With much of Guyana undeveloped, and not even fully explored, the conditions of daily living in some of the country, particularly the interior, have produced some very tough individuals, with both the physical and mental strength to overcome adversity. Most of us who live here can attest to knowing of persons like that from time to time who leave you astonished at their ability to operate effectively in extremely difficult situations. Essentially, these are persons with a strong inner core that they draw on when the going gets tough.
As a youngster growing up in Vreed-en-Hoop, I was distantly aware of a fisherman named Tunus who lived in Pouderoyen as a tough-as-nails character known for his hard-drinking and rough and tumble existence. Altercation was a way of life for Tunus, who would be seen in the village some days, in a dingy white singlet, often with cigarette in mouth, grumbling about something or berating somebody. Truth to tell, I was scared of the guy. Tunus was a contentious sort, always ready for a fight, and often in one. In one famous story I heard, Tunus had been in a scramble with another fisherman in the village that left his opponent dazed and bleeding on the parapet. On the following Saturday, seeking revenge, the fisherman came through the village in the late afternoon, a full rum bottle in his hand, looking for Tunus who happened to be standing alone on a