Josie Emison

I have watched the photo gallery with joy, and a few tears, and read the comments with wistful nostalgia and regret for not being the first to make one comment or another. The biography penned by Spencer is thorough, beautiful, and exactly on target; he recounts even the negatives with such class and tact that they just paint a more accurate picture of a most unique and beloved lady. in reading the comments I found out that my playful but heartfelt claim to be her third son "her Cuban son", as she called me, was not all mine, for at least two other writers referred to her as a second mother. But I fear not: I know Josie, and she knew me, and our love for each other was genuine, though hers was clearly better understood than mine. I first met Spencer. I was looking to rent a room in her spacious penthouse on Maraval Road, which I had decided was the finest apartment and view in POS. She was away on business, and was told that a very nice, responsible young man (13 then, I think) would show me the place. And so it was; Spencer was the model of young maturity, responsibility and clearly a class act. I had to wonder what extraordinary woman could raise such a child, and feel confident in leaving him alone while she did business in another country? In a few days this beautiful and joyful lady came back and we agreed I would share the apartment with them. Then began the fastest and most rewarding period of learning, adaptation and growth of my entire life. I was received in her household with open arms and great deference to whom she first saw as an american executive looking for a home environment to live while in Trinidad. As I got to know a little about Trinidad, I wondered why she fed me filet and steak every day, while they ate much more varied food..... and she could cook! Until one day that she announced that my steak would soon be ready, and I happened to notice all sort of provision on the counter. I asked what all that was for, and she said it was for a sancocho, and I protested that all that was too much food for me. Her response... oh, the sancocho is for us, you get your usage steak. She was floored when I said "but I love sancocho!" Well, after a lot of conversation and laughter, we began to know each other and got to live like a family. By then I had developed such a liking for Trinidad and its things, and for them and their customs, that soon I earned the epithet of "her Cuban son", which stuck to me like the most delicious syrup. Later on, the prodigious other son, Scott, returned from college, equally well bred and nurtured as Spencer, and I cannot even guess why the two brothers and I developed such a truly close relationship, so the "Cuban son" became the third brother (which I now I have to share with other true friends of the family). My real niece in her condolence called Josie one of my favorite people: I had not until then realized how true that was, and how deep my love and devotion to "my second mom" had become. Josie welcomed me into her home (several!) and her family, and treated me as a mother. She taught me almost everything that matter about Trinidad, introduced me to all sorts of important people (and she did know everybody and everybody knew her!) and, with her sons and friends, taught me how to enjoy a well balanced but joyful life. Eventually, our lives took different routes, but it was not suprising that when both her boys returned to their college in Tennesse, and after their graduation, the tables turned and they rented an apartment in my duplex also in Tennessee. I had even inherited their dog (Venus) when they could not have her with them in the US. Venus, the most loyal and loving dog I ever met, must have hearned that from Josie as well! I am moved to keep writing, for since then the lives of the Emison family and mine have been tightly intertwined. Josie taught me to love life (as only Trinidadians know to do) and her sons provided me with the brothers and the challenges that I had always longed to have. Much of who I am and of my character is owed to them, for from her I learned the things that truly matter: family, honor, right, play. But this is about her, so I defer to what Spencer, and Michael, and Kay and Georges wrote: they knew her well, and said many things I would have said had I been first. I had not seen Josie since last year, and the virus made it impossible: possible that is why I reacted joyfully and tearfully to her photo gallery. I miss her greatly, and she will remain in my mind and heart as long as I live (and possibly beyond!). She was one of the most memorable, happy, joyful, loving, high spirited people I have ever met, and I hope when my time comes I will be able to party and reminisce with her. Josie, of eternal youth, my second mom, will be waiting for me.