I remember the first time I saw the avocado tree bear avocados. I was about 9, and amazed that it grew on trees - I had only seen them at supermarkets. As far as I knew, they grew in boxes. In Trinidad, they are called pears - and they are pears - but they don't taste like the grainy fruit that are sold as pears. Very confusing for a young boy. Still, with some salt and hot roti, avocados are excellent.

That is the trouble with avocados.

When I was younger, Trinidad was different. No one came into yards and stole avocados as they do now. The tree, which last had fruit the same month my father died (August, 2005) is bearing again. I had trimmed it, and it has now recovered and flowered. It is a wonderful thing to see happen, but it comes with a responsibility that wasn't there before.