Return to the West Indies

 The first time I was here, I had just finished the Bar Exam. One of the Lehigh crew was running a sailing and diving school out of Tortola and kept one of the leased sailboats for a few extra weeks so the boys could have a rum soaked debauch around the U.S. and British Virgin islands.

 After Law School final exams and prepping for and taking the Bar, my brain was soup. I blew the money I had saved working 3rd year in a law firm during school on a plane ticket to St. Thomas.From there I had to take a Ferry to Road Town,Tortola to meet my buddy Chip who was running the show.

 Before I boarded the Ferry there was time to kill. I killed it dead in a open air roadside bar in Charlotte Amelia. I met up with some navy boys from a ship that was in  port as I sat at the bar. I bought them shots of Bourbon  and Red Stripes and asked them what it was like serving in the Navy.I was 25 and they were 19 but the age difference seemed more distinct and they were just kids away from home. They were jealous I had finished law school and they were sure I was going to be rich. I was jealous they spent their days on the Ocean and got to drink cold beer in ports around the Globe while I faced 75 hour weeks toiling in a law library . They appreciated the beers and the shots and gave me shipboard addresses to write them when I paid the bill and headed for the Ferry dock.

 The time that followed on the 47 foot vessel "Con Brio" was scuba and fishing and rum and buffoonery with 9 of my college buddies. We were in Spanishtown on Virgin Gorda when the effete ex-pat Brit harbor master criticized our loading of supplies and made some remark about spoiled young Yanks. As we motored from the harbor I flipped him the bird and called him a Limey wanker.

I am going back tomorrow. This time with my wife. One of the Lehigh guys from the Con Brio will be with us with his wife...and a few other couples. We are celebrating my wife's birthday and getting in some much needed vacation. I hope to do some sport fishing and we will snorkel and scuba and drink rum and cold beer on the beach. Until my return...this spoiled Yank is off-line.