My name is Earth Angel

I had just collected my car from Dave (the radiator man) and still had my camera and dictaphone with me from the Trendsetter interview earlier that day. Rather than head back home, I decided to drive up to Arima and see what names I could find on the Arima/POS red band maxi stand.

I told the policeman directing traffic at the junction by the maxi stand that I was not from Arima and didn't know where to park. Immediately after telling me "Look, Lady, dey eh have nowhere to park in Arima ..." he pointed to my right and said "... But park behind dat car."

There were about thirty plus maxis on the stand, not all with names. I headed towards one that was just manouvering to squeeze into a space at the top of the line-up. I looked at the driver ... simple, unassuming, middle-aged, looking more like a parent waiting to pick his children up from school ...

This succinct interview took place on Arima maxi stand in blistering hot overhead sun ...

hence its succinctness.

Happy Hippy: Okay, what's your name?

Maxi Driver: Well, my name is Dunstan.

HH: Dunstan, what I'm interested in finding out about is the meaning ... Did you name the maxi Earth Angel?

D: Yes.

HH: Why did you name it that?

D: Well, the name is who you really is as a driver, you know? Earth Angel is a more kinda spiritual name, you know? So the kind of music I play in the maxi is - you know - a lot of gospel and slow music and ting ... you know? Ah don't really play like dub and - you know - de other kinda ting music an' ting ...

HH: Hmmm, so ... you are an earth angel operating this maxi, then?

D: You could say so. You know, you must be polite with people regardless ... you know? You know sometimes you get passengers come in bad moods an' ting but de name you carry ... you know ... you as de individual must have to stand within that area, you know, where de name is concerned. Yeah.

HH: Yeah. Thanks very much.

D: Okay ...

Prior to interviews I tell the drivers that I'm an artist doing a project on maxis and the meaning behind their names. I ask them if its okay to use the dictaphone and camera (knowing that some people are intimidated by those things). I also give the address of this Happy Hippy: Now is Wow page to those who have access to computers and want to check up on their maxi. After chatting with Earth Angel, I approached two other maxis and explained what I was doing. One man simply said: "I eh know nothing about de name, nah. I is jus de driver." The other thought about it for a while before shaking his head and saying: "Nah, I not into computers."

Don't worry, mister. The computer is just one medium.

I will be using others ...

(All interviews transcribed as is from dictaphone)

Don't miss tomorrow's installment:

Does he work at Peake's?

- Happy Hippy -