Journal Entry:
Tuesday January 21, 1986
Montserrat, W.I.
Three planes, JFK to PTP (Pointe-a-Pitret,Guadeloupe), then PTP to Antigua, and finally another small plane to Liberta, Montserrat. It was a shlep. However, when Elliot and Jennifer said they were getting married on Montserrat, I didn’t really get. But now that I am here. I am starting to understand a little more. It reminded of my favorite line from Don't Stop the Carnival, "this is the Caribbean, Mon. Things move slower here". The weather is warm, the drinks are cold and the company is... well, mostly tolerable. My lodging is the lovely Coconut Hill Hotel and it’s quite comfortable. Its quirkiness is rather charming and such a nice departure from so many of those boring cookie cutter hotels that all look the same. The staff is friendly, the rooms are clean and it's in a prime location, just a stone's throw away from the beach. I suppose that's all one really needs while staying on a tropical island. Ran into several old friend’s yesterday, including George S, and Albert B. The real highlight so far has happened last night at the hotel's bar. I was trying their delicious rum punch, when I ended up chatting with a lovely woman named Serena. (Also here for the wedding) I think she is a friend of Jennifer’s. Devastatingly beautiful and from what I could tell, very intelligent. We ended up talking about the various capitals of the Caribbean from Willemstad to Basseterre. Why, I’m not sure, but she seemed rather impressed by my useless idiot savant knowledge of the subject. We chatted for almost 2 hours- discussed the following:
1) The worst seat on an airplane
2) Dry Cleaners
3) J.G. Mellon’s vs. PJ Clarke’s
4) Getting a taxi in the rain
5) How many times she’s been to Italy
6) Her disdain for the new Lipstick building
7) Why she won’t order a Bloody Mary unless its made with Clamato
8) Space Travel- and when we can live on another planet.
9) Her refusal to pay $3.00 for a cup of coffee. (Very angry)
10) Our mutual desire to visit Morocco and Algeria
This morning I woke up and couldn’t stop thinking about her. I must find the opportunity to plant the seed of going out with me when we are both back in NY. Hopefully I will see her at the pool later. Good times at Coconut Hill...
More tomorrow.
(Excerpt From the Journal of H. Morgan, 1986)
Layover Goods.