Hi everyone and welcome back to Karo’s little corner. I hope everyone is feeling good and excited to read another one of my texts.
As you all know, recently I lost two people really close and dear to me. Both situations were completely unexpected and really hard to accept. How do you even grieve two people at the same time? I am trying everyday to find the answer to that question, but I know I need to stay strong, not only for myself but for my family. That is why I decided not to take a long break from my blog this time.
A few weeks ago, as I was having one of those breakdown moments, one of my friends asked me this question : “What did you like the most about him?”, I had a thousand of ways I could reply to her, but I decided to keep it short. Today, I’ll use this article to tell a story of love and complicity between a tiny person and someone who loved her dearly.
How it all started…
9th child out of 10 of a family of farmers, he was the most joyous and funniest of them all. I met this man on December 9th 1997, 6 hours after I opened my eyes for the first time in this world. Firm on his belief that I was a boy, he was one of the first people to arrive at the hospital. Little did he know, he would meet a tiny little person, a baby girl, with whom he’d have a level of complicity as never seen before.
The rides…
Up until his death, a lot of people, specially teachers and classmates always thought he was my dad. He’d often say that I look a lot like him. Since my first months in Kindergarten, he has been my ride, from home to school and vice versa. I remember in the morning, as my mom was doing my hair to get ready for school, the minute I would hear him start the engine of his car, I would start crying hysterically because I wasn’t done, and was afraid he would leave me. I’m sure I knew deep down that he would never leave but I didn’t want to go to school with no one else but him, especially since we were a bunch of cousins in the car. Up until I became a grown up and started working, he was always a Whatsapp text away every time I would need a ride. The car rides were always fun, we would always be laughing and talking about a thousand and one things. Even when things got rough and we would risk our lives trying to get home, he would always crack a joke and reduce the pressure.
The first job…
In 3rd or 4th grade, my oldest brother Carl introduced me to computers, being an IT student at the time, my brother had just bought a desktop computer and made sure to teach me the ABC’s of Windows and Microsoft Office. It quickly became a hobby, I loved typing and I would type everything. Thank God we did not have a printer around this time, otherwise the electricity bill would have been higher than Mount Everest. The first time he gave me a task was to type quotes for his business. He would write the important information on a piece of paper and give me the instructions. I enjoyed doing it since I love typing, but little did I know, I would get paid. I remember the first time I received my first payment, it was a 250 HTG bill. I was so excited, I felt like the richest little girl alive. I vowed myself that day that when I start working, I will spoil this man and get him all the things he loved. Little did I know that clock was already ticking.
The love…
Although I am trying my best here to make you guys understand how deep this love was, words will never be enough. People close to me witnessed it, and lived it. I don’t really recall a time where he didn’t talk about me or introduced me without saying that I am his daughter. My mom would always say that whenever this man is here and I hear his voice, to not bother looking for me in the house, because I will always be with him. I could be asleep and he would call me out loud, I would wake up and run to him. About two weeks before he died, one of my cousins said : “You love this man so much you have to brace yourself for when he leaves… it’s going to be tough on you”. He was there and started laughing he said : “Woy Koukous pam nan wi kote l ap kapab.” (as in My Koukous, (his nickname for me) I don’t think she will be able to). He knew how badly his death would affect me, but still tried to make a joke out of it, that was his personality. Again, recently, my dad was on the phone with one of his friend, I heard him say, “My daughter is very affected, she just lost her cavalier polka”. Indeed I lost my other half, my trusted accomplice. 
The complicity…
In Senior year in high school, my class was going to the Dominican Republic and we needed parents to accompany us. I asked him if he would like to join, he did not hesitate, he left everything, his jobs, his family and went with us, alongside my parents, on the trip. No one can forget how he made the trip fun, from the bus rides to the time he preached about God and the Bible. Everyone who knows me know how obsessed I am with soccer and people are often surprised how much I know about soccer. For those of you who didn’t know, he was the reason why. He was an avid soccer fan, specially a Brazil fan, he lived and bled for la Seleçao and so did I. There is no way I would watch a Brazil game without him, whether it was at 1 pm or 2 am, I would go watch the game where he is. It’s either I watch it with him or I don’t watch it at all. Since 2002, he has been undoubtedly transmitting his passion to me and I am forever grateful for that. When I told him in December that I would give up on being a soccer fan because I felt like the level of stress was just too much, he laughed and said “Ah ou pa pitit mwen vre ; jis nan tonbo wi pit fim” (Ah you’re not really my daughter, we’re going to support til we get to the grave).
Symbol of strength…
The first half of this year was extremely hard, from not being able to go out, to not being able to come home because we lived in a passive neighborhood that became a red zone. Going home was the most stressful part. He would wait for all of us and sacrifice himself by choosing to be the first car upfront (in case something happens) to get us home safe every time. I have never met someone like this, this man never flinched, even when we faced trials and tribulations. He firmly believed that God would ALWAYS find a way and he didn’t have to worry about anything.
This is a tiny little dot in the story of a great man, a man with a big M. This is my tribute and the story of none other than SERGO AUGUSTIN, my Papigo, my uncle, my “sosye”, my rock, one of my favorite humans, my trusted accomplice, a man that will never be replaced, and whose absence will always be felt. I know the angels are dying with laughter up there.
Before I finish, I wanna thank the people who allowed me to meet this man : My grandparents who gave him the gift of life and my dad, who introduced me to him, his little brother and accomplice that I stole from him. My aunt Nancie, my cousins Vlad, Serj, Lolo and Tito, who had to share their dad with me and accepted how he loved me like his own.
Although I miss him dearly and it literally breaks my heart every single time I think of him, one thing is certain : this is a love I never knew I needed but that has shaped me into the person that I am today. His legacy will not only live through his children, but through me, through my cousins and through each person that he met because he left his mark on all of us.
May you rest in Eternal Peace Papigo. Please send me an ounce of the strength you had so I can go on with this life. To you too Nainaine Nicole who left too soon, I will always turn to you when I have to face stressful situations, because you always had a solution and great advices to share, when you were still with me. May your soul also rest in eternal peace. I love you both and I miss you deeply everyday 🕊️❤️.
That’s all I have for today. I hope everyone enjoyed reading my little story and wasn’t disappointed that today’s article is a bit different. Until we meet again, stay safe and be blessed… always!!!