90 Miles To Freedom

by K. C. Hilton

  Collin laughed, lifting one eyebrow with surprise. “No, I didn’t know that one. That’s fascinating. You sound like my mother, knowing little bits and pieces of information that no one else knows. I’ll have to tell her that one.”

  Adelio stared at him, stunned. “I sound like your mother? What do you mean?”

  This time Collin laughed at his friend’s expression. “Oh, nothing, really. It’s just that my mother loves to enlighten people at any given moment whether it pertains to the situation or not. Her mind is full of random pieces of information that no one would probably ever need to know. ‘Tidbits’ she calls them.” Collin said, then chuckled, recalling some of the useless information his mother had mentioned. “Truth be known, my mom could probably write a book filled with all those tidbits.”

  “Like what? What other tidbits did your mother tell you?” Adelio asked, his curiosity piqued.

  “Well, let’s see.” Collin rubbed his chin, trying to choose one instance. There were so many. “Ah,” he said, remembering one. “When the clans of long ago wanted to get rid of unwanted people without killing them, they burned their houses down. That is where the expression ‘to get fired’ comes from.”

  Collin was more than willing to tell stories about his family and about his childhood for as long as Adelio asked questions, which was continuously. On days that they planned to do nothing but just hang out, Collin brought newspapers and magazines for Adelio to read. They spent a few relaxing hours just reading on the boat, but Adelio would never take any of the reading material back with him. If anyone every found them on his boat he would be in great trouble. But he was always very happy to see them. He thoroughly enjoyed reading them all.

  Food was also a favorite topic of conversation.

  “Since the early sixties all households in Cuba are given a monthly ration of rice, beans, cooking oil, salt, sugar and bread. Sometimes we get rations of eggs and meat, but very little. Only pregnant women, young children and the sick get milk.” Adelio shrugged, giving Collin a wry smile. “We will not starve, but we often worry about our next meal. And we have to be mindful of how we take care of ourselves, because we are also rationed soap and toothpaste.”

  Collin was shocked. “But you have a fishing boat. You can fish as much as you want, right?”

  Adelio nodded. “I’ve lived and worked in a fishing village for many years. I am fortunate because I supply many of the village hotels with fresh fish. I am trusted by all those in authority. I also take many tourists in the hotels out fishing. My wife works in one of the hotels in the village. Cubans are not allowed to eat any lobsters because they are considered only for the elite and the tourists. Because of what I do, my wife and I eat fish every day. We are lucky in that respect. The people that live in the city are not so lucky.”

  “Wow,” Collin said, leaning against the back of his chair. “You know, I never imagined I had it so good. I guess none of us do. We Americans take a lot of things for granted. I’d thought about the big picture of wanting ‘freedom’, but not the basics, like food. For example, I think if we didn’t have fast food joints, the entire country would go crazy.”

  “Fast food?”

  “Yeah. Like McDonalds, KFC, Arby’s, those things. Those are everywhere in the States. I guess you don’t have those.”

  “No. I’ve never even heard of those places.”

  “You’d love them. You just drive up and buy a burger through a window. If you have to wait longer than five minutes it feels like forever. Amazing what we take for granted.”

  Adelio watched him with wide eyes. “A burger? I’ve never had a burger.” He shook his head. “That sounds like a whole different world.”

  “I guess it is,” Collin admitted, then frowned. “Tell me, is there anything I can bring for you the next time we meet?”

  “No. No, my friend. You are already doing more than any regular man would. You have already given me so much just by helping me with these people.”

  Chapter 18

  But the next time Collin and Adelio met up, Collin arrived with a special treat. As Adelio’s boat pulled alongside, Collin cupped his hands around his mouth and called out to him.

  “Adelio! I have a surprise for you!”

  Adelio grinned and tied his boat to Collin’s. He clambered aboard the bigger fishing boat and embraced Collin, as he always did. “How are you, my friend?”

