As the beach goers start packing up for the afternoon, Kat suggests that they watch a soccer match at the municipal stadium. Kevin asks if they can still get tickets and she replies, “For a few dollars, we can get all the seats we want. Although since everything is general admission, we’ll probably end up standing.” They load back into the Land Cruiser and head for the game. The stadium has about as many seats as a Texas high school football field. The bleachers are packed on both sides, the scene looking like an impressionist painting with so many multi-color dots and pennants, signs, and pulsing music. No loudspeakers. Just raw people power. There are kids climbing over and under the chain link fence. A guy in security guard uniform who has a cop-club and pistol on his belt, seems more interested in talking with the girls than making sure everyone is paying at the ticket booth.
Kat and the gang buy their tickets and find a spot near one of the goals. The place is absolutely rocking. There are competing ra-ra bands making a racket on either side of the stadium. The whistles, drums, and chants are impossible to resist and they soon find themselves swaying along with the rest of the crowd. The energy is celebratory and the Haitians seem genuinely happy that some blan are here to watch their local athletes compete. Kevin never learns which team is the home team, since the crowd argues every call and cheers wildly when either team makes a good play.
As the sun goes down, they notice there’s a blackout so there won’t be any lights on the field. The fans don’t mind and the players seem to be willing to keep playing as long as they can see the white ball. But Kat leans over to Dirk and Kevin and says, “We should get going. I don’t want to get caught in this crowd after dark.” Kevin looks around to see that most of the people around them are young men. Dirk and Kevin didn’t notice when all the women left, but Kat certainly did.
Jocelyn and Ti Mon have stayed close by, so the group is able to quickly shuffle their way toward the stadium exit. There are all sorts of street vendors waiting on the street outside with their little carts. The hand crafts are of exquisite quality and the food smells delicious. Kevin asks Kat what he’s smelling and if any of it is safe to eat. She looks closely at the nearest carts, “That’s grio, which is basically fried pork. I never trust the pork. That’s banan peze, which is basically deep-fried plantain. The oil looks rancid though, so I wouldn’t eat any of that either.”
They walk toward the truck and pass a woman selling shaved ice. Kat begins talking quickly with her in Creole and Kevin again hears the word Culligan several times. After some back-and-forth, Kat says, “This will be safe. The block of ice is from purified water and she’s using paper cups for the shaved ice. I love the licorice syrup. Do you want to try one?” Kevin does and feels like he’ll melt into himself. He realizes it’s the first time he’s tasted anything this cold in weeks. As the ice melts in his mouth, he closes his eyes and enjoys this moment of luxury among friends.
The little band make their way back to the grass/mud field where Kat’s truck is parked. Kevin notices that the Toyota’s windows are all open and exclaims, “Oh, shit. Did someone break into the truck?” Kat hadn’t hired anyone to guard the truck and Kevin had almost mentioned it when they parked there, but had gotten distracted. Kat just laughs and says, “Oh, I seriously doubt it. There’s nothing to steal except the truck itself!” Dirk is laughing too and says something to Jocelyn and Ti Mon, who also start laughing, but not really at Kevin. He’s confused, but keeps walking along with the group.
As their laughter dies down, Dirk finally slaps Kevin playfully on the shoulder and says, “C’mon mate! Don’t be down. It’s just good old fashioned trade craft. NEVER leave anything valuable in a vehicle. INSTEAD, open all the windows and unlock all the doors. Then, leave something silly on the floor like an old pair of panties or one shoe. They’ll steal that and move on, thinking it’s all that’s left after the last thief!” Now everyone is laughing, including Kevin.
Dirk continues, “But wait, it gets better. That old truck hasn’t had a radio since long before we bought it. BUT, the wiring is all good. When we go on long trips we bring the radio out of the house, install some portable big speakers, and then we be jammin!” The Australian impersonating a Haitian, impersonating a Jamaican, in Dirk’s booming voice? Hits everyone just right and causes uncontrollable laughter from all in the vicinity. Now they are howling with joy in English and Creole as they climb into the beat-up Toyota, singing a ridiculous version of Redemption Song, making it up as they go, but somehow ending the chorus with “Lavalas” as they get back to the Mirogoane Stronghold.