Screech

We called her Screech then, after the goofy Saved by The Bell character of the same name.

She’d come to school everyday at Provi looking almost thrown together after early morning swim practice at Marlins'.

She’d perfunctorily comb through the chlorine-tinged curls (grown out thankfully after a bout with the fro) with long fingers that matched her long, slender limbs, and pull the frizzy ends into a tiny ponytail at the crown of her head.

She had the careless look down pat.

She and I would hide behind the ancient computer during Info Tech class, snickering after our blessed instructor Sister Mary Jane (she took teasing so well), using our erasers under the desk and out of her line of sight (a cardinal sin because the remnants were so hard to clean out of the keyboard).

We both failed Info Tech that first term and we both got “ones” for C.X.C. (thank God for lessons at Colin’s!).

In the months leading up to exams, we pinky-swore we wouldn’t shave our legs until it was all over. True to form, on the final day we walked with disposable razors (and shaving gel?) to our Spanish exam. When it was done, the usual crew five to eight girls gathered at the bathrooms on the school’s third floor to watch Tineke’s and my farewell to the bush.

At the end of our Provi days, the crew split. Some of us went into A’Levels at the same or other schools, some went to work, some left the country, some stayed in close touch, some didn’t.

I remember when Screech, now evolved into Tinix, told me she was trying out to be a Radical Designs model. If at first slightly surprised, I realized it made sense: She’d blossomed into a gorgeous leggy nymph. And she’s been making strides since then.

She didn’t tell anyone she was going up for Miss TT save for maybe the family; it was a last-minute thing. “HAHA imagine that, SCREECH A ‘BEAUTY QUEEN’," she said.

I was so freakin’ proud when I heard the news that she won Miss TT/World. So. Freakin’. Proud. She looked beautiful and she deserved it all the way.

We’ve all changed and gone our separate ways, but the friendship and the love remains unchanged. I know she knows this.

I just wanted her to know that outside of the entire nation and the rest of the world now watching this stunning woman, the intimate circle of family and friends know the beautiful person she is inside and out.

Walk good my friend. We love you.