There are people dat ah doh kno’, buh dey does argue wit me an’ say dat we did meet at so-an’-so place. Ah does swear dat we did not meet, an' Some ah dem does get vex because dey feel ah lyin’. It hav’ times dat some people does smile at me, ah smile back at dem, an’ de moments end wit a good feelin’. At times dey does smile as if dey kno’ me an’ then ah would start thinkin’ in meh head, real hard. ‘Oh meh gosh, am I suppose to kno’ dem? Oh gosh, who is dis? “Allison? How are yuh?” dey does ask me. Ah does still be askin’ mehself in meh mind who dey is. “Ah good. How are yuh?” Meh mind would be goin’ a mile a minute sayin’, ‘Remember, remember. Oh gosh remember.’ Not for hell ah does remember. “Yuh doh remember me, right?” Dey sometimes ask. “Ah sorry. Yuh look familiar, buh ah cyah t’ink wah yuh name is,” Ah does say an’ ah does feel real shame. Dey does tell me de name, an’ regardless if we did kno’ each other, we does hav’ a good chat. One day, a ‘oman tell me dat ah did see she in Alaska. Ah did tell she it wasn’t me because ah never went to Alaska. Ah did stand up listenin’ to she try she best to make me remember, dat we did meet each other before. It did hurt to see de disappointment on she face as she went on talkin’ about de nice time she had wit meh look-alike. A man did say dat he did meet me when he an’ he elderly mudder was travelin’ to England. Midway into de flight she had a situation, ah help she an’ ah did not complain. Ah tell he dat ah never went to England an’ he said dat ah hav’ a look-alike. Dis one did hav’ me feelin’ scared because ah did visit dem two countries, durin’ de years he talk about. A man smiled at me an’ say, “Hi. How yuh doin’? It is so good to see yuh.” Me: Hi, it’s good to see yuh too. Ah didn’t smile. Man: “Yuh from Trinidad. Right?” Me: “Yeah.” Man: Yuh doh remember me?” Me: “No, ah doh remember yuh.” Man: “We did meet 1979 in Canada then 1982 in de Bahamas,” A funny feelin’ cross meh heart as ah say, “We did? Where in Canada an’ where in de Bahamas?” Man: “At Niagara Falls, Canada an’ de both of us did stay in de same hotel on Paradise Island in de Bahamas.” Ah explain, to he dat ah was in Canada in 1979, buh I did not visit Niagara Falls. Ah was in de Bahamas in 1982 buh ah did not stay at a hotel on Paradise Island. De man look at me like ah was lyin’, buh then he say, “There is a person out there who look like yuh real bad.” Ah tell he we all hav’ a double, an’ dat was de end of de chat, buh de man keep lookin’ at me as if ah was lying to he.
There are people that I don’t know, but they argue that we met at different places. I would insist that we did not and they sometimes get angry because they believe that I am not being truthful. There are times people would smile at me and I return the smile, but those moments just end with a good feeling. There are times they smile as though they know me and then I would start taxing my brain, ‘Oh my gosh, am I supposed to know this person? Oh Jesus, who is this? “Allison? How are you?” They would ask. I would be still taxing my brain to remember, but I would say, “I’m good. How are you?” … My brain would be going a mile a minute thinking , ‘Remember, remember. Oh my God remember’, but I couldn’t remember. “You don’t remember me, right?” They sometimes ask. “I am sorry. You do look familiar, but I cannot put a name to your face,” I would say, feeling a bit embarrassed. They would tell me their name and whether or not we know each other, we usually have a good conversation. One day, a woman said that I helped her in Alaska. I explained to her that it wasn’t me because I have never been to Alaska. I stood there listening to her try to make me remember that we met. It hurt to see a bit of disappointment on her face as she went on detailing the happy moment she shared with my look-alike. A man said he met me while traveling to England with his elderly mother. Midway into the flight she had a situation; I helped her and did not complain. I told him I have never been to England and he said that I have a look-alike. This one had me in a tizzy, because I did visit those two countries during the years mentioned. A man smiled at me and said, “Hi. How you doing? It is so good to see you.” Me: Hi, it’s good to see you too.” Man: “You are Trinidadian, right?” Me: “Yes. I am.” Man: “You don’t remember me?” Me: “No. I don’t.” Man: “We met 1979 in Canada then 1982 in the Bahamas.” A feeling of uncomfortableness flowed through me as I calmly said, “We did? Where in Canada and where in the Bahamas?” Man: “At Niagara Falls, Canada and we both stayed at the same hotel on Paradise Island in the Bahamas.” I explained, to him that I was in Canada in 1979. I did not visit the fall. I was in the Bahamas in 1982 but I did not stay at a hotel on Paradise Island. He looked at me as though I was not being truthful, but then he said, “There is a person out there who has a great resemblance to you.” “We all have a double,” I said and that was the end of the conversation, but the man kept looking at me as though I lied to him.
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