Show Yuh Warrior Spirit

Laugh in the face of adversity? Trinbagonians go one better - we fete.

There were about a dozen of us assembled in my living room for the T&T vs England game; none of us English - only myself and two others of Trinidadian ancestery, and the rest variously French, Jamaican, American, Canadian, St. Lucian, German, Welsh; all of us supporting the Soca Warriors.

Drinks were spilled after Joe Cole denied us our first shoulda-been-a-goal; there were cheers for Hislop and jeers for the referee; plaudits for Cornell Glen and (following a moment of stunned silence), a collective “wow” at Gerrard’s rocket.

At the final whistle, we were subdued. I put some music on (Maximus - Fighter, obviously) and we milled around. Finally, inevitably, there was the suggestion - so, were we liming then?

It was hard not to be upset. I ignored the flood of messages rapidly filling up my inboxes, shrugged off the gloating of the English commentators and tried not to swear aloud at the television replays of Peter Crouch’s ‘goal.’

It was hard not to be proud of the Warriors, who for 83 minutes had fought valiantly, seemed on the verge of achieving what odds-makers hoped desperately was the impossible. I was proud. I still am.

So we went in search of a lime, and found one at a popular Trini hangout in London, the Masque Bar & Lounge in King’s Cross. As we walked closer, we heard whistles and cheers and laughter. “Something exciting happening in that Sweden game?” conjectured my Jamaican friend.

Not quite.

As we rounded the corner we came upon a sight that did my broken heart good. Soca Warriors supporters had invaded the street outside the bar, waving two huge T&T flags, blowing horns and cheering, waving at cars as they passed, and responding enthusiastically to motorists that slowed down and waved.

I couldn’t believe it. We’d lost, surely?

Then I spotted a t-shirt that summed the mood up perfectly: “We reach the World Cup - we win already!”

Vibes it up my Warriors.