Journey of Sea, Heart, and Land

By Jaime Enrique Gutierrez Perez

Elias Gomez is a young man living a simple life in San Andrés, Colombia, along with his legal guardian, Lina Vespucio; despite being happy, Elias longs for travel around the world, just like in his early childhood. One day, he meets a very old captain and traveller, called Ludwig Bineo; after some time, both realise they have a lot of things in common and create a powerful friendship. Immediately, Ludwig makes Elias an offer he cannot refuse, a lifetime opportunity, become a member of his crew in his beloved ship, called El Valhalla. As expected, Elias accepts, and goes in adventure through many countries.

From there, the new life of Elias starts; However, he will soon find out that his job will take to discover more than he expected, including love, friendship, dreams, adulthood, family and feelings, in a journey full of sea, heart and land.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris AU
• Release date: May 30, 2023
• ISBN: 9798369491904

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Copyright © 2023 by Jaime Enrique Gutierrez Perez.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to any actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Getty Images are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Getty Images.

Rev. date: 01/18/2024

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CONTENTS

Chapter 1Elias Gomez, a Boy Like No Other

Chapter 2Captain Ludwig Bineo

Chapter 3A Transcendental Decision

Chapter 4The Valhalla

Chapter 5Helena Bineo and Kia Hirvonen

Chapter 6The Hirvonen Family and the Beautiful Helsinki

Chapter 7Leena Mäkipää

Chapter 8The bond of Elias and the Mäkipää family grow closer

Chapter 9Helena Bineo, part of her past… and her heart

Chapter 10A True Welcome Back to the Sea

Chapter 11Friendships Born from the Baltic and Atlantic

Chapter 12The Valhalla and Its New Life

Chapter 13A Storm in the Atlantic Ocean

Chapter 14Repairing Valhalla, As Well As Leena

Chapter 15The Memory of Two Beauties in Rio de Janeiro

Chapter 16Souvenirs From Rio De Janeiro—the Walk

Chapter 17The Departure towards a New Adventure—Sicily

Chapter 18The Confession of a Deep Friendship that Overcame Frustration

Chapter 19The New Page of Promises and Revelations

Chapter 20The Childhood of Ludwig Bineo

Chapter 21The Path of Friendship and the Revolution

Chapter 22The Three Friends and That Strange Businessman

Chapter 23The Path to the Revolution

Chapter 24The Days after the Revolution

Chapter 25A Nice Date between Two Girls in Italy

Chapter 26Kumiko and the Strange Dreams in Palermo

Chapter 27An old captain that finally reveals and accepts his past.

Chapter 28A Brand New Day, And A Brand New Crew Member

Chapter 29Back to the Atlantic and the 1960s

Chapter 30Mariela Vittorini

Chapter 31All Back in San Andres

Chapter 32November Rain

Chapter 33Welcome to the Jungle of Two Lovers in the Sea –Experiments, But Also Joy

Chapter 34A Girl Called Helena Bineo Has Fun in Dominica

Chapter 35A Long Honeymoon and a Return to Cuba

Chapter 36Birthdays and Wishes revealed in Türkiye

Chapter 37The Good Doctor of Izmir

Chapter 38Elias Revives His Old Passion: Football

Chapter 39A Party of Defined Hearts and Future

Chapter 39.51999 - Helena and Leena one night stand

Epilogue

25 April 1974

CHARACTERS

Elías F. Gómez: Colombian, 18, boy of Colombian father and Argentine mother, fond of the sea and the oceans, protagonist and narrator of the story.

One of his most precious possessions is a ring, a gift from his father.

Ludwig Bineo: 62-year-old sailor, spends most of his free time on his boat with his crew, likes noodles, commander of the Valhalla.

Helena Bineo: Niece of the previous one, 18 years old.

Eymen Bozgüney: Young man from Izmir, almost 20 years old.

Mustafa Bozgüney: Doctor specialising in muscles and bones, runs a clinic in Izmir. Eymen’s cousin.

Rodrigo Cunha: First navigator of Ludwig Bineo during the sixties.

Marcelo Quiñones: Harpooner of Latin American descent, part of Bineo’s crew. Approximately early thirties.

Heikki Hirvonen: Finnish boat manufacturer in Helsinki and old friend of the captain.

Nissa Hirvonen: Heikki’s wife and Kia’s mother.

Kia Hirvonen: Daughter of the previous and friend of Helena, 18 years old.

