Prip and Me: Some Interesting Episodes. By Armand Rodrigues
(Excerpts selected by Joe Rodrigues)
.....Prip was born in Entebbe in 1935 and like most Goan boys at that time, he was sent to India to study. When he came back to Entebbe after studying in India, we knew right away on the hockey field, that Prip was ex-Dr. De Souza’s in Byculla, Bombay or ex-Don Bosco’s. His shorts were knee-length! Ours were a good six inches shorter. Growing up in Entebbe we had lots of fun and together with other youngsters, we did have some interesting and sometimes memorable escapades. I have put together a few incidents in which Prip was involved and which I still remember.
..... At one stage, in our wild and carefree days, (in the 1950's), we formed a Piki-Piki Club. (Motorcycle Club). Hubert, Ferdie Rodrigues and Joe Mendes had larger motor-bikes compared to the ones that Tony Almeida, Joe Dias and I did. Strangely, Prip could not kick the kick-starter on a motor-bike ---talk of two left feet –and did not buy a motor-bike. He rode pillion on Hubert’s bike instead.
We loved to go hunting and fishing and for picnics on our motor-bikes. One day, after a heavy downpour, we were riding to Nkumba on the other side of Lake Victoria, from Entebbe. The pot-holed bush track was full of puddles. Hubert was deftly dodging them. At one point, he went into a skid and sent Prip airborne. Prip, with two bamboo fishing-rods in one hand and a “kikapo” (woven basket), slung across his shoulder, got plunked into a large puddle in the sitting position. His posterior was a sorry sight! To his credit, the rods and “kikapo” contents were fine. Yes, his bottom was a soggy mess. Sitting with his back to our camp-fire, he dried out in no time.
.... We once went on a fishing expedition to Old Entebbe. The fish would come towards the shore in the evening where we could catch them. A camp-fire picnic was to follow. Prip was the designated cook. He started a fire with twigs and had a chicken cooking in a pan, giving off promising smells. While we were chugging beer and singing old favourites like “Daisy-Daisy” & “You are my sunshine” around our camp-fire, a fox emerged from the bushes, snatched the hot chicken and darted back into the brush! The bush was too dense for us to go in hot pursuit. We lost our main course, but consoled ourselves in the thought that out there was a fox with a really sore mouth!
..... A real adventure was when Seby D’Souza, Prip, Freddy Pereira. and I went on a fishing expedition to Mbulamuti to fish for Nile Perch. This is where the movie “African Queen” was filmed on the mighty Nile. It was over 150 miles away from Entebbe. Prip was the navigator. Seby drove his Austin A40 (licence # UFB 113). Prip, not being a morning person was snoozing. At a fork in the road with no directional signs, Seby asked Prip which leg to take. Prip, who was jolted from his slumber mumbled something that sounded like “Right”. We drove and drove and ended up in dense jungle. Suddenly there was smoke coming from the engine and Seby had to stop.
He had forgotten to top up the radiator with water, which was absolutely necessary in those days, and it was running dry. Being in the middle of nowhere, heading in the wrong direction, with no water in sight, and no container in which to carry it in any case, we were in a real mess. I won’t elaborate on Freddy’s suggestion, but when the engine was sufficiently cooled, we back-tracked and eventually got to the rendezvous with our boatman. Prip caught a 116-pounder and I got a 129-pounder. Reeling them, the struggle and then hauling the big fish on board, is another story.
We topped the radiator with brackish Nile water and loaded our catches in the trunk. The little car struggled under the added load, but we limped back into Entebbe. Of course, we had no fridges in those days. Not to worry. Our good friend Motez, the chef at Lake Victoria Hotel was obliging enough to put our fish in his cold room. Then we could cut off chunks to take home later or to give friends. See the picture attached of the results of our fishy adventure.
..... In addition to all the other happenings, Prip and I belonged to an exclusive literary and debating group called “Literati”. We were very particular about who could join us. This made some “senior” members of the Civil Service unhappy because they were denied admission. At one mock-court, Prip was the Judge, Seby the Crown Prosecutor, I was the Defence Lawyer, and Roland was the thief who was ‘on Trial’. Prip borrowed a judge’s gown and wig from the local court-house. He looked very authentic in his outfit together with thick horn-rimmed glasses. Only, he forgot to borrow the judge’s gavel. He used Ovidia’s rolling-pin instead! Despite my earnest pleadings, ‘His Honour’ sentenced the thief to three months in prison, with hard labour. We could not figure out why Roland, a grown man, started crying! He took it personally. Was it to atone for his misdeed or was he dreading the hard labour?
Every year our Literati members would have a formal bow-tie dinner at Lake Victoria Hotel. Freddy’s sister had made the red bow-ties for all of us. Asti Spumante was the special dinner wine. Quite a Posh Event that we all enjoyed.
.... One of Prip’s hobbies was polishing precious and semi-precious stones. When Enid and I took a trip across South America, Prip asked me to buy him some special Brazilian stones. I found what he wanted at a hippie flea market in Ipanema, Rio. I have no idea of whether he polished the stones and added them to his collection.
..... For many years we had a swell time going out to the countryside around Entebbe. We fished, cleaned the fish, had pot-luck dinners in the Botanical Gardens, whist drives, dancing, the rosary, and concerts in the EGI. Bonfires, swimming, fishing competitions, and picnics at remote sandy beaches in Old Entebbe. We also took part in sports like hockey, football, cricket, volleyball, tennis and badminton. The interaction and camaraderie were priceless for all of us.
Hard to forget those happy, carefree days!
