After settling business in Los Angeles, Alex said goodbye to his friends, loaded the jeep with his belongings, and set off for a new life. His fifth country lay ahead of him and his life’s adventures continued. In Texas, he tried to spend the night in his car, but the mosquitoes in all the car parks were so ruthless that he couldn’t sleep, so he spent the whole night on the road. He handed the jeep over to the sea transporters in Alabama and flew to his earthly paradise. The small country had recently been a British colony called British Honduras. The British were in time to realize that empires were a thing of the past and offered their former colonies independence, economic aid, and military protection. This gave rise to the 15 countries of the British Commonwealth, including Canada, Australia, New Zealand and the Bahamas. And in Central America, among the Spanish-speaking countries, a small state emerged under English law. A unique version of the Commonwealth in which the head of government of all 15 countries lives in Buckingham Palace in London.
In an exotic little country, Alex was drawn to a narrow peninsula that stretched for twenty miles. An apartment awaited him in a fishing village at the tip of the peninsula. A week later, a container ship delivered his jeep from Alabama along with his belongings and books, and Alex’s new life began. At first, the local drunks took him as a tourist and begged him for change. One black man was particularly aggressive, threatening to kill him. He was probably the grandson or great-grandson of a pirate. Alex did not hesitate, wrapped a bicycle chain around his fist, and offered the offender a choice of weapon. The scene took place in front of the locals, and after this incident, the new resident of the village was called “smocking shit” and they kept their distance from him. Alex later established a normal relationship with the pirate’s descendant, but it took a few years.
Alex bought a small yacht. He found a place to anchor it in a lagoon, sheltered from storms and hurricanes. The small bay had docks for three dozen yachts, and the lagoon was connected to the sea by a strait with mangrove-covered banks. The owner of the marina was a middle-aged lady, still attractive. Single and rich, she owned a hotel on the beach and a decent piece of land on which at least a dozen houses could be built. As she signed the lease for the marina, she looked from Alex’s passport to him in surprise:
“It’s your birthday tomorrow…?”
“Well, it happens to be, what’s unusual about that?”
“The unusual thing is that it’s also my husband’s birthday. He died ten years ago, and all these years I’ve been celebrating his birthday in a local Italian restaurant. The owner always reserves a table for me on the little veranda, away from the noise of the customers. Would you like to give me a company? I’d be delighted, just call me Diana,” she smiled, holding out her hand in greeting.
The restaurant was tucked away in the green, cicadas singing in the semi-darkness of the tropical night. They were served by the owner himself, candles flickering on the table. The wine was real Italian Pinot Grigio from Venetto. And the Greek salad Alex had ordered for himself was an imitation. He didn’t find any olives and marinated cheese in it, the salad was as far from Greek as Greece itself, so Alex just enjoyed the wine, which gave off the aroma of green apples.
“Your appetite’s gone?” Diana smiled. She was indulging in grilled chicken wings.
“Oh, I’ll eat the salad later,” Alex poured wine into glasses.
There was a pause in the air.
“He was a sportsman, a total adventurer,” Diana lit a thin Pall Mall cigarette, “he was a racing driver, he loved powerful cars and motorbikes. And he loved me very much. I didn’t like stupid races and I used to ask him to stop. He laughed and said he couldn’t stop a dream. The pathologists said he died quickly, without pain. I understood his words after he was gone. He taught me to be strong and possessed. And when the tears had dried, I was eternally grateful. So as long as I live, I will celebrate his day…”
They were about to leave and Alex asked for a salad to-go. The waiter brought him his salad in a carton. On his way out, Alex discreetly threw the box in the bin. But Diana saw it and looked at him questioningly.
“I’m sorry,” Alex was embarrassed. The thing is, the salad was not what I ordered, and as I walked past the ajar door to the kitchen, I saw that the cooking crew were all locals. Of course, they have no idea what a Greek salad is. That’s why I don’t go to restaurants anymore, I cook for myself, sorry again. But the wine was excellent, thank you for a wonderful evening,” he tried to make amends.