Leena Mäkipää: Kia and Helena’s childhood friend. 19 years old.

Leena Mäkipää: Kia and Helena’s childhood friend. Eighteen years old.

Stig Mäkipää: Leena’s father.

Kielo Mäkipää: Leena’s mother.

Aatami Mäkipää: Leena’s older brother

Jorki. Mäkipää: Leena’s younger brother.

Ingria. Mäkipää: Leena’s younger sister.

Lupita Rosales: Inhabitant of Dominica and stepdaughter of Roland Wyler.

Harrison McGinley: American businessman, living in Fulgencio Batista’s Cuba.

Mackenzie: One of McGinley’s trusted men.

Benno Toscanelli: Former Italian captain in his seventies and friend of Bineo.

Max Vergara: Childhood friend of Ludwig Bineo from Cuba.

Teodora Polanco: Childhood friend of Ludwig Bineo from Cuba.

Sonia Toscanelli: Toscanelli’s 25-year-old niece, an acquaintance of Quiñones.

Duccia Vaccarini: Secretary of the Toscanellis, 40-year-old woman.

Mariela Vittorini: Wife of Ludwig Bineo.

Lina Vespucio: Honest woman, Gómez’s tutor legal and guardian.

Roland Wyler: Fisherman, friend of the captain, and owner of a business in Dominica

Rómulo Valdés: Wyler’s 25-year-old apprentice, stepson and Lupita’s Stepbrother, competes with Gómez in a fishing test.

Sofia Quevedo: Ludwig Bineo’s mother.

Baltasar Bineo: Father of Ludwig Bineo, with a mysterious past.

Mariana Lamborghini: Educated woman, mother of Gómez.

Chalo: Sailor from Valhalla. His real name is Gonzalo Mejía.

Stanfeld: Another sailor from Valhalla.

Kumiko: The representation of the fiercest dreams and deepest desires of Elias, sometimes with the figure of Leena as a succubus, or she is a kind of nymph.

Alcazar, de Montevideo.

Helmi Virtanen, as well as other boyfriends and girlfriends.

I also want to mention another character, whose name is Hector Vespucio.

Other Italian and Turkish characters.

Sometimes the sea and the ocean are the most mystical places. Because of the themes of romance and personal and intimate discovery, there are some romantic scenes, both explicit and subtle, so I recommend you keep that in mind.

San Andres, Colombia

2001

NEW LIFE, BIG FAMILY

CHAPTER 1

Elias Gomez, a Boy Like No Other

It is said that if you dream of the woman you like,

being in different forms, and in idyllic environments,

then you managed to find the love of your life.

—Elias Federico Gomez Lamborghini

This is a common story that could happen to anyone. Or so I thought. At least, I want to believe that. And yet I can’t wait to narrate it.

Every night, I have the same vision.

It’s always that cloudy and implacable dream, to which, however, I’ve gotten used to it. I find myself swimming in the middle of the ocean; smiling to the point of spasm; kicking with arms and legs without thinking if that was really possible; and feeling how the strange tickles of the saltwater reached my face and even the inside of my nails and how I could see the little blessed fish in the water through the glass of my lens and my small pupils.

What a feeling of freedom! Only the burning power of the omnipresent sun on your skin can compare to this euphoria. And all the water falling on my arms and legs with the softness of a pillow. But before you activate your precious imagination, dear reader, they were not as big as I thought. Was a kid.

And in front, there were a couple of people I didn’t even have time to recognise—immediately.

And then it’s time to wake up! And getting up, obviously.

Without still waiting for breakfast, I went to the window to contemplate the sun with great care, that beautiful Saturday morning; I was about to finish Herman Melville’s great work Moby Dick, although I admit that I have always preferred to travel by sea much more than read novels of sailors or, at least, read them in a conducive environment.

But that does not matter; I was soon going to find out that. With a single visit to a port, my life was going to change, and it would never be the same again—never.

Forgive the redundancy!

What year is this? you ask.

Well, it’s 2001.

To put it more simply, a lot had happened since my father was killed by a huge white shark—or that great-destroyer shark, as I prefer to call it (you decide). Whatever! Since then, my dearest boss—Mrs Lina Vespucio, a friend of my mother, Mariana Lamborghini—takes care of me and raises me; but before coming to that life, I lived with my parents.

