(877)The Carribean Mystery by Agatha Christie

Do you remember Miss Jane Marple, our village investigative detective? I remember my frequent visits of second hand book stores with my children who read avidly. This is the first Marple book I bought. Through the years, I must have read it more times than I care to count. Often I went to reread certain sections. My favorite scene is where Marple woke the rich millionaire up to prevent a fourth murder. She called herself nemesis. Years later, the old man remembered her fluffy, pinkish and delicate head wrap.

It is this book that I remember so well that led me to realize that Michael, my first born, inherited my intuitive thinking. One day, the entire family was at a wedding luncheon. I was loosening my belt to enjoy some Briyani rice that was made from Bismati. I tell you, my brain grinds to a halt with yummy food in front of me. Michael, who loves his food too, was busy observing and cataloging people. He whispered that his dad's friend was like Rafael's valet. I was stumped for a good five minutes. By that year, I must have read and reread at least forty of Christies' books. I stopped eating and channeled my energy into an emergency search.

While Elizabeth and the rest were having seconds and thirds, I sat there, lost in thought. I must have appeared funny: dressed in finery in honour of the newly wed, with my forehead wrinkled like a gnome, eyes staring into the distant running search routines globally in my data base of everything related to Christie. It's a good thing that no alcoholic beverage was served. Else I must have given everybody an impression that I was drunk.

After the torturous five minutes, Michael threw me another clue: West Indies Beach. Immediately I got it. Then I took a good look at my husband's friend talking to some folks at the next table. And without another word, I fully comprehended his remark. That begun our talk in riddles. Michael uses partial name, key words, book name, place name, case name, and most difficult of all: the investigative officer's last name to test if my data bank is as up to date as his.   After about eight years of testing, he said,"not too bad for a declining brain." What do you do with an apprentice that out performed the mentor? I chose to rejoice that the next generation is an improved model of this obsolete one!