son and the current operator of the bar, on the pub crawl and he had invited us to come by for a drink. I am apparently relentless and eventually successful. We say happy and heartfelt farewells to Bentley and head down the lane. I am sure every one of us will be back. Maybe next time I’ll set the table….
Before we leave I ask Katho to take a shot of the phone/power pole across from Bentley’s. I had tried to get a good shot of this Steampunk/Post-Industrial masterpiece on our last visit and was defeated by the lighting. Katho gets a decent shot but we’ve had a laugh about it since we returned. Next time we’ll get it right with a tripod and a low light long exposure shot. Yep, gonna have to come back…
What's so funny 'bout Peace, Love and Understanding?
As we head into Pee Wee’s drive it looks like we might be out of luck, things look dark. The bar is closed up and the lights are out. We step down to the cliff deck and out toward the ledge. “Let’s give our eyes a couple minutes to adjust and see if we can make anything out,” I say, “the view here is spectacular.” We mill around a little bit and must have made something of a small racket because within a couple of minutes a light switches on on a porch up past the bar and the door swings open. A somewhat droopy looking, shirtless Perrell steps out on the porch. “Oh, hey, it’s you guys!” says Perrell, “Give me just a minute.” It does not take him long to have the bar opened for us. Nobody, however, wants to put him through the ringer for a Pina Colada. A bunch of Red Stripes are ordered. Perrell is an excellent late night bartender. He tells interesting stories, has a great capacity to appear interested in drunken stories, has great bar trick skills and is an entertainer at heart. He plays a memory game with everybody’s name. He asks relevant questions regarding everyone’s drunken stories. He comes back and remembers everybody’s name. He serves more beer. We must be looking a little late in the day because suddenly Perrell jumps up and says, “Do you guys want to hear some live music?” This crew? “Well, of course!” we say and he’s off to grab his guitar. A few locals have gathered at the bar since we came in. As the music situation is being prepped an attractive ex-pat comes into the bar speaking loud and vulgar Patois. Perrell and some of the regulars get right into it with her. It is very amusing. “Fix my drink,” she says, “It’s too weak!” and she puts a cup on the bar. Rum tops it off. As we move up to the stage room to listen to Perrell I look over and notice she is wearing 5 inch plus platform high heels. She was a little wobbly walking in. I think about her navigating West End Road in those heels. It can be a challenge in places with hiking shoes. I gotta say, “Respect!”
Perrell is very lively for this time of night!
He waves a little hocus pocus before telling Markus his name…
Marley says, “nah, it’s not late, but I don’t want my leftovers to spoil…”
The vibe in the stage room at Pee Wee’s this night is unlike anything I’ve ever experienced. Bare light bulbs illuminate the heavily patched plaster walls. The place feels ancient, as if we’ve drifted back in time several hundred years. The air is thick with humidity in the cooling evening air, but it is not cool. It is perfectly warm. The sea can be heard against the cliffs below us as we sit against the ledge wall. Perrell serenades us with a couple of lovely songs and we are all drifting in a beautiful sea of tranquility. Except for the occasional loud interruption from our ex-pat bar mate. She is merciless with him and he gives it back a little here and there with a wink and a smile. “Now I’m going to play a little love song,” says Perrell and as he kicks into it she is running up to the stage floor. “Dance!” she exhorts, “Get up and dance!” and she is all arms waving and legs kicking. And she keeps her feet! Again, mad respect in those hooker heels ex-Patty!
A private show in the stage room at Pee Wees
A moment of a lifetime captured on film, thank you Katho!
Perrell closes with an original that he composes on the spot. He hilariously incorporates all of us into the lyrics using some of his memory trick stuff as well. Katho is blown away by this and is talking about it while he sings so when it comes to her verse she is chastised for talking during performances. He is really THAT GOOD. We are in heaven. No need to carry on. When Perrell finishes we get the taxi hookup working. The ride home is relatively quiet, we are all in a state of fully sated bliss.
We get out at Catcha and walk up SeaStar lane. Last night we headed up this lane feeling uneasy, violated and most unfortunate. Tonight we head up this lane in a different place altogether yet nothing has changed, really, except our outlook. Tonight we feel comfortable, cared for, protected and lucky. Lucky, yes, very lucky. We must certainly be some of the most fortunate people on the planet…
What a difference a day makes. It’s all true. And it never really happened.
What's so funny 'bout Peace, Love and Understanding?
Just beautiful..but I was waiting for at least 1 pic of the ex pat in 5 inch heels!
"Don't gain the world and lose your soul, wisdom is better than silver and gold" R.N.M
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