Dad taught me a lot about the sea and fish. He took me on great adventures across the Indian Ocean, the Pacific, the Atlantic, and even the Arctic; so many stories about sirens of Odysseus, the hero of Iliad and Odyssey, had to travel a long time to reach Ithaca. I always knew they were fantasy from Ancient Greece. Despite this, it was wonderful to listen to, especially because of the voice so strong and full of life and optimism with which my father accompanied his stories.

All the while, Mom guided us both when it came to doing the chores, always under her watchful eye. She never lost a single moment when laziness overcomes us, which made us worthy of her reproaches, worthy of a woman of great strength and will.

Who am I? My name is Gomez—Elias Gomez.

I’ll start by telling you a few things about myself. First, I come from Manizales. 18 years old, I have spent most of my life travelling by sea. But as I told you before, my father was killed by a shark, and I ended up separating from my mother; however, I do not remember the reasons for the latter. This all happened when I was 10 years old. After that, I swore that one day I would find her.

‘Even if it costs me my life,’ I remember thinking.

Curiously, soon after, I was picked up by this kind woman named Lina Vespucio who perhaps sacrificed many desires just for me. Maybe because she was always a great friend of Mom. The two met before I was born, at least I think so.

Sorry, reader, I’m not a Ulysses! Not a Captain Nemo. The closest relationship I have to Mr Jules Verne is many of his books… Most of them.

My hair is brownmy eyes green, and I think I’m about six feet seven—maybe too tall for my age. I like to think about the sea, although I think you’ve already noticed. About the things in my life, I learnt dozens of languages, such as English, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, and some Creole…. I think

I admit that the part of my childhood is not very interesting. I already lived it. Even so, I wish to narrate it with joy.

But this story begins when I left my house to see the sun, having its best face and essence in front of me, seeing it was fantastic—a real privilege!

Sorry, I have this terrible habit of counting more than I should! My guardian always reminds me of it. I just need this.

‘Wonderful day,’ I said, stretching. ‘I see that this, time there will be new things for me.’

Immediately, my guardian, Lina Vespucio, came out. She was a 49 years-old woman, thin. looking much younger than she was, dyed hair and blue eyes. When you see her, you might think that she is demanding and austere. Well, yes, sometimes she was, but only grudgingly!

She seemed somewhat confused for seeing me like this. That’s right, reader! She was Lina Vespucio. She hasn’t quite gotten used to my ridiculous hullabaloo in the morning.

‘Who are you talking to, Elias?’ she asked me suddenly.

‘With nobody, jefa,’ I answered, turning around to see her face. ‘Sorry, I think I got a little carried away by my thoughts.’

Mrs Vespucio burst out laughing immediately. ‘I think so!’ she concluded, smiling. ‘You and your universal imagination, Elias!’

We both laughed for a while, one that seemed like several minutes.

‘Let’s eat.’

Afterwards, we had a great breakfast. In case you are interested, dear reader, Mrs Vespucio and I usually prepare it together.

‘Elias’, Lina finally said to me as she put the dishes down, ‘I need you to do me a huge favour.’

I approached her and straightened up to look more formal but also trying to be myself. I always do when I want to look more mature, at least with my boss. ‘How can I help you, boss?’ I asked.

‘Listen, Elias’, she said, looking at my face, ‘what happens is that today I am going to prepare a special dinner, so I need you to go and buy me the following groceries.’ She took out of her pocket a list that did not have many things. ‘Steak, eggs, rice, shrimp, lemon, orange, lettuce, and tomatoes.’

I reread the list. ‘Can I go to the store that is two kilometres from here, boss?’ I asked.

And with a hesitant gesture, my landlady said, ‘Okay, Elias, but I don’t want you to be distracted by the sea because I need all this for five o’clock. Do you understand?’

‘Yes, ma’am,’ I told her, leaving the garden and going to the store.

‘Go carefully!’

‘I will. Thank you.’

‘And don’t take too long!’

With that, I took time to turn to look at her. ‘Any surprises I should know, miss?’

Mrs Vespucio looked at me very suspiciously. ‘What does that mean?’

‘Nothing. Nothing! I’m going now!’

I went to my scooter, a small Yamaha KTB 2000, one of those you can rent in San Andres. A bit old but still worked.

I got on it and started my day.

During my ride to the store, I looked at the houses for a moment. They were medium sized but cosy. And the roads were simple and beautiful despite the heavy traffic. No matter the problem, for me, San Andres will never stop being beautiful! It’s only being surpassed by Providence. From the Rojas Pinilla Airport, to the North End; from Paradise Point, to Morris Landing; and from Los Corales to Schooner Bight, and reaching South End Villas.

