By Christopher Famous

I’m just gonna stop logging on to Facebook.

Every time I log on, I learn of another friend passing away.

Last week, I found out I could no longer find one of my friends. So, today I will do my best to write about them.

When I first heard about them, they did not mean much to me; sort of like a nerdy kid who did not really fit into the mainstream of life.They would make a noise here and there every week, seemingly very proud to be the village oddball.

I never really paid them any attention because they seemed so out of the loop of reality that only “off-the wall” types would want to be around them.

For a number of years, I had somehow forgotten they even existed. That was until I kept hearing about them being up on the beach, freeing up themselves on a regular basis.

Recently, they moved a bit closer to my neighborhood and started bringing all forms of new people around. Most of the neighbours looked on with suspicion to see so many strangers in our area.

Eventually, we started getting used to their weekly gatherings. They were polite and welcoming — even embracing our unique traditions and customs as their own.

Finally, they had become one of us, just as we became one of them.

We loved the colourfulness and vibrancy that they brought to the community.

They honoured the elders and helped groom the youth. It was then that we realized that their “nerdiness” was more a reflection of us not fully accepting their unique creativity.

I guess it was then that we truly warmed up to them and knew that they were destined for greatness.

And then last week came along. They were no longer to be where we had always known them to be.

Victims of Bermuda’s new world reality

At first we shed a tear,

We felt the world did not care.

Our dear friend was to no longer be there.

Then it hit us that we had nothing to fear

Chewstick is not bricks and mortar

Chewstick lives in Bermuda’s sons and daughters

Chewstick can never be taken apart

Chewstick lives in Bermuda’s heart

Chewstick is not a location

Chewstick is a living spiritual vibration

Fret not, back-a-town

Chewstick will never be out of reach

Chewstick lives in every single grain of Horseshoe Bay Beach

*Drops imaginary microphone.