“So you can cook too?” Diana smiled, “I have friends arriving from New York next week. Perhaps you will surprise us with your culinary skills…?”
“Sure, with pleasure, I especially like to cook exotic dishes,” Alex nodded.
“OK, I’ve got a couple of big lobsters and a box of shrimps in the freezer…”
“Great, that’s what we need!”
One hot afternoon, after a swim in the sea, Alex was lying in the shade of a palm tree when the phone rang. Diana told him that the guests would be arriving tomorrow. They discussed the menu. Alex promised to bring some Californian white wine, it would go well with the dish he was going to cook.
“I am so excited about this adventure, I even prepared a chef’s uniform for you, for your image,” Diana laughed.
He was lucky enough to find two bottles of white semi-dry Sauvignon Blanc in the local supermarket. The aroma and flavor of this wine are full of citrus, fennel, and olives. He also bought a rosé made from Grignolino grapes. Both wines go well with seafood.
Once, while living in Los Angeles, Alex learned the secret of a unique sauce for lobster. He learned the recipe from the chef at a restaurant in a tiny cove called Paradise Cove, on the ocean in Malibu. The chef was French and said that this sauce is excellent with cooked lobster in the most private restaurants in Monte Carlo.
The sauce called for cold-pressed olive oil, pink garlic, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, dried oregano, basil, salt, and a combination of hot peppers. All of which Alex found in the supermarket. He also added some dry white wine and the zest of half a ripe orange to the sauce. And left the sauce to marinate in the fridge overnight.
The next day, Alex arrived at Diane’s at 10 am, when the guests were already in the house. Michael and Rosalia were a pleasant couple with a good sense of humor. The manager of the hotel where Diana was the hostess was also invited. His name name was Ronaldo and he turned out to be a funny storyteller. The living room of the estate had a built-in kitchen and bar, so the company had a great opportunity to socialize and watch Alex’s cooking show. He began by uncorking bottles of wine and inviting everyone to wet their throats. Then he sent the lobsters into the boiling water and got to work on the prawns. The big-headed prawns were good.
He was helped by a young girl who worked for Diana and knew how to cook. The girl quickly chopped some onions and garlic, which Alex poured into a pan of hot oil. He fried the mixture for a few minutes and then added the prawns. He cooked it for a few more minutes with the lid on, and when the prawns were juicy, he added cream, pepper, and salt to the pan. Stirring the sauce, he cooked the prawns in it for a few more minutes, and when the sauce came to a boil, he turned off the heat and left his assistant to stir the slowly cooling prawns to make sure they absorbed all the creamy garlic sauce. The aroma was already tickling the company’s nostrils and Alex, seeing the effect, announced that the prawns, having absorbed the sauce, would be a dish they had never tasted before. This stimulated everyone’s imagination to such an extent that more wine was called for. They filled their glasses and toasted the Admiral’s culinary skills. Dressed in a chef’s outfit with shiny buttons and a white cap, Alex looked like an Admiral.
After a few more minutes, the assistant girl signaled to Alex that the lobsters were ready. They were placed on a platter, tantalizing with aromas and bright red shells. The wine was in glasses, the mood was good and Alex decided to entertain the guests from New York:
“Rosalia and Michael, you said you live on an island in the state of Rhode Island? I’d like to tell you the story of a pirate from your state. His name was Thomas Tew…”
“Oh yes, our town knows that name, but we know almost nothing about the adventures of this Tew, and we look forward to hearing your story,” Rosalia was drinking Grignolino, with a thin slice of lime and a piece of ice in her glass.
