Asking for a chair, he then proceeded to give a heartfelt thank you to the audience for their encouragement over the years and indeed on the night (yours truly inadvertantly began the process when I approached him to give my personal best wishes, many then followed). 

After detailing the help he received in his early life, our leading Soca artist Machel Montano (who had closed off the party) then came forward and walked through a fine new composition dedicated to Brian before choking up.  Lara hugged him, then resumed his conversation (now about his future) with a now shocked silly audience - everywhere people began holding up their digi-cameras recording this now thrilling event.  Aussies, Indians and others in the crowd were seen calling friends and perhaps family on their cells and then holding them to the speakers, amazed looks on all faces.

In closing, he implored everyone to come up and say hello when they saw him in the future as he was now 'back in the real world' and that 'cricket was no longer (his) master'.  He then recited Kipling's 'If' before becoming a bit choked up himself.  He then stood for a final round of applause before descending the stage. 

I had forsaken a trip to Tobago that night to see a concert featuring two up and comers called Mary J. Blige and Diana Ross.  Somehow I believe I made the right choice:)

As we boarded our shuttle to return to the hotel soon after, the drizzles had returned but we both glanced Brian under a tent near the exit in full conversation with regular folk, entourage nowhere in sight.  It was poignant and a clear indication that he had now turned his personal page in the life.  Good luck to you sir and to this new era in Winides cricket. 

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