"The Office"

Ever since my teaching stint on St. Thomas is the USVI, I've loved the Caribbean. I'd taken Trudi to Jamaica, St. Thomas and Tortola, and was looking for somewhere new. My brother Bill recommended that I check out Grand Cayman, which at that time was a much less popular destination than it is today. We took our first trip in 1984 and fell in love with the clear water, uncrowded beaches, abundant marine life, good snorkeling, and great people. Over the next several years, it was our winter vacation destination and we made many friends, including the four guys in the painting.

Domino games are part of island culture, and players take the game very seriously; there are rumors of people who were killed as a result of a game's outcome. The matches are played anywhere, any time, and may go on for hours. There's a distinctive slap when the tiles are played, a sound I knew well from my time in the islands.

When I heard that slap coming from the mangroves across from the Holiday Inn, my curiosity got the best of me. Investigating, I found four of my cab driver friends involved in a match. I had no problem asking if I could hang out, but not wanting to just interlope on their entertainment, I went back to my condo for a six pack. They welcomed me, and while watching the match, (which was sometimes interrupted by cab fares), and enjoying music and refreshments, (mine and some of their own interesting fare), a painting was born. These laid-back friends of mine ran their business from the mangroves: dominos first, cell phones and fares second. Nice life; that's the Islands. Before leaving, I asked, "What do you call this place?" One of the guys responded, "Ay mon, dis our office!"

I stayed in touch with those guys and other Caymanians for many years and many return trips, but the island changed as it became a more popular tourist destination. The mangroves were cleared and the OFFICE closed, but a painting remained to preserve the memory of my four cab driver friends and "THE OFFICE". We went looking for another island and thankfully found it; great water, only 212 people, and just a couple of hotels. Think I'll keep it a secret.

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