“OK, I will be happy to tell the story,” Alex moved a barstool into the middle of the kitchen and sat down on it:
“The year was 1691. This Thomas Tew had once been a military sailor, but was now captain of his sloop, the ‘Amity Venture’. Married, with two daughters, his family was considered wealthy,” Alex swirled his glass, “…the Governor of Bermuda granted Tew a privateer’s license, the right to attack French ships and plunder the colonies. And he was also immediately given the task of attacking the French factories at Gambia, on the African coast. As he studied the details of the adventure he had been assigned, the experienced Tew realized that he was being sent on an extremely risky venture in which one could easily lose one’s head and that the money promised was too little for such a risk. So he suggested to his friends at sea that they should sail to the Indian Ocean, where he had sailed before and knew the trade routes of the Indian rajas’ ships, whose holds were always full of gold coins and precious stones. His proposal was enthusiastically accepted and they set sail for the southern tip of Africa. After rounding the Cape of Storms, renamed the Cape of Good Hope by the King of Portugal, they headed for the Straits of Bab-el-Mandeb. In the foggy waters of this strait, many ships disappeared without a trace with all those on board, and because of its notoriety, sailors nicknamed the strait ‘The Gate of Tears’…”
Everyone was fascinated by the story.
“Wow, that’s a hell of a way to start a pirate adventure,” Michael laughed, “such intrigue is worth drinking to!”
They clinked glasses and Alex continued:
“…On the approach to the Straits, the pirates encountered an Indian warship with over three hundred soldiers on board, not counting the crew. They outnumbered pirates three to one. But Tew was no coward and decided to attack, promising his partners a fight. The crew shouted, encouraging their captain, ‘…gold or a wooden leg, we’re with you, Captain!’
They boarded the ship and captured it. Its hold and cabins were stuffed with gold, silver, gems, and jewelry belonging to the Mughal emperor himself.
Their booty was enormous. Each received a share of three thousand pounds sterling. With that kind of money, you could buy a mansion and live in idleness for the rest of your life. So many decided to give up piracy and settle in Madagascar. Thomas Tew decided to join them…
The lobster was ready to go into the oven and Alex asked permission to interrupt:
“I’ll tell you the story when the lobster is ready and we start tasting it…” Alex saw that he had captivated the company with his culinary performance.
The atmosphere in the living room was lively and everyone was chatting about everything. Out of the corner of his eye Alex caught sight of Diana. She was sitting on the sofa with a glass of pink Grinolino and a twinkle in her eye.
Alex cut the cooled lobsters with a pair of chef’s scissors, from the tips of the tails to the whiskers, and split them in half. With a fork, he carefully removed the pieces of meat from the shells and sent them to the sauce he had prepared yesterday and brought with him. The company watched his manipulations and expressed their emotions loudly.
“I can see your impatience, ladies, and gentlemen, but bear with me for a few more minutes, the lobsters need to stay in the oven for a while. And we should move to the terrace where the table is set and my assistant is already signaling us,” Alex smiled.
The group moved to the terrace where they were served by a girl. While waiting for the main course, they sampled a real Greek salad prepared by Alex and his assistant, drank wine, crunched roasted pistachios, and listened to anecdotes from Ronaldo.
Alex sprinkled the lobsters with the sauce and sent them in the preheated oven. After 10 minutes it was ready and he placed the lobster halves on a platter, added the prawns, garnished with fresh parsley greens, and added a few small rosettes of remaining sauce. He carried the dish out onto the terrace to a round of applause. The company was ecstatic, knives and forks clinking, everyone devouring the gourmet treat, eating the prawns, and licking their fingers. Alex returned to them without his uniform and chef’s hat and, having participated in the orgy, asked permission to continue the pirate story.
“Thomas Tew’s pirates decided to hide out in Madagascar,” Alex continued, ” and on the island, they found the Brethren Court, one of whose founders was the French pirate Missyon. Captain Tew was invited to dinner, where the Frenchman told him about life on the island, and after dinner offered to take a walk and see for himself. Tew was amazed at what he saw, especially how well fortified and protected the harbor was. From here the pirates set out for the African coast, attacking and robbing slave ships and taking captives back to their island. Tew took up the offer to join the pirate raids and they captured several ships, including an English vessel carrying 240 slaves. As well as raiding, the pirates were busy mapping and charting the island’s coastline, studying the local currents, tides, and shoals, and knew of secluded coves where they could hide their fleet.
