A Thousand Faces

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My cousin, Neil, passed away a few years back.  He was only 3 or 4 years older than me - the oldest grandchild on my mother’s side.  He slipped into a diabetic coma while asleep one night, and never woke up.  He had been with Sandra since forever, it seemed.  I remember going to their house as an adolescent and hearing about this Sandra chick that Neil liked, and who liked him back.  She was some years younger than he was, and they got married when (I believe) she was something like 19 or 20.  Neil’s death hit her hard.  Still does, I think.  But, she had three kids to see about, and with the help of her family, she’s come through that period.  She is originally from what is known as “deep south” in Trinidad - Point Fortin, which is where Neil grew up as well - and comes from an east Indian family…where, as the oldest sibling, she learned to cook Trinidadian Indian food like no one else I’ve ever met.  I mean, the woman can cook.