And when the occasion called for it, the view of Crab Cay was my greatest comfort whenever any kind of depression overwhelmed me.

Sometimes I felt strange when I was driving through the streets. Of course! I already had so many sea voyages, I can’t never get used to land. I miss the time to travel by boat and tour the world just like before.

Like the good ol’ Marco Polo did.

Sorry, dear reader! Again, doing mine!

My mind felt like it was returning to that state when I was a child. In the presence of my father, by majestically combining the environment where we lived, with the wonderful stories he told me, to feel that he was not only listening to them . . . but that we were also living them together. My wonderful father! And my pretty mom! Where will you be now?

But since my father died everything changed. I have not been able to experience the sensation of the sea again: feel the breeze of the wind, see the dolphins by the sea, face terrible storms, and, best of all, fish in the sea. Definitely, the sea was like my home.

The city was beautiful and quite folkloric as our beloved San Andrés would be. Yes, it’s been a while since I stopped living in Manizales. That was my biggest consolation. Now I have a new life in San Andres.

Whatever!

I arrived at my favourite grocery and snack store located at Avenida 20 de Julio, where the shopkeeper, Mr Cornelius Jordan, gave me all the things that Mrs Vespucio asked for. ‘Thank you, Mr Jordan!’

‘Have a nice day, Elias!’

Mr Jordan only spoke English, if you’re interested. Then I got back on my motorcycle to go home.

Agree, it might not have been a luxurious life, but at least it was filled with a lot of love and kindness. Basically, every day was the same. I got up at six in the morning, maybe a little earlier, to help Mrs Vespucio with her homework; clean the floors and the bathrooms; mow the garden a bit; prepare breakfast; water the plants when needed; and, from time to time, repair the fans, made last century. Occasionally, I would earn a double portion of Mrs Vespucio’s parrot eggs as a reward for that work. But if I had extra time, I would take care of the dampness on the walls and ceiling. In less than an hour, the house was fixed.

I immediately went to work in the shipyard in the ports in Cocoplum Bay, where I spent my time taking care of the boats and helping to transport boxes to the docks under the supervision of many skippers, such as Mr Rogelio Medina and Mrs Rosa Mercader, and several navy captains, although I don’t think I have time to talk about them.

I am telling you in a simple way, dear reader, that it was quite a demanding job. The boats bring a lot of things—food, metal parts, sometimes ammunition, and bags of up to 25 kilos—that we had to carry for several hours. You are already getting the idea! And among my duties, there was also cleaning and mopping both ports and ships.

My favourite part—no, it’s not sarcasm!—was sometimes I took the opportunity to learn more about boats and their owners.

But that was not all. I only mentioned one of my jobs.

The other was to be a newspaper delivery man at night, you know, when the newspapers printed their copies for the next day. I took the opportunity to read the headlines, especially about what was happening in San Vicente del Caguán.

meetings between the government and the guerrillas continue without yielding results

It wasn’t my favourite part or Mrs Vespucio’s, but at least, it distracted me from time to time. But I still remember this other headline like it was yesterday.

george walker bush takes office as president of the united states

It doesn’t help the story, but I just wanted to mention it.

And of course, I managed to wriggle out another item! Like this:

there are only a few months left for the celebration of the copa américa—the first in our country

But on those occasions, I didn’t realise how late it was. It wasn’t until Mrs Vespucio turned the doorknob before I realised that I was in trouble.

Like that night . . .

Second Week of January

Days after the New Year, they invited me to a meal and a bottle of beer—not true! At least I stopped being a kid, however…

What a night of merriment!

‘Are you sure you don’t want to drink, Elias?’

‘You already say, Mr Contreras, I’m not allowed to drink!’

‘Oh, of which you miss a lot!’

‘Don’t pay attention to him, Elias,’ said another classmate. Ramiro. ‘Calm down and enjoy.’

Everything happened so fast that the notion of time was gone. It was very late! He had to go home as soon as possible. But there was no turning back, not for my boss.

‘Elias!’ She exclaimed with a loud, deafening tone. ‘Why are you so late?’

After several years of having that knack, you’d think I’d get used to her glare.

‘Let me guess!’ She interrupted before I could even think of anything. ‘You stayed reading the newspapers again!’

‘I apologise, Mrs Vespucio.’

