A Special Crossover Story

SPEAKER_01 0:00

Hello everyone, welcome to another episode of Carry On Friends, the Caribbean American Experience. Well, actually, it's not really another episode. This episode you're about to hear is a little different. This is a special crossover episode of Carry On Friends and Voice Note Stories, a separate audio series I created, and I wanted to share it here in the Carry On Friends podcast feed because I think you're gonna love it. This story is personal, it honors my mom, and it's something that actually happened in my life when I was graduating from high school. With Mother's Day just passing and graduation season right upon us, it's exactly the right time to share it. If you've never heard voice note stories before, season one came out three years ago. It was 10 really short episodes, not more than a minute, and each one a voice note I sent to friends while I was fighting off COVID. One of my friends thought the voice notes were hilarious and convinced me to turn them into a podcast. So I did. The entire season is about 11 minutes combined, so it's a really quick and fun listen. For season two, I had this story, The Last Party, and I didn't want to stretch it out across nine or ten episodes. So you're getting it all in one episode. So sit back, enjoy, and I'd love to hear what you think.

The Package Deal Party Plan

SPEAKER_01 1:47

It was my senior year of high school, and when they announced that the last party of the school year was coming up in four weeks, I was excited. Not just for me, but for my little brother who went to the same high school, just a few grades behind me, and my cousin Simone, who didn't go to the high school, so she would be getting this news late. Because in our house, we're a package deal. None of us went to parties without each other. As a matter of fact, none of us could go to parties without the other. So I reach home and bust through the door and practically run up the stairs. I just shout, Sim! They announced the last party. And of course, Sim with our energy and excitement respond. Ray, so that's our next month, you know? Yeah, enough time to figure out where we are here. But as soon as she done talk, I had to bring her back to reality real quick. Because we know, and most Caribbean kids know that you want to go somewhere, you have to ask your parents weeks, months in advance. So we knew we had to ask mommy from now. And so Simon knew exactly what I meant. That's true, still, Auntie don't play. So I had to get my brother Junior in on it too. So I called to him down in the basement. Junior! And you know little brother's there answer me all annoyed. What? So I make him know the deal. It's not new, it's the usual. But I reminded him that I was asking mommy about going to the party when she came home from work. And this meant that for the next four weeks we had to have everything unlock. Best behavior. Nobody have to tell you to do anything. No carrot garbage, no wash up plate, no arguing, no fighting, no nothing. It's just best behaving picnic ever. And then Simone chime in to add to it. Yeah, Junior, actually tick out together being things for done. Because we know that any little thing, any little thing, if you breathe wrong, can mess up the whole permission granted situation. So that evening when mommy comes home, I go up to her, you know, carefully. Very calculated. Because there was an art to asking my mother and I would assume most Jamaican or Caribbean parents a permission. If you dare asked too eagerly, it's an automatic no. And then if you dare ask too blase or casual, the motor gets suspicious. So it's a really delicate balance between not being too over-eager or too laid back, you know, somewhere in the middle and you're not really sure, you know, so go based off energy. Come to try sound respectful, but I don't want to sound too desperate. I don't want to make it seem like me ready for plea case,

The Art Of Asking Permission

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you understand? You know, a delicate move. So I ask her, Mommy. Yeah. So right here my pause because you wanna show a reverence because if me did immediately run into the question, she probably feel like my bold face I'm not come humbly. I tell her say it's a art for asking, so I had to hold the pause before I followed through to the ask. We can go to the last party of this school year next month. If I had a look at something, I just reminded her like mommy remember at the last party before I graduate from high school because I'm banking on being a good student too as well. So I kinda add that. I call out the grades because grades would mean after you're supposed to go to school to get good grades, but I just reminder that graduating from high school, you know, we might get a blind. And per usual, the silence that followed the question felt like about five days pass. And during that time of silence, no she foot, you stand up straight, respectfully waiting for her to land a verdict, and then mommy asked Who is we? She knew good and well say it would have been me, Simone and Junior, but mommy is mommy. And so I answered her that it will be me, Simone and Junior, and then she followed up with this. So my reminder say, say yes mommy, Simone wash the dishes them earlier. This was her stalling tactic for process, but also for make with weight. Cause she either decides or not decide. So you know she done figure out what she feels. She done works in her mind if she really wants to say yes or no. And she'll calculate the last couple months in our head and decide if we've been on our best behavior or if anything in the last couple months can be used to give a verdict. But in all of this still in us, she don't answer. So as with what Caribbean parents do, you ask them a question, silent and then start do everything else, but answer your question. So I just patiently wait. Wait until a few times pass and I ask her again. Um so mommy, can we go? And then she asks some follow-up question. She wanted to know what time the party was. I had to explain that the party was in the school building as where it always is when there's a party at school, it starts at 7 and ends at 10. Because this isn't the first time we went to a party at school. So after another long pause.

SPEAKER_00 7:44

Yeah, and can go at the party, but you know, to be good, I just may go change my mind.

