Despite not writing in awhile, there has been a fair amount of excitement and news (at least as much as an island of 78 square miles can have).
One evening last week, while sitting with a cold Vailima in the mostly deserted cafe where I normally work (and hijack the TV to watch sports games), a fellow drinker started up a conversation with me. Three hours later, I made it home alive, but $33 poorer. Here's how it happened:
Micah, who was probably in his mid-40s, 6'5 and, like Samoans, built like a truck. He also had that look that made me think there was an ever-so-slight chance he could be a deranged killer. That should have been my first hint. The second should have been that he was drinking---a lot---by himself. Anyway, the social part of my Tuesday evening was coming to a close--Lisa has just arrived and we were going to walk home together. But Micah wouldn't really give us an opportunity to leave. He kept blatantly hitting on Lisa, and every other girl within view. He went on and on about how we are now his friends---no, his extended family. What is his is ours, blah blah blah. He really wanted me to go out with him to bars in Tafuna and I kept giving him excuses. After about the 5th time he implied Lisa had me whipped, and after Lisa told him that I didn't have any plans and should go out with him, I consented.
His car was about 30 years old and sounded like it, and Lisa had to move a pile of beer cans to fit in the back seat. It was okay, he reassured me; if we got pulled over, he knew people and we wouldn't go to jail. After dropping off a very concerned Lisa, we drove to Tafuna. First stop: Runway Bar, which just happens to be right next to the runway. Turns out there was a private birthday party going on, but Micah didn't seem to notice that. Some awkward moments for me ensued, where I wanted to just say "I don't know this guy." Turns out, Micah is a drug dealer. He has the hookup if I ever want meth or coke. Great. That would explain a lot of his behavior---he definitely was coked up. Problem is he was a drug dealer with a drug problem and no money. I was beginning to see why he really wanted to bring me...I got to pay for the mess he left behind. The first time he asked to borrow $20 I gave it to him, since he was scary looking and scary acting, and would be able to pay for my drinks since he had a tab (a lie). That's when I decided to call a cab. I had consumed one Coors Light, which probably never got paid for, but that wasn't my problem. I didn't know anybody; it was a private function; I was with a crazed, high, drug dealer. I went to tell Micah I was leaving when I saw the cab pull up. He knew where I lived, so I didn't want things to end on a really rough note. Lucky the cab was there too, because he had the intention of getting a lot more money from me that night and was acting very threatening. I got in the cab, shut the door, and left. After a $13 cab ride, I made it home. En route I learned from the cabbie that Micah has a bit of a reputation; he was a guy I didn't want to associate with. I have not seen Micah since.
There were two trinkets of newsworthy news here last week. First, a Air National Guard C5 military jet made an emergency landing last Thursday. The heating system busted, and the cabin lost pressure a few hours into a New Zealand-to-Honolulu flight. The plane had to fly at under 10,000 feet for 2 hours but landed safely. I've met a bunch of the guys from the flight since they are staying in the hotel that's attached to the cafe where I practically live. Want to know where your tax dollars go? To $70/day rental cars, when buses will take you wherever you need to go for $1. The guys are still here, since the plane still hasn't been fixed.
My buddy Rob reports that one of the other cruisers anchored in Pago Pago Harbor was attacked last Thursday night. Two 22-year old guys paddled out, boarded his boat, and beat the crap out of him. Luckily, someone on shore had seen these scum paddling out, and called the police. The cops got out to the boat as the two men were trying to strangle the cruiser with his belt. The two men are in jail, and hopefully will be there for a very long time. The victim is in the hospital with broken bones in his face, a broken jaw, and most of his teeth knocked out, but he's alive. The locals are extremely embarrassed and shocked about the incident (as am I). There is not a lot of serious crime here--on an island this small, everyone knows everyone. And it appears the attack was completely unprovoked. I have no idea what the men wanted from this cruiser...were they trying to pirate his boat? Where would they go with it? The guy only had $100 on him. It seems so crazy to me.