She sighed quite deeply. ‘Yes, yes, I know! You lost track of time! Come in. Your food is getting cold! While we walk, we also talk. Mijo, you know that I don’t like that you stay so late at night. Everything is different. It can become dangerous. I don’t want the police to come to me with bad news. You understand?’

The next line, though severe, comforted both of us. ‘You are the only thing I have left in this world. I do not want to lose you.’ And then she caressed my face. ‘You are my son.’

She stopped and left her mouth ajar, with some of her fingers on my chin. She always did it after pronouncing those words.

‘The closest . . .’

And then she moved closer to me.

‘No sir! My son! My boy! After all, the memories we spend together are diamond memories. Of diamond! There can never be anything more valuable than those beautiful moments of happiness that you gave me when you came to my world, especially . . . after Hector’s death. And watching you grow always helps me smile more than you can imagine. Nothing has made me as happy as you. I could not.’

In the end, she finished with a big smile. ‘Do you understand what I’m saying?’

Then, as always, I smiled at Mrs Vespucio. ‘Yes, ma’am.’

‘Thanks, mijo. Let’s eat.’

It was those words that made those moments so beautiful and precious to me. ‘Lady Vespucio, for me, you are also very valuable.’

You will already know where I get the exaggeration in my words. Something poetic!

Back to the Present

‘Be home soon’, Mrs Vespucio told me, ‘before five.’

‘Mrs. Vespucio! Lina! I’m here!’ I did not receive an answer. I closed the door and knocked again. ‘Mrs. Vespucio?’

‘Hi, Elias.’

She was smiling in the most beautiful way possible. She almost reminded me of my mother. ‘That’s good! You got me what I asked for!’ She received it.

And then we started preparing the food. But what a surprise!

Everything was very beautiful—delicious wild rice; a great plate of paella, paired with ceviches and orange juices; and the beautiful candles that were on the tables! All the while, Mrs Vespucio left all the windows open to let in the beautiful wind and that fresh atmosphere of the Pacific Ocean that I have always been passionate about.

‘Surprise, Elias!’ And Mrs Vespucio was dressed in a beautiful bodice robe.

‘Mrs. Vespucio’—I burst out laughing—‘what are we celebrating?’

With the same good humour, Mrs Vespucio ‘escorted’ me to my seat. ‘Come on, son, have you already forgotten?’ Then Mrs Vespucio revealed the reason to me, ‘We are celebrating eight years together. Today, eight years ago, I adopted you. Eight years ago, you entered my life and Hector’s to become part of our family.’

‘Really?’ It was what I thought at the time. I really had a hard time believing it. But it is true. It was a rainy night when I was introduced to Lina and the man with whom she was sharing her vows—the vows of their lives.

That moment was when I thought I would never be happy again. That moment was when the two of you saved me. From what? From a desolate life, perhaps in who knows what kind of orphanage.

That was one of the most wonderful dinners this year.

Life and Work of Hector Vespucio

I think it is a good opportunity to talk about this individual, the one that Mrs Vespucio, the who is called Hector. And who was he?

Simple. He was Mrs Vespucio’s husband.

Mr Héctor Vespucio was a Colombian Navy sailor, who had served in various frigates over the past decade. He was ten years older than his wife, but even so, he loved her very much. The two were very close. Or at least, that’s how it was until five years during Hurricane Cesar-Douglas; his ship was sunk by strong storms, from ARC Cutumba.

They couldn’t find any, except Mr Vespucio. But when they found him—exactly! He had drowned.

It had been a hard blow for Mrs Vespucio. But soon, it would be five years. And that day, we dressed appropriately to go to Chascomus Cemetery.

‘I’m ready, Mrs Vespucio!’ I exclaimed.

Those days, with her black clothes and mourning veil, you wouldn’t love me if I told you that Mrs Vespucio looked very different. And the two of us went to the cemetery in the midst of the typical heat of the island and the revitalising coolness of the wind, two things that seemed not to disturb Mrs Vespucio in the midst of paying respects to her second loved one. The inscription on the tomb was

CAPTAIN HECTOR VESPUCIO 07/03/1962–MAY 1996

GREAT SOLDIER, DEAR HUSBAND

Every year, it was the same. Mrs Vespucio left the bunch of petunias at her husband’s grave. And I also left behind a model of navy frigates that I had made. What was the image of that man like? A person with a sober and human expression, even on the darkest days, but very generous and of great wisdom.

