American Paradise (Part 12 of 17)
(This entire 17-part story can be found in the “travel” category.)
With my decision made to leave the US Virgin Islands, the self-proclaimed “American Paradise”, I had already lightened my work load by quitting my construction job. The parents of the five schoolkids I was tutoring also understood that when the call came, I might be leaving St. Thomas in a hurry. How prophetic!
On the second day after placing in marinas the 3×5 cards looking for a boat ride, I got a phone call in the Mexican restaurant where I worked. It was a 45-year old fellow, and he and his 18-year old daughter were sailing to Florida. He wanted to know if I would meet with him to discuss me becoming a crew member. I told him to come right over to the restaurant and we’d chat.
Tony and I hit it off right away. It turned out he had a 46-foot ketch that he had built in his backyard in Durban, South Africa. He and Lisa, his daughter, had been sailing for the past year and a half. They needed a third crew member to sail the approximately 1,500 journey to Florida. He expected the journey to take eight or nine days.
I talked to Tony about my desire to really go to Belize, then travel up through Mexico on my way back to the states. I was undecided. Sail with them to Florida, or hold out for Belize? Decisions, decisions. I didn’t dwell too long. ”I’ll go,” I said, “Under one condition”. Tony took a deep breath and waited for the punchline. “You can’t have any drugs on the boat. If you do, tell me now and I’ll just walk away. I won’t tell anyone, but I won’t come along.”
Tony vehemently assured me that he didn’t and said he’d never put his daughter at risk. We shook hands, and agreed he’d pick me up in a life raft at 6am the next morning on a small beach on the opposite side of the island. My heart was pounding in anticipation!
As Tony left the restaurant, I quit my job and told them to not bother writing my paycheck. They could keep the money since I was leaving abruptly. That only seemed fair. I went back to my house, and a short while later my backpack and duffel bag full of tools were packed and sitting by the door. Over the next two hours, I said good-bye to as many friends as I could find, including Willie and his family and all the kids I tutored. I also called City Girl from a pay phone and told her I’d be in Florida in nine days.
By 5pm, Aaron and Doug returned home from work. “I’m outta here,” I exclaimed, then told them about my upcoming sailing adventure. “Let’s party,” we agreed. We walked to our favorite bar and began the farewell party. By 2am, well inebriated, a half dozen of us headed back to the house. By 4am, when Aaron and Doug called it quits, only a local woman and myself were left.
She was known for walking around town with her pet parrot on her shoulder. You can’t imagine how many tourists wanted to take her picture every day. She was also a clairvoyant, if that’s the correct term. She had visions. She was a sweet person and we all like her alot.
By 5am, we were getting ready to call it a night. I looked over at her sitting on the sofa and she was crying. I sat next to her and said, “It’s alright. You won’t miss me that much.”
“No,” she said. “It’s not that. I just had a vision. In it, you have two happy years with a woman, then you perish at sea.” She sobbed even louder, then we hugged.
Oh my gosh. I’d been with City Girl for two happy years. Was I now going to die at sea?
- Mountain Man