I have two Caribbean scary stories; one was the men who came out of the brush in Cozumel and circled my jeep. The other is a Grenadian tour guide that extorted money at the end of a tour. This was less than one year after the Americans had freed the Grenadians--and we wanted to visit and spend money to further support them.
Had it not been for my mother, who was not in good health, I would have run off. This tour guide put my elderly mother and myself in harm's way several times. Once he placed us in a private van. Less than one minute later he returned with three thugy looking 'friends' and asked, "you don't mind if my friends ride along". It was more of a statement. I looked at my mom who had just paled in color and said to her get out. Long story short, he extorted an additional $100 from me. Walking back to the ship, my elderly mother suddenly recovered when a local Bobbie (sp?) asked how our trip was. She did not hold back about the crazy tour 'guide' who had ripped us off. The cop/Bobbie asked if we knew the guide's name. I thanked the officer and said I did not expect any recovery. Told the cop the tour guide's name and that my $100 bill had been a gift and a friend had written 'bon voyage' and my first name on the $100 bill, which the guide had 'taken' from me. The cop went to find the guide, and I took my mom toward the ship. About five minutes later, the cop asked us to join him at the fire station. My mom was fully recovered and ANGRY by that time. We went to the fire station. A court had been set up and there was our tour guide. I was impressed with the Grenadian police work! The judge asked the guide for his story, said he never saw us, blah blah blah. I was next. I explained that I was worried about my mom and that I could affort the $100 over the 'tour' fee. The judge said to strip search the guide. My mom seemed to enjoy that. No, I said that is not neccessary. The judge ordered the guide's pockets to be emptied, no money. A fireman suggested the guide's shoes be checked. There was a wadded up $100 bill and the other money I had paid! The judge asked for my name, and offered me all my money back. I realized it was an opportunity to make a point and said to let him keep the $40 tour price, because we did get a tour, albeit A SCARY one and to give the $100 to charity. That would shame the guide and send a powerful message to the locals.
BTW: the spice market the 'tour' guide took us to, was an open air arena. Nothing appealed to us. Today, I buy spices when I visit other islands. have not been back to Grenada. Not that I am trying to avoid it either. The island just does not interest me.
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