Cricket in Heaven

[dendrite]

Two ninety-year-old West Indian men, Neville and Victor, have been friends all their lives.

Vic is dying, and so Nev comes to visit him everyday.

'Vic,' says Nev, 'You know how we both like cricket all we life, an' how we play together for plenty years. Vic, you gotta do me one favour.

When you go to Heaven, and I know you goin' deh, somehow you gotta let me know if they got cricket in Heaven.'

Vic looks up at Nev from his death bed, and says, 'Nev, you is meh bes' frien' for a long time. If it is possible, I gon do it for you.'

And shortly after that, Vic passes on.

It is midnight a couple of nights later. Nev is sound asleep when he is awakened by a blinding flash of whitelight and a voice calls out to him, 'Nev. Nev.'

'Is who ?' says Nev sitting up suddenly. 'Is who ?'

'Nev, is me, Vic.'

'You lie. You is not Vic. Vic just dead.'

'I telling you,' insists the voice. 'Is me, Vic!'

'Vic is you? Whey you deh?'

'I in heaven,' says Vic , 'and I gotta tell you, I got real good news and a likkle bad news.'

'So, tell me de good news fus',' says Nev.

'De good news is that they got cricket in heaven. Better yet, all we old buddies who gone before we are there. Better yet, we all young men again. Better yet, it always got sunshine and it never rains, and best of all, we can play cricket all we want, and we never get tired!'

'Really?' says Nev, 'Dat is fantastic, wonderful beyond meh wildest dreams! But, wha's de bad news?'

'You opening de batting next Tuesday.'