  Collin hugged him back. “Oh, it’s a good day, Adelio. I’ve brought you something I think you’re really going to like.”

  Adelio chuckled. “I always like what you bring. I am a lucky man to have you as my friend. What did you bring today?”

  “Lunch! I brought burgers since you said you’d never had one. And fries and onion rings. I stopped in at my favorite place and picked up a few things.”

  Collin reached behind him and opened the cooler he had set there. He had wanted to keep things as warm as possible so the cooler was packed with heated food warmers and towels. Once he had shuffled them out of the way, he pulled out two large bags and held them up for Adelio to see. He set them on a table and opened the bags.

  “Next time I will treat you to something called an Italian Beef,” Collin promised.

  Adelio stared into the open bags, eyes as wide as a child’s on Christmas morning. The smell of burgers and fries rose from the bags and Collin thought he could practically see Adelio salivating. When Adelio looked back up at him, Collin was surprised to see tears in his eyes.

  “Oh, my friend. This is a treat! I do not even know what all this will taste like.”

  “I’m pretty sure you’re going to like it. Let’s eat!” Collin announced, grinning. He was so pleased with Adelio’s reaction. He decided he would have to bring different lunches every time now, just to see his friend’s expression. He reached into the bags and pulled out cheeseburgers and fries, then set them in front of Adelio.

  “After you, my friend. After you,” Collin said, gesturing at the burger. Adelio picked up the burger, handling it awkwardly at first. Collin grabbed his own so he could demonstrate how to properly dig in to a burger. He didn’t want Adelio to feel the least bit embarrassed. He took a deep breath then gave Adelio a thumbs up. “Go on. Take a bite.”

  He watched Adelio’s expression as he took his first taste of American food. At first Adelio frowned, concentrating on the new texture and taste. Then the frown melted into a soft expression of bliss. “Wonderful. Absolutely wonderful!” he said through a mouthful of burger.

  Collin pulled out another cooler, this one filled with ice packs and cool drinks. He let Adelio choose from the variety of drinks then added one more surprise.

  “For desert we have apple pie and plenty of it!”

  When they’d finished the friends leaned back, rubbing their bellies and looking slightly sleepy.

  “I do not know how to thank you for such a feast,” Adelio said.

  “There’s no need. I’m just glad I could do it.”

  Adelio grinned. “I have a surprise for you as well, my friend,” Adelio said, then released a low rumbling burp. He reached into the bag he’d brought and pulled out two cigars. “Cuban cigars. Now you are in for a real treat!”

  Collin watched Adelio prepare the cigars with a cutter he’d pulled out of his pocket, then reach for matches.

  “This is great,” Collin said, grinning. “You’re right. This is a real treat. It’s illegal for Americans to buy Cuban cigars and bring them into the country. That’s too bad because anyone can buy them and smoke them in other countries, like in Canada and England. I’ve heard they’re terrific.”

  “Well,” Adelio said, handing one cigar to Collin. “You’re not buying a Cuban cigar or bringing it into your country, my friend. You are simply going to smoke a Cuban cigar.”

  Collin accepted the cigar. “Well, now that you put it that way I guess it’s okay,” he said, chuckling.

  Adelio took another sip of his drink and set it down. “If your country would only lift the embargo, we
could sell our cigars to America. Then maybe our country would not be so poor. I know they would want our cigars, and it seems to me that Americans spend a great deal of money on things they want. Maybe more than what they spend on things they need.”

  Collin laughed. “When my country lifts the embargo, your country will be overwhelmed by Americans.” Adelio looked confused, and Collin clapped one friendly hand on his shoulder. “Cuba will be invaded by American tourists. As my mom always says, be careful what you wish for!”

  Chapter 19

  Cuban Departure Day 2

  My shivering body welcomes the morning sun. I did not sleep well. It was cold during the night and my body needs to be warm. Especially with my sunburned skin. I should have brought a small blanket or sheet to use as a cover during the night, and to shield myself from the daytime sun. I never thought I would need a blanket. In my eagerness to leave I only thought about the necessities. I only brought the things I thought I absolutely needed. I should have let my wife help me with the details.

