Now there was a time, many years ago that I was depressed almost to the point of wanting to end my life. Due to my curse I was almost eighty years old at the time and still looked less than thirty. My wife was on her deathbed. My children looked like they could be my grandparents. I lived my life near them, watching them, but never part of them. To make a long story short I eventually fell in with some bad company. That bad company was the Columbian drug cartel. They had me transporting their “merchandise” across the border. Plane, truck, boat, motorcycle; Whatever it was, I was the best transporter they had. The problem was, I cared about other people and was just too nice.
One night, hidden by the darkness, I was returning to Miami with a full cargo from Cuba. Getting near U.S. shores I heard something out of the ordinary. I quickly shut off my boat and readied myself in the possibility I was confronted by the Coast Guard. Then I heard the sound again but more clearly. “Help, Help me.” It was the voice of someone nearby. I turned on my spotlight and not fifty feet away was a beautiful woman hanging on a little broken raft. I maneuvered my vessel over to the woman. I had heard stories about this happening all the time. The damn Coyotes get paid to bring people across the border and any hint of problem just ditch them, even if its in the middle of the ocean. I asked her in Spanish if she would like a ride, and she accepted.
As soon as I helped her up into my boat spotlights flashed in our eyes. “This is the United States Coast Guard. Prepare to be boarded!” Maybe being trapped in a small space shuttle for years going to Mars made me love my freedom and the openness too much, but I knew then that I would never let myself be put into a prison cell. I quickly grabbed my scuba tank, the girl, set timer on some C4, and dove into the warm ocean water. Being a trained astronaut I could hold my breath for over five minutes so I let the girl use the scuba oxygen.
It seemed like a long time swimming under water for the shore, especially no oxygen, but we made it to a smaller secluded dock. Once we got out of the water I counted out loud the last few seconds remaining on the C4 timer. “5... 4... 3... 2... Say hello to my little friend Mr. Coast Guard Guys!” And BOOM!
We quickly dried off and the woman said that she needed to get to an address written on a now wet piece of cloth, so I took her there. We made it to the address and were greeted by one of the kindest persons I have ever met. It was the woman’s aunt and she forced us to warm ourselves by a small heater while she fixed us something to eat. While standing there with the woman I had an epiphany. Perhaps there was something better I could be doing with my life. Perhaps I should stop being depressed and feeling bad for myself and help others. Perhaps I could help people like this woman I had just saved. That is what I decided to do and that is how I got into the transport business... Plus I don’t think I could ever go back into the drug business after blowing up a boatload of merchandise.
The End.
