I was invited to a BBQ in one of the parks in Chicago.
I gathered my ice cooler and filled it with brews and headed out.
On the SOUTH SIDE, the Black side of Chicago.
With grills as far as the eye could see, music thumpin and bumpin.
This is as close to Negril as I can get.
Even heard some Reggae too.
This one guy, he was visiting from LA and somehow got stuck at the grill.
"Dude, I don't know why they picked me to cook the food today" he said to me.
I laughed and looked at him in a yellow shirt and white shorts.
"Man, you sure have the wrong clothes on"I said.
"Tell me about it"he replied.
I noticed he had an awful lot of coals going full blast and he had a water bottle to keep down the flames.
Soon he ran out of water.
Some little kids were making runs to the water fountain for him, filling up a bottle.
"Man, You need to keep the top on the grill."
That will keep the coals from flaming up and burning the meat.
"But, i have to watch it, with the top on and the fire is burning the meat, i cant see it."
No, no i said.
With the top on, you are denying the flames oxygen.
The flames will die down, but the coals will do all the cooking.
Just keep the vents open.
This was news to him.
Give me that fork, get me some more food.
So, I took over the grill and all was well.
I made a name for myself and I was in like Flint with the group of folks.