As I saw that solemn tomb, how could I tell Mrs Vespucio about my dream that Hector Vespucio’s adventures had also inspired me?

I always considered myself a man of the sea. As I already mentioned, I travelled all over the seas with my parents when I was a child. It had been one of my most precious memories. And yet, I couldn’t remember anything about that life.

And that always made me wonder one thing. How could the sea out there feel again? How much could I recover from that life? That was what I had in mind when, every night, before going to sleep, I spent an hour looking at the Pacific Ocean, feeling the gentle winds with great patience, trying to capture the wonderful paradise of Providencia with my eyes.

But that was not the only reason. He also did it for a reason to remind me of my dream to return to the sea, whether as a sailor, whether as a captain, whether as a small ship owner. In other words, start my career at sea.

But I always knew that Mrs Vespucio would never like it. She always wanted me to take care of the business that she had, that my life was between Providencia or the island. At that time, I returned to the house.

Before going back to the house, I managed to have a few minutes to look at one of the old photos of the Mrs. Vespucio and her late husband. Particularly, one was possibly from two decades ago. He was a man in a typical sailor suit, with a long moustache and bushy eyebrows. Hector Vespucio was dressed in a military suit.

What was his name? Ludwig?

I could hardly believe that I did not remember the name of this subject, because, to tell the truth, it was a legend, according to what many sailors in San Andrés could affirm. I also understood that he was the one who had taught Mr Vespucio everything he knew, and who knows what other surprises he had? I guess I wouldn’t know.

Maybe . . .

So it seems. Well . . . bedtime.

I know that Mrs Vespucio had given me a simple instruction, but even so, I had a desire to approach the photo of that man who was in company with Mr Hector Vespucio.

‘Elias?’

‘Forgive me, jefa. There’s something I’d like to ask you.’ Despite the fact that Mrs Vespucio had seen the photo, I took it and brought it closer to her so that we could see it together. ‘I’m a little curious. Who is he?’

Mrs Vespucio grabbed the photo and looked at it with a strong mood of nostalgia. ‘The man who is with Hector?’ She immediately smiled. ‘His name is Ludwig Bineo, and he was a mentor and one of Hector’s closest friends. He taught him everything Hector knew about the sea and about boats. Ludwig Bineo is a man born and raised in the sea! How can you imagine all the wonderful experiences that boy had lived! Throughout his life, he has travelled the seven seas. He has devoured practically all of Jules Verne’s novels, especially 20,000 Leagues. He was born in Cuba, but he always belonged to the world, and he let the sea be the bridge and went from one place to another. At least that’s what Mrs. Vespucio told me before. Ludwig Bineo always took care of Hector, treated him like a son, and he was also there when we both got married, and he gave me his condolences when Hector passed away.’

Then she looked at the moon. ‘Despite being part of the family, Ludwig Bineo has never talked much about himself, about the things he did, about the places he has visited, about his family, about any love experience to say the least. There are many mysteries surrounding Mr Ludwig Bineo, but even so, he has always had that air of beauty, adventure, and peace with which he soon infects everyone.’

Mrs Vespucio walked towards me. ‘I hope that one day you can meet him, Elias. I’m sure you will be surprised and that it will also teach you to be a great sea captain!’ Mrs Vespucio also caressed my scalp a little. But then she put the photo back in its place. ‘Go to sleep, Elias. It’s too late.’

I looked at the clock, and I knew that Mrs Vespucio was right. It was 10.15 p.m. ‘Yes, Mrs Vespucio. See you tomorrow!’

With a smile, Lina told me, ‘See you tomorrow, dear Elias!’

The truth is that, after going to bed, I couldn’t stop thinking about Captain Ludwig Bineo.

CHAPTER 2

Captain Ludwig Bineo

The morning was here! It was the time to start a new day!

I jumped up, something that had not happened to me in a long time. I didn’t even want to take advantage of my five minutes of laziness. I wasn’t feeling in the mood. then I changed to do a little push-ups and squats. While doing my exercises, I kept wondering why I felt having little desire to enjoy.

What a crazy thought! All I could do was stop and get some fresh air, remembering my fear of thinking that my sensitivity was the only thing that was really mine.

‘Elias! Breakfast time.’ I heard after a few seconds of rest.

‘I’m coming down, Mrs Vespucio.’ I looked at the sky through the window, still not knowing what had happened to me.

I went to the first floor and the dining room. But there was something different in my heart. I felt that my body was very heavy and that my mind was as disordered as ever. In other words, I didn’t want to do anything. All that was between Mrs Vespucio and me was an awkward silence, one that was not very common between us.

