They never thought it could happen
Each masquerader carried a striped coloured cane, twirling the hook on the pavement as he danced ahead. The elaborate papier mash� headpieces showcased every variety of flowers and were direct descendants from the Queen�s Botanical Gardens. The Fruits were crafted visually edible as can be, tilting heads back and forth and blinding others patrons with foils of tinsel and glitter.
The wire-bender had done his job well. All Fruits and Flowers kept their shape perfectly. A sea of illusionary bouquets in equilibrium with a convoy of American sailor costumes. Starch white shirts with broad collars, lapels marking military ranks and flaring bellbottoms with tassels of gold crowning each hem. Camouflage canteens filled with alcoholic concoctions strapped over the shoulders, and tins of baby power held securely as ammunition. Targeting unexpected revellers with a mist of �contented baby� fragrant.
From daybreak, the bingeing of Rum had tempered gradually, breaking their "conscious" threshold. This was Carnival Monday, and the momentum of the �chip� could not be stopped. Swaying and tilting back and forth. Foot movements choreographed effortlessness with hands to give the sense of boat rocking too and fro. And music jarring from their rhythm contingent hypnotised them like free slaves mocking a French fete. But did they know were they were?
A sweet calypso melody filtered from East Dry River. Large oil drums pulsed with bass notes interleaved with mid-tenors echoed not too far. From a distance they looked like shivering shimmering canopies in row one after another. Underneath, men contorted to strike each note correctly. Their arms vaulted in unison and their pan sticks careened off a variety of shaped drums. Bouncing the spherical rubber off the concave pitch-tuned steel; �Booming.� This ensemble had its myriad of supporters. Pushing wheeled departmentalised steel frames incasing a pan-player with his steel drums. And unknown to the festive colourful Fruits and Flowers sailor band just ahead they were prepared for any altercation if dare crossed their path.
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