Dubbed the “Pineman on d Corner”, Matura Village resident Steven Trevor Bob can be found just around the bend encouraging patrons to come and “take dat” pineapple chow any hour during the day.
The 64-year-old businessman, who fondly refers to himself as “an old lamppost on the roadside” due to his growing up in the village and spending his entire life there, has become famous around the country for his irresistible chow delicacies. His eccentric signs leading up to his treats, commanding customers to “take dat” chow, add a layer of allure for curious passersby.
According to him though, anyone can be successful at what he does once they try their hand.
Despite the simplicity behind what he does, he lamented that present-day youths lack the drive to be productive and do something constructive with their lives.
“I does wonder sometimes what really going on with this young generation, cause this young generation, they moving like the Sahara Dust, covering the whole place and they ain’t doing nothing,” Bob told Guardian Media.
However, he bemoaned that children alone are not to be blamed, since they are the result of their parents’ actions or inaction.
“Parenting have a lot to do with plenty of these young fellas that strayway, strayway and doing what they want. Because you know a lot of times you’ll see fathers is when the child gets big and then he (the father) will say ‘That’s my son’. But aside from that you not seeing them at all, them just growing on their own, so anybody tell them anything, ‘I mash you up, I go do you this and that’ and that’s a downfall we have in Trinidad and Tobago, and it wouldn’t stop.”
To lead youths away from this cycle and offer them a way to start their own little “hustle”, Bob offered a portion of his stall for them to utilise to make a day’s pay.
“Sometimes they come, they selling their little Balata and thing, I does call them to use my stall, cause they’ll come out and they won’t get any sale... Sometimes I tell them come and put it there and all will sell out,” Bob said.
Even though the youths make a bit of money, the businessman revealed that often after earning that income they seldom return.
“Then they gone. That’s for one day, the next day, they’re gone and you won’t see them. You see how the mango start to come in season? You’ll see they start gathering mango to sell and as they get that little thing, is a little pull. So they not looking to do no trade. The parents don’t tell them to do nothing, all the parents home, the children home, when they feel to go to school they go to school.”
Bob reminisced on his own start-up days, smiling as he pointed to reveal, “I start-up outside there with a small table, small, small table with a small umbrella...Me alone, hot sun and from there, it start to grow.”
As the years passed, the economy changed and cost of living went up, and he eventually had to raise his prices. “It reach $25 for the longest while and I feel it could stay there because you know, for people, everything just keep going up.”
Although this cost is necessary to ensure he stays afloat, Bob’s innovative salt prune pineapple chow often steals the show. Having learned the trick of the salt prune from a customer a few years back, Bob decided to put his own spin on things.
“I take it and I start to put different things in it, chadon beni, a little pinch of salt, I put plenty honey. People say but honey is for me to drink, how you’ll put honey in this pine chow? I say the honey does give it a kick.”
Beaming with pride, Bob divulged that he had customers from all around Trinidad and even Tobago.
“Most of the people does be from Penal, Debe, Diego Martin, Rio Claro, plenty people want this chow.”
Over the years, he even had customers from Canada and New York take his product back to their homes.
As he continued to peel his pine and speak of his trade, he also stressed that he never turned people away due to money.
“Sometimes people will say ‘pine man, I don’t have a whole $25’ and I will say money is not all...my son always told me, ‘If somebody come with $10 don’t make them go back, take it. If they come with a $5 short, still give them and I does practice that. I does give away free sometimes.”
He said giving like this makes him feel good.
While this is an everyday job for him, and some days are slow and tiring, and he thinks twice about opening up, he persists.
“Sometimes I sit down, I sleeping on myself, nobody coming, I just there.”
Despite this line of business being his bread and butter, he even offered to share his knowledge and tricks with anyone who wishes to learn.
“I tell people if they want to come, come and learn to make it...According to Mr (Keith) Rowley, you don’t have to stay for your parents to see about you, you could make a dollar on your own. Come by the roadside and put up something, people will buy...and when you get that boost, you will keep on doing it.”
