Barbados-the dream

            In the late 1920s a Mr. Gittens was released from federal prison in the U.S. and decided to leave Chicago's gangland activities behind.  Expatriate friends had told him of the beautiful beaches in the British colony of Barbados, West Indies, and he booked passage there.  On the island's south shore he found a beautiful vista at Worthing and, having "saved" some of the ill-gotten gains from his criminal life, began construction on a classy villa.  Rich marble and ornamental stone materials were imported from Italy, and soon the walls were up and a tower was finished, offering unobstructed views far into the southern Caribbean.  Just as the house neared completion, Gittens suffered a heart attack in the front driveway and died on the spot.  The project had to be finished by his godson, Leroy, who had recently married a woman named Nina.

            Leroy and Nina dubbed their home, El Sueño, or "the dream," and the pair lived an opulent, fantasy-like existence in the tropical climate until Leroy died, perishing from a sudden stroke on the house's front steps, no more than twenty feet from where his godfather had drawn his last breath.  Nina lived on there until 1966, when Barbados gained its independence, and she then rented the building to the United States government as a consulate.  Afterward, in the 1970s it became the Venezuelan embassy and then, in the 1980s, was the site of a UNICEF mission to the island nation.  In the early 1990s the property was sold once more and reverted to a private residence.

            In 2000, businessman Steven George purchased the property and converted it into Zafran, an elegant Indian restaurant.  He worked with an old native carpenter, re-wiring and redesigning the downstairs of the former home to permit larger dining areas.  One evening as they concluded work, Steve noticed the tower light was turned on, and told the carpenter.  The man denied having left it on, as he distinctly remembered switching it off.  The following evening, the carpenter notified Steve that the tower light was again lit, though he hadn't been working in that area all day.  Steve turned it off this time, wondering what electrical malfunction needed attention.

            Inspection of all the building's wiring turned up no problem, yet, on the following night, the light was discovered lit again.  This time, both men went to turn the switch off, each one now suspecting that "someone else" had thrown the switch.  Later, the men confided to one another that each had previously seen a filmy woman passing through the main dining room, however she didn't stay long enough for them to notice specific details of dress.  It couldn't have been Nina's ghost, as she was still alive at the time.

            In the front west dining room an old library or day room was converted to a bar and liquor storage room.  Steve discovered that each time he entered the room a powerful presence entered with him, though the energy was not strong enough to prevent him from pouring drinks.  He didn't want his new restaurant to gain "a reputation," so he kept this phenomenon to himself for several years.  Then, in 2003, as he and a waiter entered the room together, both exclaimed at the third force that entered with them.  The waiter told Steve that he'd noticed the force for over a year, and that it felt "conscious," as if he were under inspection by a supervisor.  Shortly afterward, a third staff member told them that he, also, had experienced the apparent spirit in the doorway of that bar room.

            Zafran is a delightful dining spot, though the tall buildings and resorts on the coast road through Worthing now obscure Mr. Gittens' loved view of the Atlantic.  One can still climb the lighted tower stairs after finishing a gourmet meal, and perhaps the vacationer will feel "somebody else" has also ascending the stairs to take the evening breeze and gaze into the sultry tropical night, as she has for years.