Trinbagonians talk. (121) When I was a child, Goat Milk tasted awful. Today, it Tastes Nice.

We use to live on a dead-end road. At de end of de road was grassland. A swamp was at de end of de grassland. Cows use to graze on de grassland, along wit de cows we neighbor’s goats did graze dey. Every mornin’ at de same time, de goats did leave home an’ go to de grassland. Dey use to graze all day an’ as if by clockwork dey would leave de grassland in de evenin’, an’ go straight home. One day, ah was playin’ in de yard wit’ de neighbor’s children an’ one of de older girls, Jenny, start to milk a goat. She passed around cups of milk. Everyone was drinkin’ de milk an’ likin’ de taste. De only milk ah did kno’ was Klim an’ Fernleaf Powdered Milk an’ those two milks taste very good. Ah never did taste goat milk before an’ ah did not want any, so ah start to sneak out of de yard. Ah was hopin’ to get away before anybody see me. De gate to our yard was about 10 steps away, buh it did feel far away. As ah reach by de neighbor's gate an’ ah was about to go out, Jenny said, “Come an’ get some milk Allison.”    “No t’anks. Meh belly full. Me eh hungry,” Ah did say. “Come here an’ drink some milk.” Jenney was bigger than me so ah walk real slow back to she, take de cup an’ drink a little. De goat milk taste bad, buh when ah looked around, ah see she mudder sittin’ down on de step, wit a smile on she face dat say, ‘Yuh better drink de milk’. Ah drink de milk, then ah went home an’ tell meh mudder.         “It is good for yuh, an’ it go make yuh bones strong,” Meh mudder say.   “Ah hate goat milk. It tastes real bad. Me eh go ever drink it again,” Ah tell she.        “Did yuh say t’anks?” Meh mudder ask an’ she smile.     “Yeah.” Ah say. After dat day ah use to make sure dat ah leave meh neighbor’s yard before de goats come home. Today, ah does drink goat milk an’ ah does even eat goat cheese wit’ Crix Biscuits an’ ah love it.

We lived on a dead-end street. At the end of the street was a pasture and a swamp was at the end of it. There were cows grazing on the pasture, along with our neighbor’s goats. Every morning at a particular time, the goats would leave home and head to the pasture. They would graze all day and as if by clockwork, they would leave the pasture every evening and head home. One day, I was playing in the yard with the neighbor’s children and one of the older girls, Jenny, started milking a goat. She passed around cups of milk. Everyone was drinking the milk and enjoying the taste. The only milk I knew was Klim and Fernleaf Powdered Milk and those two milks tasted very good. I never tasted goat milk and I did not want any, so I started to sneak out of the yard, hoping to get away without being noticed. The gate to our yard was about 10 steps away, but it suddenly felt like miles away. As I reached the neighbor's gate and was about to go through, Jenny said, “Come and get some milk Allison.”     “No thanks. My belly is full. I’m not hungry,” I said. “Come here and drink some milk.” Jenney was bigger than me, so I slowly walked back to her, took the cup and drank a little. The goat milk tasted horrible, but when I looked around, her mother was sitting on the step with a smile on her face that said, “You better drink the milk.” I drank the milk, then I went home and told my mother.     “Goat milk is good for you, and it will strengthen your bones.” My mother said.    “I hate goat milk. It tastes horrible. I am never going to drink it again,” I said.         “Did you say thanks?” My mother asked and she smiled. “Yes.” I said.       After that day, I used to make sure that I leave my neighbor’s yard before the goats came home. Today, I drink goat milk and I even eat goat cheese with Crix. I love it.