Autobiography
Who KilledMiss Che Che?
An Autobiography
Episode3: The Accident
I remember early in the morning riding towork when my old friend 'John Ebanks'* and I witnessed a car accident.It happened at Holeman's corner on West Bay Road between Bobo'staxi bus and two tourists in a small white car. If we were notthere the injured people would have probably bled to death.
I was up early because I wanted to get intwo hours of overtime. I assumed Bobo was on his first trip toWest Bay that morning because it was about 4:45 a.m. He had justcrossed me going down to West Bay and I had just crossed the cornergoing up. The white car was coming from the direction of WestBay.
I heard a crash and looked over my shoulder,then turned my bike around and sped back.
There I found Bobo's van against a rockwall in front of the condos, back end in the road. The small whitecar was rammed into the front of the van just a little to theright side. I assumed the white car was turning into the car parkentrance when Bobo was crossing it. Obviously the blame went tothe tourists.
I parked my bike and ran to Bobo's van.He was stuck between the steering wheel and the dashboard. Hesaid he couldn't move his feet and thought they were broken.
"Hold on!" I told him and wentto the car. I was excited. I told James to go to one of the condosand wake someone to call an ambulance.
A young woman sat behind the wheel of thewhite car. Her wrist was badly broken and the bone was protrudingout through the flesh and skin! There was an injury on her forehead.I called to her. No answer. She was unconscious.
I went around to the other side. A man waslying half out of the car with his head on the ground. There wasa big gash on his neck and another on his skull. He was also unconscious.Blood was splattered all over the place.
Then James returned with a woman who saidshe had called an ambulance and the police.
Bobo's cash box was in the road and paper money was blowing inwind stirring from the east. I picked up the box and money andgave it to Bobo through the open space where the windshield hadbeen. The windshields of both vehicles were gone and glass wasall over the place.
I stayed until around 5:30 a.m. and helpedplace the people in the ambulance. Of course, people have nowforgotten this incident. I have not forgotten.
After leaving school I changed in some ways.I was getting older. I was the sort of person that stole frompeople who had it, not from those who did not only occasionally.I helped people who didn't have and never took anything from myown Caymanian. If I was around and heard someone say somethinglike, "Boy I wish I had money to see that movie showing tonight"he or she would get the money from me $25, $10, whatever.That is how I was. But people don't remember you when you aredown and need help.
I bought pigeons for other friends to raiseand helped them build their coops. I was good at doing thingslike that. I had a certain skill and judgment that was unbeatable,unmatched. I gave money to guys who needed a new tire for theirbike. I gave money to girls to get their hair dressed. I wentwith people and treated them to dinner. I did a lot of nice things.No one remembers. I even helped those my friends whosemisunderstanding and misconceptions would later help to convictme.
But after you finish reading my book youwill know the truth.
Bad weather hit the Cayman Islands earlyduring the year 1982 when I was 17 years old. I'm sure you rememberthat.
Heavy rains, heavy winds, raining day andnight and rough seas.
At the time, a ship, the 'Mir Trader' wasanchored off Northwest Point in West Bay. John Ebanks and I watchedthat ship for days, even nights sometimes. If she broke her chainsand washed ashore we were going to board her and see what we couldfind, that was our plan.
We finally saw her break and watched thewaves which were huge wash her against the reefs. Wewere down near the iron shore and the Mir Trader was to the eastof us. We walked until we were straight off in line with her.We hoped the reefs did not stop her and they didn't. She brokethrough them, hit the shore and wedged herself there. Then wewent aboard using a length of rope that we had brought with us.We found and took a rubber raft, a wooden walking cane, a wet,frightened and hungry little puppy and a .22 caliber rifle. Wehid the rifle. I took the raft home and James took the puppy andthe cane.
Then we left the area. It was about 6:30am. We kept this incident a secret, telling only Duke Connor.
James, Duke and I used to shoot the riflein the bush. We shot at cans, lizards, bottles, trees and snakesif we saw any.
We all liked the gun. We would hide herafter we had shot off whatever ammunition we had, which we eachgot here and there from different people.
Duke and I used to do night jobs and Jamesand I had done some jobs together but we never used the gun. Never!The way we did jobs no weapon was needed and, anyway, we did notwant to do jobs where one was needed. We were burglars not robbers.
Even though both men will become 'witnesses'against me further on in my life I will tell no lies against them.I do not hate them but do not care to ever see or talk to themagain because of what they did to me. I guess they did not knowwhat really happened that night and made assumptions based onthe fact that I had a .22 caliber rifle.
Next: Philip meets two young menwho will help contribute to his downfall.
llustrations by Philip Glennan Ebanks
*All Names have been changed to protectthe rights of individuals.
Disclaimer: The preceedingexcerpt from the Autobiography of Philip Glennan Ebanks is copyrightedby Philip Glennan Ebanks and does not necessarily reflect theviews of Cayman Net News, CNN employees or its affiliates. CaymanNet News does not accept responsibility for opinions expressedin this series.©