Dominican Republic

1989 -- I swear it seems like only yesterday these things happened … and then to see the dates! Well. This was just around the corner from Cuba; we only went here, and not to Haiti. No reason that I know of for the decision, other than it was not convenient or the likes.

There, we had some locals aboard … for some reason … and Damien gave his captain hat to one man. We asked ma if he could, and she said yes, dismissing us, not really listening. Well, next thing she knew, he was wearing it and thanking us. She was really upset, asked us what the hell we thought we were doing! … and we told her that she had said yes. Ma thought we had been talking about the floppy hats we had a lot of.

Sunny; that's what I recall the best about the Caribbean. It was very much so, and we spent a lot of it on the beaches. The locals were friendly—I recall making friends with a girl and envying her short wiry hair that was plaited to her skull. With my hair it was nigh impossible, and I knew it.