  I should have brought a hat, too. My hands, face, neck, ears, feet and legs are severely burned. I tried to stay covered as much as I could during the day yesterday, but I did not do a very good job. I paddled for the majority of the day yesterday and when I did that I exposed most of my skin to the sun.

  I need to paddle again today but I am not sure I will be able to do that. My muscles and hands are extremely sore, and I’m not sure the blisters on the palms of my hands can get any worse. I will do as much as I can.

  It is very important that I paddle as much as possible because I do not want to get caught. I’m not sure how far away I am from either country now. If my calculations are correct, it should take me a minimum of two more full days to reach American waters. Late this evening will be the point when I have been out here for two full days. If I am spotted by a Cuban fishing boat or military plane before then, I will be caught. I must paddle harder today. I must.

  I pray for good winds today. Winds that will help send me to America. If the wind pushes me towards Cuba I will only go backwards. No breeze is better than a bad wind.

  I think it would be wise for me to rest a little while longer and let the sun warm my body. Then I will eat to keep up my strength. I can already tell the sun is going to be hot today. The morning air is heavy and the sky is clear with no clouds to give me any relief. This is going to be another long day.

  I remember hearing of a newly married couple that left Cuba as I am doing. Their small vehicle was found abandoned near the beach. Nobody knows if they ever made it safely to America or whether they died during their journey. Their families claim they don’t know anything about their illegal departure. Or if they do they aren’t telling anyone. I wonder what provisions two people would have brought. I wonder if they brought a blanket.

  I cannot imagine subjecting my wife and son to these elements. I would never have made them come, or have asked them to risk their lives. Especially my boy. If it was just my wife and I, perhaps she would be with me. But I could not bear seeing them suffer as I am now.

  * * *

  Evening

  I paddled more today but not nearly as much as I wanted to. I was extremely tired. I paddled for a while then took a rest, then I tried to do more. My body is drained of strength. The palms of my hands are bleeding and I had to rip my shirt so I could wrap them. I should have done that to begin with so they would have been protected from the blisters. I never thought of that until yesterday.

  I removed my long-sleeved shirt and submerged it in water, and the salt water stung my bleeding hands. I did not want to keep them in the water long because I know the sharks can smell blood from miles away. I used the wet shirt to cover my head and help keep me cool during the hottest hours of the day. Doing this exposed more of my upper body to the sun, but the drenched shirt did seem to help keep me cool.

  It’s cold again tonight. My shirt is not entirely dry because I kept it wet throughout the day, and now I can’t stop shaking. I feel sick to my stomach. It would be a waste of food to try to eat. I most likely have sun poisoning. Nothing I can do about that now. To make it worse, the shivers will prevent me from getting any decent sleep.

  I don’t like night time on the water because I cannot see the creatures around me. A shark could easily attack my raft while I am asleep. Because of this I am hesitant to sleep for any long period of time. Not that I’ll be able to sleep anyway, but I must stay aware of my surroundings. A few days without proper sleep will be worth it.

  The authorities must be aware of my departure by now. They have more than likely questioned my wife, my family and friends. My wife and my son are the only people who know the truth of where I am and where I am going. They will not tell. My wife will pretend that I have left her and my son for another woman. She will cry the tears of a scorned woman and curse my existence to make them believe her story. The tears will come easy because she will be worried about me and miss me anyway. She cried when we rehearsed the possible questioning. It’s what we planned and it was a good plan.

  I miss my family. I don’t even have a photo of them. I wish I could talk to them and hug them. I remind myself often that I am doing this because I love them. I cannot fail. Failing is not an option. I must succeed.

  Only a few more days to go. I can do this.

