An 83 year old couple was sailing on they’re way to Belize to enjoy the rest of their golden years. In the middle of the journey Rose, Bill’s high school sweetheart of 65 years, came down with an mysterious heart illness. Devastated, frightened, and with his dream shattered, Bill was left sailing his sailboat with one other crew member, hoping to find a place where he could dock and sell his boat. The crew member abandoned Bill at a refueling stop, and he was left alone and stuck.
Rose called Captain Raymond desperate and in tears.
“Rabbi, we ain’t got time for this’hea foolishness! We need these vessels ready to go, and I mean yesterday!!! Is what’is!
Is this’hea mess our responsibility? NO!… Is this Bill feller go’n make it?” Captain swiped his hands together and threw them up in the air, “…don’t know. What do you do?…”
“Well…” I answered in my poor attempt to sound like a southerner, “I reckon wee’s gonna go and rescue Bill’s behind…”
“Alright, let’s grab a bag and get goi’n!” He answered without hesitation. “If all goes well, we should have him home in one or two days.”
Incidentally, Rose and Bill were strangers to us, but seeing their terrible predicament moved our hearts and we couldn’t look the other way.
A 24 hour weather window opened, and we drove to meet Bill and sail him home. As soon as we arrived, that 24 hour window closed, and we were stuck with Bill for five days going nowhere.
It is difficult to spend so much time in close quarters with some one, without getting to hear their view on what’s wrong with the world. Bill was a loaded gun carrying confederate, wearing a confederate cavalry hat. He were a loan star pin on his lapel and flew a very proud confederate flag off the stern of his boat.
We waited and waited, then finally there was a weather break and we pushed away from the dock.
“The problem is…” Explained Bill, “…they let trouble makers into office, then all these damn inferiors get all riled up and forget their place. They forget they were put here to serve… But the worst of it all is, when these blacks and whites interbreed. what on earth do you call what comes out?… Damn molatto half breeds!”
Captain glanced at me… I chuckled “Boy don’t I know it! You better keep your eye on these damn molattos…” I responded with a cheer, as I raised my glass for a toast then downed what was left of my wine. On that very moment, I vowed in my heart to find an opportune time to reveal who I was.
“So, where are you from?” Asked Bill, taking a break from explaining the world’s problems.
“Well… where I’m from is not that important. What is important is that I know my place, and I was placed in this world to serve. So… here I am, at your service.” I smiled as I continued navigating his boat.
“No, seriously…” Bill asked with intrigue.
“Seriously!…” I assured him with a smile.
Bill waited for an answer.
“Ok, if you must know…” I proceeded. Captain’s face looked serious all of a sudden.
“I am a ‘Lisbeon’… I was born in Lisbon… That makes me a lisbeon, right?…”
We all busted out laughing… “Haaaa, HA, HA, HA… Who would imagine…” Laughed the Captain as he attempted to speak while he rolled laughing. “A hard core confederate having his vessel commandeered by a lesbian, Haaaa, Haaaa, HA, HA, HA…”
We all laughed till our belies were sore and our eyes were wet with tears…
Our journey finally came to an end as we brought Bill’s boat to the place where he would be able to sell it, and I did get to hear much more about Bill’s opinion of the races of the world. And yes, I would be able to describe his opinion in great and colorful detail, if for no other reason then simply uncover someone’s ignorance. But there is one thing I am not properly able to describe; and that is the moment when Rose limped as best as she could with her arms outstretched to Bill. He ran and held her in his arms…
At that very moment I remembered the vow I made to my self. This had to be the moment where I was to reveal my identity and show Bill a picture of my Mom and Dad…
To be continued