the police visit

11/02/25

I am sitting on my veranda with M. We have just come back from the village. It is 8 at night. We had gone to a restaurant to eat the rondon we had ordered yesterday. A fish and lobster stew cooked in coconut milk with lots of root vegetables and plantain. M. has bought a small bottle of rum. I have cut a plastic bottle in 2 to make glasses. We are sipping rum and lemon juice. Up come 3 men. They are in uniform, carrying rifles, revolvers and handcuffs are swinging on their belts. They stop to chat. They tell us they are doing their nightly walk around the island. I haven't seen them before because usually by this time I am inside reading a book. I ask how many policemen are on the island. Three, they say. We wish them a good night and the three walk on.