Several months passed in this way. One day, one of the pirate ships was pursued by five Portuguese warships. It raced into the harbor through a familiar channel and crowded the shore, eagerly awaiting the spectacle of the uninvited foreign ships plundering the shallows. But the Portuguese were the most experienced sailors in the world, having been the first to explore the Indian Ocean and knew all the treacherous places and Madagascar. Their warships, following closely behind the pirate ships, passed safely through all the underwater dangers. Here the pirates were not amused, they rushed to the cannons and their fire sank two of the uninvited guests’ warships, forcing the rest to flee. In this skirmish, Thomas Tew proved himself a good commander and was given a ship.
One day, near one of the islands, he came across a pirate ship and recognized a familiar quartermaster in its crew.
“Hey Captain, come aboard, we have a roasted pig and a barrel of wine! ” the quartermaster beckoned with a smile.
In that part of the ocean where the African heat of the deserts meets the winds of the cold waters of Antarctica, the weather is unpredictable and can change in a matter of minutes. While they were recklessly feasting, a squall came. It tore their ships from their anchors and hurled them onto the rocks of the island. Everyone died, but Tew was the only survivor. On the deserted island, he survived by eating what he could find among the wreckage, and only a miracle could save him.
“An incredible story, the like of which we did not know about our compatriot,” said Rosalia. The company nodded approvingly, and everyone filled their glasses.
“Thank you, friends, and I apologize for occupying your attention for so long,” Alex bowed his head, “but the end of the story is nearing, and I would like to know if you would agree to let me finish it…?”
“I’d like to know the end,” Diana smiled, and everyone murmured.
“The Frenchman found a comrade in distress a few weeks later,” Alex nodded and continued, “he had bad news. In the absence of most of the pirates, the natives attacked their settlement, killing almost all the men, women, and children. It was rumored that the Portuguese had given the natives weapons and turned them against the pirates. Soon, during another violent storm, Missyon disappeared. His ship was lost in a violent storm along with his entire crew.
In a depressed state of mind, Thomas Tew returned to America. He had not been convicted of piracy, remaining a legitimate privateer to the authorities. Tew gradually came to his senses on his island, surrounded by his family. One day he confided in New York Governor Benjamin Fletcher, and the official was so mesmerized by the story of the fabulous riches of the Mughal Empire that he expressed his desire to become one of the investors in the future expedition.
Tew did indeed set sail for the Indian Ocean again. By June 1695, his ship was off the Bab El Mandeb Strait. There Tew met the English pirate Henry Avery, and after allying, they soon spotted a merchant caravan of two dozen ships. Avery pursued and captured two of them. He was successful, but his companion was less fortunate. Tew only managed to catch up with one ship, the war frigate ‘Fateh Mohammed’. A volley from her guns hit Tew in the stomach with shrapnel. He died at sea, far from his native Newport, where he had dreamed of living out his days in peace. The Indians took his sailors prisoner. Henry Avery vowed to avenge his comrade’s life…”
“But that’s another story for which we need more lobsters,” Alex laughed. He was applauded and everyone clinked glasses.
Alex raised his glass:
“Dear Rosalia and Michael, I’ve saved the end of the story for you.
…In the three years of his dashing life, Thomas Tew has amassed a fortune of 111 million dollars (at current exchange rates), making himself the third richest pirate in American piracy history. There is a family history associated with his fortune.
