Selo

Somewhere during the 1982 – 1983 school year at the then Caribbean Union College, now University of the Southern Caribbean, Selwyn’s attention was fixated on a short, feisty, attractive young lady from Mayaro who possessed a strong personality. After acquiring her name, Selwyn spoke to her as he gained the confidence he needed to ask her out on a date. Her beauty and sharp tongue captured his interest. One Thursday afternoon, he mustered the confidence needed to ask Brenda out on a date for the upcoming Saturday night’s program, and made his way to the Ladies dormitory to find her. With his lines rehearsed, he rang the bell and asked the RA to call Brenda to the front. His heart raced as he heard her name being called over the loud speaker beckoning her to attend to the visitor awaiting her on the front porch. Needless to say, she was not expecting him. You see, the previous cordial conversations she had with Selwyn were not deep enough to warrant a visit from him. Lines in head, he led her down to one of the flowered trees near the entrance of the ladies residential hall. She abruptly asked him to state his case. Stammering, he asked her to join him to the Saturday night’s campus film to be shown in the main auditorium. Without any hesitance, she told him that she would not be going because she did not feel like attending the show, and furthermore, if she wanted to attend any function on campus, she already had someone who would accompany her. That blow to Selwyn’s ego and self-confidence was too much for the hour. He sucked it in and admired Brenda for the rest of the year from a distance. Towards the end of that school year, Selwyn left for Union College in Lincoln, NE to pursue a music degree and never heard about his crush until… Approximately two years ago (2007), Brenda was invited to spend Thanksgiving with her best friend in Atlanta, GA, which she felt was overdue. She was elated about the trip because she promised on numerous occasions to visit and somehow did not follow through with the promise. However, she arrived one week before Thanksgiving and was invited to go to church that weekend. Upon arrival at the church, the person that was playing the organ looked like someone that she saw before. After the service she approached the individual who was under the impression that she was trying to pick him up. She educated the brother that she merely was trying to ascertain where she may have met his acquaintance, and furthermore, he was not her type!!! It was not too long before they realized that they once met each other at CUC in Trinidad. Yes, this was the Brenda that kicked him to the curb about 25 years earlier. Later on that evening during the church evening program, the brother went and sat next to her. She returned the favor by asking him, “Are you trying to pick me up?” Selwyn chuckled mentioning that she was hilarious. Upon learning that Brenda’s girlfriend was unable to take and show her around Atlanta and the surrounding areas, he volunteered to chaperone. To this date, she still wonders if this was really coincidental or divine intervention. The first day (Monday) Selwyn took her around some of the important places in Atlanta. The conversation was quite warm and they found out that they had quite a bit in common. The second day her girlfriend was unable to take her around and the brother volunteered once again. The conversation deepened and clear similarities were apparent in their quest to get to know each other. The third day was the eve of Thanksgiving and finally her girlfriend was available to spend time with her which meant she did not spend time with Selwyn, but they agreed to attend church service that Wednesday night. That was her first indication that she was developing an interest for him, because, after the service she decided to hang out with him rather than go home with her girlfriend. To be quite honest they sat in his car and spoke for at least three hours. The conversation was enlightening and powerful. She felt at home with him, for he was quite easy to listen to, and a man of God who was warm and receptive at the same time. She definitely wanted to get to know him more!!! Because of previous arrangements, they spent Thanksgiving dinner at different venues. The following day, Selwyn took Brenda, her girlfriend, and another relative to the Atlanta aquarium then to the spectacular tree and figurine lighting at Lake Lanier. Selwyn felt indication of sparks at Lake Lanier as they waited for hot chocolate drinks and roasted marshmallows in the chilly night near the large fireside. Before long, they both realized that this short lived episode would soon come to an end; Brenda was due to return home to Philadelphia the next morning. They both agreed to stay in touch. A few weeks of conversations passed by quickly as they communicated every day. Each day was more interesting than the former. Opportunely, Selwyn had a conference meeting in Philadelphia the third week of December which made it possible for them to spend a few days together. It happened to be his first birthday with her. The very next day, he traveled to Tennessee to spend the Christmas vacation with close friends. The newly found relationship met its first challenge when Selwyn had to travel down to Trinidad to complete a twelve month project. The twelve month project became transformed into a further 36 month appointment. Creativity played a formidable part in allowing them to see each other periodically. They planned a trip to Europe for the summer of 2009, and Brenda had an opportunity to meet more of his family and friends in the UK. They visited many cities and decided to extend the trip to the France, Belgium, and Holland. Imagine the excitement for the both of them; Brenda’s first visit to Paris, France and surrounding countries, and Selwyn’s chance to chaperone her around areas he knew quite well. Does this sound familiar? New beginnings again, and Brenda with a keen eye for detail failed to catch this one. Selwyn meticulously planned each step of this journey. They took the midnight ferry over from Dover to Calais, France, which would arrive around 3:00 A.M. Upon arriving, they drove into Paris, scheduled to arrive around sunrise. When they arrived in Paris, they freshened up, visited the Arc de Triomphe and other famous sites. Brenda was flabbergasted by the experience not knowing that there was a heart stopper on the way. The pounding of Selwyn’s heart grew louder as they made their way to the venue of execution. Patiently, they waited in line for a ticket to mount the stairway of the Eiffel Tower. They climbed the stairway to the first level of the tower, when Brenda mentioned that she was partly exhausted and needed some type of restoration. You could imagine what was going through Selwyn’s mind as they waited yet again in another line in the restaurant on the first floor of the Eiffel tower. You see, he knew the big plans for the hour. No other person in the world was privy to the upcoming excitement. With grub in tummy, they made their way up to the second level of the tower. Brenda mentioned that she went far up enough and was satisfied with the view of Paris from that level. She was ready to descend so they both agreed to take some pictures just before leaving. As they were doing so, Selwyn noticed someone with a SLR like his own, so he asked the passerby to take some photos of them. Willingly, the passerby consented to the photo shoot and the flash of the camera began to work. Brenda thought they were taking too much liberty of the newly appointed photographer and asked Selwyn to end the session. Consecutively, on three occasions he said, “One more picture.” On the last ‘one more picture’ he declared that it would be a special one. She anticipating embarrassment or too much excitement, warned him not to go overboard with that last photo. He started a mini speech about their splendid relationship to that point and calling her by her full name, knelt down, slipping a small box from his back pocket in front of him, opened it and asked her to be his wife. You should see the shock on her face during the whole episode. The visiting American school students and international visitors screamed as they witnessed the proceedings and she in shock repeatedly kept on saying, “You got to be kidding. Is this real?” He had to remind her that the brother was still on his knees and needed an answer. She gave him the awaited affirmation and he stood to the cheers and whistles of all on that platform of the Eiffel tower. That occasion has led us to the anticipated date, May 23, 2010. Coincidentally, the date was chosen by Selwyn because it is a week following the University’s graduation. Little did he realize that there is more to be celebrated on May 23rd. Two years ago, his grandmother, the matriarch of the family, closed her eyes on May 23rd after giving her life and services to the community for 99 years. It was also the birthday of her husband, the patriarch of the family. Henry Alexander was born May 23, 1907 and lived a legacy that is still witnessed by the friends and family of the Alexander’s. Both Brenda and Selwyn are determined by the grace of God, to continue to exemplify the legacy of true love amongst themselves and the community at large demonstrated by Elvira and Henry Alexander. We wait with abated breath for the transition of that legacy on May 23, 2010.