A CARIBBEAN TALE

A man from the island of St. Lucia shares his experiences in this “non fictional” tale.

Traveling to England to seek his education and fortune had been a dream of Gurley’s almost from birth. His desire is fueled not only by ambition but also by a longing to find his parents, neither of whom he remembers. In the first months after his arrival in the bitterly cold London winter of 1985, at the age of 22, he frequently questions his pursuit. He works the swing shift at McDonald’s to support himself while he goes to school to become a Certified Accountant. He interprets a freak accident that renders him temporarily blind as a sign that he is going in the wrong direction. He quits school to gain experience working as a temp and to study for his accounting exams on his own. However, on his first assignment, he encounters an obstacle he had not anticipated: the computer. Lacking computer skills, he is summarily dismissed on his first day. Deeply disappointed, he consults his “Emergency Kit,” a folder consisting of quotes and biographies of successful men that he has collected over the years, to buoy his spirits. He resolves to hit the library and to conquer the computer. Six months later, he returns to working as a temp, this time with success. Though he faces further hurdles along the way, he ultimately achieves his dream of becoming a Certified Accountant and of returning to the Caribbean to hold various positions in the telecom industry. The author narrates his life story well, vividly rendering his emotions throughout his struggles. And though the narrative slows during the descriptions of his rise up the corporate ladder, it highlights a journey pursued with integrity and principle.

A pleasant, inspiring read.