My Own

I didn't pay a dime to be here. I can only say that I have a friend who frequently goes to places like this all the time. Probably doesn't even remember half the places he goes. Not that I'm jealous or anything, but damn, who wouldn't love a job like that.

This has got to be the prettiest place I've ever been to, outside of my imagination and what I've read in books. So far I see nothing outside of what I would expect on a tropical island. The air and wind are far more satisfying than I could have imagined and I haven't even seen any more guests since I checked in. What a paradise indeed. I couldn't have asked for a better vacation.

I'm sure Chris has no idea that I need this time to regroup my thoughts and my life goals. I'm sure he doesn't realize that I'm currently unemployed and I sure as hell am not going to tell him. Would hate to have that, sympathy visit crap. Or have the feeling that I needed to have this paid for instead of just being an offer of friendship. Don't need the drama. This is just a hiccup in my life story.

I made my afternoon a type of exploration around the resort grounds. This has to be the off-season. Nobody around. I can barely contain my excitement to have no annoyances or distractions from the beauty of nature. The stairs to the beach are slightly swept which is perfect, like reality, I'd like to think. If I lived here, this would be the norm. Pristine to me means FAKE, and I hate FAKE things. There are little crabs everywhere and I'm giddy like a little kid. On the stairs, on the tops of the mini walls, and on the sand-strewn cobblestone walkway at the bottom of the stairs. Mostly red and beige in color but occasionally I see a blue or orange one. All are busy doing whatever crabs do when they're not feeding on something.

The beach sand, which started far before the cobblestone pathway ended, like it should be, was not as grainy as other beaches I'd been to before. The wind and air were as glorious as you might imagine. Slightly salty and very fresh. I don't know why but I often smell the smell of fish even though I see none above the water I'm near. The water was beautiful and as magical as I'd ever seen it before.

After taking in all the natural sights, sounds and smells of the resort, I find myself feeling a bit alone, haha. Now the chickens come home to roost. No more presumptuous nonsense associated with imagined reality based superiority. No more looking down on others for not being able to appreciate the natural world around us. Now a sort of survival instinct comes into being.

***** Or maybe I'm just suffering from hypoglycemia, and need to find lunch thatI don't have to kill to eat it.

I made my way back towards the central greet of the resort to see if I can obtain lunch without losing my shirt. Once I stopped by a winter resort restaurant where an order of brushetta cost more than my last car note for the month. I hope this one's covered.

Climbing up the stairs that didn't seem as steep as they do now, I find it's winded me. What a wus, I think to myself. Couldn't survive out here even if I had to. Hahaha, I feel like a fraud.

At the top of the stairs I see about ten people scattered about the open air restaurant, and the smells of caribbean food fills my nostrils. It took all my inner strength to not drool like a starving dog, lol.

In an attempt to find out how expensive this was going to be, I pretended to reach for my back pocket, as if I were going for a wallet, and asked the bartender if they took credit cards or cash. To my delight, he waved his hand and said no, no, it's all included. I'm sure I had the smile of some wretched demon on my face. Almost immediately wanting to order everything on the menu. Instead, I just ordered a fish sandwich and fries with a beer.

After the food was delivered to me at my seat near the bar, I felt like I was in heaven. Soon after, I felt guilty for having eaten so fast. OMG, did anyone see that? Man I hate being poor and broke.

I saw a couple looking at me with a quirky smile. It looked like they had just witnessed me devouring my food like that dog I tried not to behave like.

Time to go and try to redeem myself or at least the appearance of dignity.

As I began to stand up, I used the cloth napkin and wiped my mouth before looking again around the restaurant and scanning for that couple. I didn't find them but saw a pretty woman looking at me with a smile. Damn, she must have seen my behavior also. Man, why couldn't I control myself?

I lowered my gaze and started heading out towards the main corridor to go to my room and pull myself back together and possibly nap. Another bad habit I hadn't overcome as yet.

I got back to my room, with my head lowered the whole time I guess, because I hadn't even noticed that I was followed by that pretty ginger I saw in the restaurant.

She stood about six feet from me near another door. She smiled, said hi and went into the other room. Wow, she's hot. I literally said "hey now," out loud like an idiot. Hope she didn't hear that.

Upon entering the room, I'm tackled by something and hit the ground hard. It winded me and and I couldn't help but to almost throw up. Before I could say anything, some big fellow pushes a pic into my face, asking if I know the man in this picture. After focusing, I see that it's Chris. I said yes, he's a friend of mine. I asked if he was alright. No one answered.

They forced me into the bedroom and sits me down. Some more of them came in with a woman behind them. It's the ginger I thought of as hot. She says to me. I think you're hot too. lol. They all burst into laughter as if they had heard my thoughts. Apparantly, I spoke after being knocked to the floor and spoke of her. Geez man.

She tells me that she is the lead investigator into a fraud scheme created by Chris. Holy Shit!

We have to take you in for questioning. You're spending the rest of your vaction in the holding cell in town.

Thanks Chris.