912. Shon Andrés Albert

Aftan and I found ourselves in front of this sign on the West Side of Curaçao yesterday afternoon. Big Coco Nut: F 2.50 ($1.40). I got out of the car, hoping to find some ice cold coconut water. No such luck. Instead I found this awesome parrot tire with aloe spikes and wondered if we could meet the artist…

All of a sudden Shon Andrés comes out of the kunuku to tell us that his son, who creates tire parrots, is not at home.

Shon Andrés: “abo ta Casseres?” (are you Casseres?)

Si Shon Andrés.

He goes on: “yu di Caki bo ta?” (are you Caki’s daughter? [Caki is short for Clark])

Si Shon Andrés.

“Mi sa, paso bo tin aparensia di Casseres” (I know because your look is that of a Casseres)

“Bisé ku Andéchi Albert a manda kumindé” (tell him that Andéchi* Albert sends his regards)

*Andéchi is short for Andrés, literally “Andrés chikí” (little Andrés). Mind you, Shon Andrés was born on February 4, 1938, but still goes by his nomber chikí (and he tells me this).

Then Shon Andrés hands me a “defective” parrot tire (head and tail not curly enough), tells me I should coat it in white, then go crazy with color.  He’d very much like to see the finished product, so he gives me his email address so I can send him a photo. He also gives me his snail mail address (just in case)

Awesome.