Sunday, March 16, 2008

Cutter turns 21!



David Cutter, our dear boy from Calvin College turned 21 years old during our time in Safua.
This party was not to be missed by the village, and as the night progressed dozens of folks just started turning up as the songs and dances perpetuated into the southern hemisphere heavens. David was greeted in the morning with a throne of Samoan flowers as he ate his breakfast of free range (in every sense of the phrase) eggs and toast and tea. Throughout the day we composed for David (a poetry enthusiast) a poem that we entitled "The Cutter that Astonished Samoa"
(thanks for the book Beth) and had him read it aloud at the beginning of dinner. Before that though, Cutter was treated to the pleasure of being the Westernmost person in the world celebrating their 21st birthday, as we traveled to the place where the zephyrs end, the closest we could get to the International Date Line without crossing it. Whatever time or day it was, it didn't matter cause Cutter was the man of the hour.
As dinner ended, the gifts began to emerge as the Safua friends treated David to a cake, some traditional gifts, and even a prized boar tooth necklace that once belonged to Chris (below)
Emily, David's galfriend from Calvin even surprised him and gave him a birthday dance. But she had to leave shortly after.

2 comments:

africakidandtheworld said...

Will we see a follow-up? Ie, "The Cutter That Astonished The Kiwis?" or similar?

Ian Hoffbeck said...

Ha ha! Happy Late Anniversary to you Cutter. Most people drink, but you are the only one that enjoyed free-range toast on your birthday.