In 1945 Edward Snow, an author who wrote about American pirates, was contacted by a relative of Thomas Tew. She asked him to help her find the captain’s chest in which he kept his treasure. This chest was said to have been seen by another relative living on Cape Cod in 1920. The empty chest was sold by Tew’s grandson to a collector as a family heirloom. The writer searched and succeeded in locating the chest, which he purchased for a considerable sum. But the woman who had asked for the chest had died, and her heirs were not interested in the old box in which their ancestor had once kept his treasures. So the writer found himself the owner of an antique whose whereabouts are unknown. And for which fans of pirate antiquities could easily pay a million dollars at auction. The cheerful people of Newport have opened a museum in his memory and named it after Thomas Tew. The pirate’s name is also the name of a Caribbean rum. The locals are very proud of it…
“Bravo, Alex,” Michael laughed, “we have a museum on the island and they drink Thomas Tew rum in the bars!”
As they said goodbye, Rosalie whispered to Alex that he had impressed Diana and that her friend was infatuated with him.
On the way home, Alex was overcome with confusion. Was he part of the millionaire’s plans? Did she want him as her lover? He, a penniless man….. So what, to fulfill her whims, to become her obedient alphonse…? And if he refused, it would interrupt their friendship, maybe they would even avoid each other. Alex didn’t want that, there were no people of her level in the neighborhood, he was interested in socializing with her, at the table, in nature. But what would happen after the bedroom…?
All night long he was tossing and turning in bed. And, of course, he couldn’t assume that she was also turning in her bed and thinking the same thing. Alex couldn’t imagine that clever Diana guessed his doubts and in her musings had already come up with a plan…
***
At the beginning of the month, it was time to pay the dock rent. The office was in a small building on the shore of the lagoon.
Diana smiled at Alex: “You’re a master cook! My friends were surprised and pleased to go home with many impressions, thank you!”
“Oh, I have many fond memories of that day too, Diana, thank you! Your friends are a very nice couple,” Alex handed over his credit card.
“Thank you for the payment, Alex. I wanted to ask you something.”
” I’m all ears, Diane, do me a favor.”
“Have you ever dealt with brokers, Alex? Do you know what it’s like to be a broker?”
“Oh yes, of course. I used to own my property and a yacht in Los Angeles, I’ve taken out bank loans and of course, I’ve dealt with brokers and other bank paper worms,” he smiled.
“I want to offer you a deal, Alex. I need your help.”
“No problem, Diana. If you are satisfied with my cooking skills, I hope I won’t disappoint you in other ways.”
“Would you like a cup-o-coffee, Alex? My coffee machine just made some.”
The coffee was strong. Diana drank it while nibbling on a tube of dried cinnamon:
“I learned it on the island of Java in the Indian Ocean, where this tree grows. There are wonderful savages there and they still eat human flesh,” she said, making her eyes wide, “the unfaithful wife is roasted on a fire and eaten to the sound of drums. She knows she will be eaten but she can’t do anything about her sin, the local girls have been fucking everyone since they were ten years old, they especially like white tourists…”
Alex grinned at this and Diana continued:
“I have a lot of responsibilities, they take up a lot of my energy,” she leaned back in her chair and drank coffee in small sips, “the hotel and the marina, building houses for sale and keeping everything clean and tidy needs a lot of attention and I’m getting tired. Sure, I have managers, but they are chattels that require far more attention than real estate. People are people, they have vices and they need to be controlled day and night”.
“I understand you well, lady,” Alex nodded, “I was successful in my business, but I relaxed, got distracted by personal matters, and loosened my control. So my partners took advantage of that and bankrupted me. I had wealthy acquaintances in the States, some of whom also found themselves at the bottom by relaxing. Business and pleasure do not mix. I was too arrogant to learn from their mistakes…”
“I’m sorry for your loss, maybe that’s why I’ve decided to get rid of some of the weight that’s been weighing me down,” Diana sighed, “I’ve decided to sell the marina, and the land with the houses. Just to keep the hotel, where I have a reliable and well-coordinated team. And I am going on a trip around the world. I want to visit Morocco, I’ve heard a lot about it.