SPEAKER_01 7:48

So after she said that, you know, a sigh of relief. They said, Thank you, mommy, and then we run go tell Simone and my brother Juna the good news. Which is my girl? And so when I said mommy say yes, Simone go,

The 8 PM Rule Changes Everything

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you see, I know how mommy's there, and I wasn't taking any chances. So about two weeks before the party, I casually checked in again just to make sure, because there's a thing where Caribbean parents don't want you to feel like you're entitled. So I asked her, Mommy, can we still go to the last party in two weeks? And she simply said, Okay. And so that was good enough for me. And then the day before the party, I asked one more time, Mommy. Remember we're going to the school party tomorrow because we still need to be clear. Alright, so the day of the party, you know, vibes all over the school because everybody is excited. So, you know, I tell my friend themselves later. So I go home and Simone tell me. Daddy did say we'll drop you off at school. So everything's set. We have a ride, boom, we have an outfit, boom, and we're ready until mommy drop the bomb upon away.

SPEAKER_00 9:12

Make sure you come back home by 8 o'clock.

SPEAKER_01 9:16

I couldn't help myself. I break the cardinal rule. Mummy, but the party starts at seven. Cardinal rule, I answer her back, I use her butt. And so her response was swift.

SPEAKER_00 9:29

No butt.

SPEAKER_01 9:34

So while we in a care drive go school, you know, all three are in the back seat and with a whisper. And so I say, I don't know why mommy said I come home at 8 o'clock when the party starts at 7 o'clock. And I know the first time we are going to party at school. So I couldn't understand this. So then Simone asked, Ah boy, so yeah, goodle. And I had to admit that I didn't know. Part of me was wondering if she really was serious about the 8 o'clock for come back home because you have to understand. So we reached school, we came out of the car, and you know, everybody was lining up to go inside because the party was in the cafeteria. At the door was my gym teacher, Miss Harriet, and my AP bioteacher, Miss Lane. They were taking tickets at the door. And so I walked in and said hello. And as I was walking into the actual cafeteria where the party was, something in my gut told me to go back and talk to them. Because these two were notorious for calling people out over the mic and embarrassing them in front of people. So I said, you know what? Let me go back. I walked up to them in my most respectful, good student voice and I said, Hi Miss Lane, hi Miss Harriet. If my mom comes to the door, please don't announce it over the mic. Just call me to see you, okay? If ever a time you thank God for good grades, this was the time because they both smiled and agreed.

SPEAKER_00 11:10

Okay, baby. We got you, Carrie An.

Called Out On The Mic

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So inside the party, my brother disappeared to find fiend friends and cousin someone hit the dance floor. This is peak 90s. See a done no tuna rinse. We were having the time of our lives, completely lost in the music and the show off the latest dance moves. Time just get to a from way. Until Miss Lane's voice cut through everything over the speaker. Carrie Ann, please see me. I swear it was a scene straight out of the movie. All through me, Simone and Junior stopped dancing at the exact time with eyes connect with us. Beeline straight to the door. Mimi like it's a party, sweater run down with face, I'm all of the dancing. And heart arrays and a look of panic for our face as we made our way to the door. And there was mommy standing with screw face and arm full. And if looks could kill with dead people dead, we hear someone behind me whisper. Please, Father God, please, please, please. In my head, I said she asked too late. Because that's when mommy opened her mouth.

SPEAKER_00 12:48

I don't know what time it is. I have to eat. I don't come home yet.

SPEAKER_01 13:00

No, you have to understand that's not really a question they're supposed to answer. Mommy walk off. She not even wait for we answer. She just walks off at speed. We don't look to see who's watching because I'm sure people heard. We just wanted to get away from school as fast as possible. And mommy was already marching way ahead of us. And then when she realized that we were keeping up speed, she stopped and turned around and said, Come on! In a tone that we know she means business, she don't play. So the three of us walk side by side behind her. And that's when some foo fool boy decides they come cat call as me they walk by ball. Yo shorty, your shorty. Lord Jesus. Mommy stopped dead in her truck and turn round.

SPEAKER_00 13:55

No take time go about to no business and left them alone.

SPEAKER_01 14:00

Listen, the idiot boy oh, when they cat call must he catch the tone in our voice. Sorry, ma, sorry ma listen. People dead. So Maj Simona Junior maintain a good little distance behind her because my mother they walk really fast. They had a move for side to side. That means she cussing the quarrel in the meantime all the way home. The whole walk, I kept thinking about how I knew we all knew mommy was not to be messed with. And we knew she had the potential to pull us through like this. But I thought, I really, really thought she'd give us a break, being that it was the last party of the school year, and for me, the very last high school party ever. I mean, which Jamaican or Caribbean kid don't have an experience like this where your parents are going to embarrass you in a way. I think at some point it's just part of the upbringing. And looking back at it now, even though I was mortified, I wouldn't have it any other way because now I can share this story with you.

The Lesson After The Shame

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That embarrassing walk home taught me more about respect and consequence than any lecture ever could. And you know what, years later, when people ask me about my memorable moments in high school as a kid, I can recall the parties, but this story, hands down, the night mommy showed up at the party, is one of my favorite stories. Thank you so much for listening to this special crossover episode of Voice Note Stories and Carry On Friends. Be on the lookout for new voice note stories episodes coming sometime this summer. And as I love to say at the end of every episode, walk good.