Theo Gets Blown Away

           We are on our way to see an historical landmark. Mostly for Theo, who for some unexplained reason, has taken a liking to Admiral Lord Horatio Nelson, the greatest officer in the history of Britain's Royal Navy. He was a HERO during the same time as when Napoleon rampaged around Europe, and Nelson was sent to Antigua for three years to enforce British laws.

         "This harbor is famous," Dan says, "I don't blame Theo for wanting to see it."

       

  

          I have my doubts, but I don't say anything.

          "There's a lot to see," Dan adds. "A great view. Old military buildings. Officer's quarters . . ."

        

      

      I like great views, but these ruins are still under reconstruction. It's hard for me to imagine the way they used to be. 

        Unfortunately, Dan fails to mention the most important point. It's windy up there on the Heights. Not just a little windy. It feels like you're standing in the middle of a maelstrom. 

          After we pose, I begin to be afraid my camera will get blown out of my hand. Or if I get to close to the edge, I'll get blown down, down, down to the cliff and then topple over. 

          Then, I begin to fear for Theo.

          He is a gangster cat, no doubt about it, and he's not easily shaken. But his curiosity has drawn him forward. He is standing there, and even though all four paws on the ground, his body is being rocked from right to left. Luckily the wind is blowing towards us, so we're not in danger of being swept off the edge and then downward to our death. 

          "Don't go any closer," I warn Theo. "It's too dangerous." 

           He doesn't hear me. Or he can't hear me because my voice is being pushed back into my throat. My eyes are watering. 

           Theo moves forward, getting way too close to the edge. He is too busy sniffing. Dan is standing next to him, in full blown lecture mode:

           "Admiral Nelson's commission means he's in charge of this very English Harbor, in St. Paul Parish, a harbor which served as a safe way to wait out hurricanes, ideal because it has deep waters close to shore. Nelson is also there to maintain (repair, replenish) Royal Navy warships that captured valuable sugar islands in the Eastern Caribbean. The British do this in order to cut off enemy trade and increase their wealth."

         All of this happened decades ago, but Theo doesn't have a good sense of time. He's listening intently as he's being buffeted about on the highest point--Shirley Heights, a military post built by the British. 

         It's clear where the wind is coming from, but I begin to panic. What if the wind switches direction? Even for a second. Theo will have no chance at all. He will be blown off the cliff. He only weighs 10 pounds. 

          "Admiral Nelson is a true war hero. He has a series of remarkable victories. He is a great strategist. Finally, he's killed at the Battle of Trafalgar. Before that, he looses an arm in battle. It's shattered with grapeshot. It has to be amputated."

         Too much information, I think, but Theo is lapping up every morsel.

          Suddenly, the wind pauses. Oh, no. This is it. The wind is about to shift. Theo, who is perched there as still as a statue (even though his fur is standing on edge) is jostled off balance. I'm about to leap forward and save Theo from impending doom. I see him being blown away, disappearing off the cliff.

          But I'm too late.

          Dan leans over and scoops him in his arms, then turns to me. 

          "Are you okay?" he asks. 

          I compose my face. "Very interesting about Admiral Nelson."

          "Great view," Dan says as he and Theo, together safely look at it just one more time. 

          He's right. It is a great view. 

           

           

            

          

"Cool Cat" Chuck Longs To Meet Eric Clapton

Eric Clapton in Barcelona in 1974 courtesy of Wikipedia

           Ever since we adopted Chuck, we’d called him the “rascal cat,” the “chuckster,” and even at times, the “bad boy,” because this orange and white tabby we took in as an “almost feral cat” seemed to have a knack for getting into trouble.  

Nothing serious, mind you, but when Molly is hiding under the bed afraid to come out or Stanley is in the hallway growling, we know that Chuck has been there and done something to rile them up.

Yeah, he’s cute and yeah he’s smart, but he’ll also go to the limit at times to be an “all play and no work” cat. 

As we continued to tour around Antigua, Chuck had the attitude that we were on vacation.  He appreciated the beautiful beaches and the delicious food.  He was on the “lookout” for other cats.  

And this is where things got ugly.  

Chuck, for the first time in a long time, had done his homework.  He’d researched Antigua and discovered that his idol lived and worked here.  Chuck, otherwise known as “the cool cat” --at least in his mind AND as my husband was fond of saying -- Chuck was a legend in his own mind -- had discovered that Eric Clapton had a home on Antigua. He owned a mansion in the most beautiful and wild part of Antigua.  And Chuck wanted to see the house and possibly meet the man.  

Now, talk about an impossible dream.

Meet Eric Clapton?

Are you kidding me?

      And why, you may ask?

Well, “cool cat” Chuck is into rock ‘n roll.  Some of his favorite music harkened back to the tunes that Clapton played way back when.  We’re talking about the beautiful “Layla.”  We’re talking about Cream.  And the Yardbirds.  And Derek and the Dominoes.  

The kid just loves Clapton's music. 

My plan, on the other hand, was to enlighten Chuck with historical information.  We were on Antigua, and I wanted him to know something about the island’s history. 

The port, known as Nelson's Dockyard, is now an historic site.

       For example, I knew that during the 18th Century, Antigua was used as the headquarters by the British Royal Navy’s Caribbean fleet.  Admiral Lord Horatio Nelson commanded the fleet.  The port the English used was a sheltered and well-protected deep water port.   

This port is still a popular port for boats, even today.

  Today it’s an historical landmark, and that’s what I wanted Chuck to see.

Almond, the owner and operator of Pelican Safari -- www.pelicansafair.com  -- took us first to the port itself so that we could see up close and personal the historic buildings that surrounded the U shaped inlet where the ships were kept.

        Now, of course, those buildings are museums or restaurants, but still we listened and tried to imagine people living there over two hundred years ago.  Chuck, on the other hand, looked at the beautiful boats and yachts in the water.  

We then left the port and traveled the road that journeyed up the mountain, way up the mountain.  Our final destination were the cliffs that peered down on the port. Back in the eighteenth century, this is where the English Navy placed their canyon, aimed down at the entranceway of the port.  
Any ship naive enough to sail into the port without permission would face the wrath of the British canyon.  

Juet one of the many canon that used to line the cliff, overlooking the port.

It was a perfect set up.  The inlet protected the British Navy not only from foreign ships but also from harsh weather.  

The U shape of the port gave it protection from both the weather and invading ships.

But Chuck wasn’t interested in the history nor in the magnificent views. He didn’t want to hear any stories of battles.

He had eyes for only one thing.  

Eric Clapton’s mansion.

If you stand on the very edge of the cliffs, with the wind howling behind you, and squint as you gaze down, you might be able to make out his house, which looked to me to be all boarded up.  

But Chuck didn’t care.  He was gazing on the house of his hero. 

The buildings you see in the distance comprise the home of famed guitarist Eric Clapton

He listened intently as Almond explained that Clapton not only lived on Antigua but he’d also started a rehab facility in 1998 on the island called Crossroads Centre.  Chuck had that look of longing in his eyes.

I knew what he wanted.

“Is there any chance of meeting him?” I finally asked Almond. “I’m a big fan,” I said.

Almond smiled.  “Well.  Actually he’s not on the island at the moment.”

Chuck’s dreams were dashed.  

The only thing he could take solace in was that he’d seen his house -- from a distance.