Mr. Bowman

Guyana has produced many talented individuals who, due to lack of opportunity, did not reach their potential. One such individual was Mr. Bowman. I first got to know him about 1948 when my father was manager of Regent Pharmacy. Mr. Bowman had built all of the beautiful fixtures in the store. He was an excellent cabinet and furniture maker. He used simple basic tools, all manually, and did not have any formal training. He worked slowly but his finished product was always of the best quality.

He had a problem with alcohol and with spending the money that was advanced to him for purchasing supplies. Many of his customers, including my parents, lost their deposits. In spite of his weaknesses, we liked him because he was very helpful. Mr. Bowman was very talented. Whenever a piece of equipment was not working, he was able to make the necessary repairs and make it work.

I know very little about his early family life. He lived alone in very poor quarters and did not eat properly. He was also very lonely. When we lived in Camp Street above the Drug Store, Mr. Bowman was always in the store and quite often my mother gave him a meal, money and some clothing. Eventually, the Drug Store became his ‘second home’ and every evening he occupied a seat in the store. He was very observant and on several occasions he intercepted shoplifters and advised us on improving security. Some of the young staff used to tease him, all in good fun. When my parents passed away, my brother Esmond continued to help him.

In 1964, after completing my studies in Canada, I returned home to Guyana. I spent two years working with The Ministry of Agriculture and another two years with Correia’s Enterprises Ltd.. Each month end when I was in the store, I gave a ‘small piece’ to Mr. Bowman. By then he was getting on in years and did not do much work. He received no Government social assistance because none existed in Guyana. In 1968 I emigrated to Canada and learnt that Mr. Bowman had gotten very sick and feeble and Esmond had to take him to The Palms, a home for senior citizens. Conditions there were very poor but he did receive food and some care. He visited Esmond and the staff regularly and received his ‘small piece’.

In 1974, I went home on vacation. Mr. Bowman, in his 80’s and 75% blind, got word that I was back. He walked through the hot sun and came to visit me. It was a happy reunion. After a meal, a long chat and a ‘small piece’, we had a sad farewell. We knew that that was the last time that we were seeing each other.

Chapter 12

Mr. Bowman