“It will be a good shake, Diane!” he grinned, “I’ve been there and I can guarantee you an emotional and dangerous adventure. The hellish mix of religious fancies of the wild Arab tribes keeps them in constant conflict with European culture. It’s a place where luxury and crime live under the same roof. But the beautiful climate and warm ocean balance out all the unpleasant emotions.”
“Alex, you have painted a colorful picture of what awaits me. Perhaps you will keep me company for that trip, be my guide and bodyguard?” Diana smiled.
Alex was silent. He liked the cinnamon in his coffee. So did the offer.
“Well, if silence is a sign of agreement, then I suggest you become my broker,” Diana smiled, “help me sell what I estimate at five million and I’ll pay you a commission, you’ll get a million…Well, I foresee doubts,” she anticipated his reply, “you’re probably going to ask why I don’t want to go to an estate agent…?”
“That’s exactly what I was going to ask.”
“I am experienced and smart,” she replied, “and I know every agency in the neighborhood. Everyone in this business doesn’t know any more than I do, and they don’t have the life experience that you and I have. Well, maybe they have more technical ability to make ads to attract customers, but otherwise, it’s all about personal gain. Why should I share money with strangers? I will make the business myself and I suggest you remember your acquaintances and start calling former friends. I will provide all the necessary brochures, pictures, and descriptions of this investment for those who are interested. The Caribbean – a slice of earthly paradise where property values rise as steadily as world inflation.
“I’ll probably be the first person you’ve talked into it,” laughed Alex.
The sun was sinking red-orange towards the horizon, the heat was fading into the warm sand and the evening breeze was already playing with the palm leaves. Alex lay in the hammock, drinking wine on the rocks. He was thinking about Diana’s proposals. Two had been made today and one more was the one she had only shared with her friend Rosalie. And then a thought suddenly occurred to him. What if she was not refusing the services of brokers because she did not trust their professionalism? And what was her motive in offering him a million dollars? And he thought that if she made him a millionaire, her secret shared with Rosalie would probably not be perceived by him as the whim of a rich person. Rather, it would be a friendly proposal from one equal to another, and their further relations would be without any mutual obligations and might grow into something more. And he also thought that by offering him a million she was testing his mettle and preparing him for her third proposal. After all, he, whom she would put on an equal footing with herself after receiving such an offer, would already feel a great sense of sincere gratitude towards her, and might even be the first to say what she had whispered to her friend… Alex caught himself thinking that he liked her game.
A few days later he came into the office with a bottle of champagne to celebrate the deal and to find out about the property. Diana was sad and looked unwell. When he asked her if anything was wrong, she told him that she was going to the hospital tomorrow to have an operation on her heart. Not on the heart itself, but on a blood vessel. She said she’d spoken to the surgeon, who assured her it was a minor operation and she’d be home in a few days.
“And then you and I will drink this wine,” she added with a smile.
“Diana, I advise you to fly to the States immediately, they do these operations with high quality, my friend in a Texas hospital had a heart transplant and he is now riding like a young goat. Please take my advice,” Alex said seriously.
“Don’t worry Alex, I checked the surgeon’s record and the hospital is private, they have a team of professionals. I’ll call you as soon as I get back.”
A few days passed, then a few more. Early one morning, Alex was walking along the beach when he saw a greengrocer’s van. He regularly delivered fruit and vegetables to Diana; they had once met at her house. Now the man was unloading vegetables for the owner of a restaurant on the beach. When Alex asked if he’d seen Diana, the greengrocer gave him a strange look:
“I thought you knew. She didn’t make it…”.
She didn’t make it. Diana never woke up from the anesthetic, and probably in her slipping dreams, she is still waiting for the time when she can return home and drink that champagne with Alex to their joint success…
© Copyright: Walter Maria, 2024
Certificate of Publication No.224070700646
I was studying some of your articles on this website and I think this website is very instructive! Keep on putting up.