  Chapter 20

  “What most people don’t know,” Collin said, “is that President Kennedy loved Cuban cigars. And before he signed the embargo he gave his press secretary less than twenty four hours to round up a bunch of his favorite Cuban cigars. The press secretary didn’t let him down and he managed to scrounge up twelve hundred cigars for the President’s personal stash.” Collin chuckled, then continued, sounding subdued. “When you’re the president of the United States, I suppose you can get just about anything you’d like.”

  Adelio dropped his chin to his chest and thought for a moment before speaking again. “My mother use to roll cigars when she was alive.”

  Collin held the cigar to his nose and inhaled its savory aroma. “I have been told that Cuban cigars are rolled on the thighs of young virgins,” Collin said shyly. “Is that based on any kind of truth?”

  The fact in question was one he’d heard from his father, and Collin was well aware that George could have been pulling his leg, as he so often did.

  Adelio laughed. “Contrary to popular belief, no. They do not roll cigars on the thighs of virgins. That story, which became a legend, was made up many years ago. In the nineteenth century, actually. It was invented to encourage men to smoke more cigars, leading them to believe that they were smoking the essence of a virgin.” Adelio shook his head, laughing at the gullibility of people. “And the crazy story worked! Our cigars are the most sought after in the world.”

  “And I, for one, am ready to smoke this one.” Collin held the cigar between his thumb and forefinger, eager to try the world’s most famous cigar. From everything he had heard, the Cuban cigar has no equal. He had been told it was like trying to compare California wine to French wine.

  Adelio’s expression was somber, as if he had something very important to impart. He held up a hand asking for patience.

  “There are a few things you must know before smoking a Cuban cigar, my friend,” Adelio said. “There continue to be known principless on this earth. If these principless are abused the most severe sort of subjective controversy may be created.” He set the cigar between his lips and lit a small piece of cedar, holding the flame under the foot of the cigar without touching it. Then he gently drew the air in until the entire foot was alight and burning evenly.

  Adelio slowly inhaled, then exhaled in the same manner. He held up one finger. “You should never drink beer from a coffee mug.” A second finger joined the first. “You should never rob a bank without a gun and a dependable car.” He took another draw from the cigar and closed his eyes as he breathed out. He put up a third finger. “And, my friend, it is important to always remember that a Cuban cigar is finer than
your average smoke. It should be appreciated as the fine delicacy it is intended to be, for they are superior to any other cigar in this world.”

  Adelio smiled, satisfied, then handed Collin the box of matches. But he wasn’t quite finished with his lesson yet.

  “Smoking a Cuban cigar is an experience all to itself. You must smoke the cigar slowly, gently and meditatively. In this manner you will not miss the subtle flavor.”

  Collin did exactly as he’d been told and was glad of the lesson. Adelio was right. Taking the time to enjoy the cigar meant he appreciated it so much more.

  “I have some other things for you, Adelio,” Collin announced after a few moments of appreciative silence.

  “Oh? And what is that?” Adelio asked. His voice sounded slow and relaxed, as if smoking the cigar put him in a meditative state.

  Collin stood and lifted a panel under one of the seats. One by one he pulled out plastic shopping bags and handed them to Adelio, describing the contents as he went.

  “Here we have soap,” Collin announced, then grinned at Adelio’s shocked expression. “Lots and lots of soap.”

  “And here we have several bags of sugar and salt. And … let’s see. Oh yes. This bag contains boxes of toothpaste and several toothbrushes.” Adelio stared at the bags, stunned into speechlessness.

  “Oh and in here we have tons of rice, beans and flour. I brought you different kinds of rice and beans, since I wasn’t sure what you would like. I have to admit that I rarely went to the grocery store when I was younger. I found it too boring. My mom does all the shopping now. When I went this time I couldn’t believe how many varieties of beans there are!”

  Adelio looked for a moment as if he couldn’t breathe. When he spoke his voice was filled with awe. “My friend, I can never thank you enough for your generosity. Never.”