Once in my suite, I took a quick shower then stepped out onto the balcony to check out the scene. I was on a high floor, with a great view of the pool area. The pool itself was massive and modern, with a tiki style swim-up bar in the far corner. Double-wide loungers shaded by big yellow and white striped umbrellas were grouped around the pool’s perimeter. I knew Hopeton and I weren’t there on vacation, but I wouldn’t be mad if we were. This place was spectacular.
At eight o’clock, Édo, Hopeton and I met up for dinner at the hotel restaurant. For the first time in my professional life, this was an informal business-related dinner that I was actually looking forward to. The irony of the fact that I’d met Édo at one of Mundo’s vague “drinks things” was not lost on me.
“Édo, man, good to see you again!” I said, as he approached.
Édouard Khoury was probably a few years older than me, a few inches shorter and, style-wise, veering into Eurotrash territory. He was definitely part of the Jacmel/Petionville Lebanese high society circuit- something that came across via his numerous short-hand references to big names and flashy events associated with Haiti’s arts and commerce scene. If I had to balance his level of bougie entitlement against intellectual rigor, I’d say he landed squarely between Golden Boy Olmando and Bitter ‘Bron, the prison scholar. Édo definitely gave off a vibe that although “faceman” was a role he comfortably inhabited, the man had been involved in some risky situations traveling between Haiti, Jamaica and Colombia.
Hopeton rolled up and I made introductions.
“Where you living in Jamaica?” Hopeton asked Édo.
“I mainly stay out in Saint Ann’s, not too far from Ochi,” Édo replied. “It’s slightly out of the mix but easy enough to get to Kingston or Portie when I’m needed out that way.”
Hopeton nodded and replied, “I’m looking into property in Portland myself.”
It was obvious he’d passed judgement on Édouard already- I just didn’t know the verdict.
We sat down to eat- it was a decent meal for our first day in Port au Prince, but I couldn’t wait to get Hopeton out to some local street food spots. I needed a big-ass pate kòde ak aranso in my life. Every time I was in Haiti, all I thought about was food.
Conversation over dinner was topline- fútbol, music, Haitian and Jamaican politics.
Édo let slip that he was “winding down” his Colombian ventures and was looking for something that would allow him to divide his time between Haiti, Jamaica and Miami.
Again, Hopeton nodded. As I clocked him clocking Édo, I could tell that on the one hand, he was happy that Édo tipped his hand first, signaling that he was available if we needed him. But on the other hand, Hopeton hated a thirsty operator. Édo’s early reveal was a guarantee that Hopeton and I would have to spend a significant amount of time running him around town, from Croix de Bouquets to Léogâne, and back again. Once that was out of the way, Hopeton would feel properly informed.
After dinner, we moved over to the bar. That’s when the real discourse kicked off. I decided to take the lead on this- Hopeton simply didn’t know enough about Haiti to decide how we needed to play Édo.
“Édo,” I began. “We need to head down to Jacmel for a few days.”
Édo nodded and asked if he could be of any assistance.
“Actually, yeah. I need your help,” I replied. “I haven’t been to Jacmel in years, so I have zero connects down there. And with the earthquake, I don’t even know where we should be staying.”
“I can plan it all out for you if you’d like,” Édo assured me.
Hopeton gave me a barely perceptible nod- on some Mr. Miyagi, “the student has become the master” type of vibe. At least I was making the right moves.
“Would you be able to plan it all out and then come down with us?” I asked. That was the key.
“Sure. We just need to nail down the basic details now and I’d be happy to take it from there.”
We agreed that we’d leave in three days and spend four days down in Jacmel. I told Édo I’d leave all transport and accommodation details to him and once we were down there, Hopeton and I would let him know what we needed to take care of down there. Framing it that way would let Édo know beyond a shadow of a doubt what type of trip he should be planning for.
“I got you,” Édouard said, confidently. “Whatever you need, I’m sure we can find a way to get it taken care of. And when we head out, we’ll have a driver and another person to roll with us, just in case.”
Hopeton nodded gave Édo a fist bump.
After that matter was settled, conversation returned to more mundane matters.
“When do you need to go check your family, Pierre?” Édo asked me.
“I need to get in touch with them, but I figured I’d take Hopeton up to Furcy after we get back from Jacmel,” I replied. “I want to spend the next day or two trying to figure a few things out. Technically, I’m here scouting for a reconstruction project to sign onto.”
“Perfect,” said Édo. “I was going to invite Mireille and a few friends over for drinks tomorrow night.” He turned to Hopeton and said, “I think you’re going to enjoy the social scene, here. It’s like Kingston, but less dry.”
Hopeton laughed.
“That sounds like a plan. Make it happen, Édo,” I agreed. “And I definitely want to get Hopeton out to at least one party while we’re here.”
“That’s the easiest thing to make happen in Haiti,” Édo replied, with a laugh.