Without surprising myself, Mrs Vespucio noticed when she saw my face, so she went to see me. ‘Are you feeling well, Elias? I see you a little pale.’ At that time, her words left me very worried.

‘Yes, Mrs. Vespucio, I think I just feel a little tired.’

‘Did you sleep well?’

‘Well . . . yes, ma’am.’

‘Are you all right?’

‘The truth is not much. I felt somewhat hot.’

At that moment, Mrs Vespucio approached me and touched my forehead. ‘You don’t have a fever.’ And then she took some time to inspect my body with her eyes. Her wonderful love!!

‘Mrs. Vespucio?’

‘Do not say anything.’

And she looked at me again, from feet to shoulders. ‘You don’t seem to have chills. Eat calmly, and then you lie down for a while.’

I shook my head. ‘No, ma’am. Today I have work, and I’m going.’

Then I went to eat with the same spirit with which I used to eat. The eggs had that wonderful flavour—soft and tender, enough to brighten my day and get me through work. After breakfast, I took my scooter and got on it.

Mrs. Vespucio also came out and joined me. ‘Are you sure you can work today, mijo?’

I smiled at her. ‘Don’t worry, Mrs Vespucio, I feel good. The breakfast was delicious. Also, missing work, even for one day, is very bad.’ I dressed up a bit and headed to work.

In the middle of my way, Mrs Vespucio stared at me. ‘You have a good day. You are a good boy, Elias.’

And then it was time for the first job at the Cocoplum Bay shipyards, cleaning the ships’ hulls and bows and the docks with a broom. The main problem was those stupid seagulls.

There is something you should know about me, dear reader, and that is that sometimes I could feel completely empty of spirit to work and fulfil my duties. But when I felt the beautiful wind and the bright sunlight, the desire to fight and work was stronger than ever. And that allowed me to resist my days. It wasn’t the same as travelling, but I accepted that it was one of my strengths.

On the other hand, I also felt bad, not because I had to stay on the ground but because I knew I was being selfish without even thinking about the beautiful efforts of Mrs Vespucio. And as much as I tried to get rid of that corrosive feeling, I couldn’t.

Luckily, I managed to fulfil my days well—at least in the morning. There was still afternoon!

But at least I took the opportunity to distract myself from time to time with the many ships that came and went. And don’t let the small ports fool you. Even navy frigates had landed here. It felt very nice to be part of that beautiful show! I even counted all the ships they carried during the day without the boss noticing! Of course!

Too bad, it was no longer possible for me to navigate the seven seas! My boss—believe it or not, dear reader—hoped that one day I would become the captain of my own ship; for now, what I wanted so badly was to be a cabin boy, the best of all time, it sounded from time to time. Although I didn’t know it at the time, I was going to get a man to give me a place on his boat, perhaps the ideal opportunity to start looking for my mother.

Was that the reason for my anxiety? How to know?

After a normal day of work, I took my first break and went to the corner store, facing the beach, where I used to buy elevens. Not my lunch! That was always prepared by Mrs Vespucio. ‘Can you sell me all this please?’ I asked the shopkeeper named Oswaldo Beltran. He was a simple man but a hard worker.

‘Of course! And how has your day been, Elias?’

‘Fine. And you?’ Beltran went to look for my order, but I stopped him at the last moment. ‘And will you please give me a glass of lemonade?’

‘Okay.’ He finished going to look for everything. ‘You must be very thirsty, Elias.’

‘Well, more or less.’

After Beltran left, I looked out the window and saw the sea again and a group of men who were talking jovially and very casually. Although they talked very loudly to the point of shouting, I was not able to understand the conversation. But the appearance of one of them caught my attention, the one who seemed to be the oldest of all.

The big boats passed by again, and the sailors boarded them. It was obvious that they were all eager to start a journey across the sea. I really wanted to be there. Meanwhile, Mr Beltran arrived with all my elevens and the lemonade I ordered, I took the items, paid him, and left the store. ‘Thank you, Mr Beltran.’

‘You are welcome! Have a very good day, Elias!’

At that point, I went back to the men who were talking. It seemed that they were listening to a story, but from my distance, it was impossible to tell. It was told by a man older than them, as I already said.

I got a little closer to be able to listen to their conversation without them noticing. . I was able to hear a few speeches, the man who was telling them was an old man. He was wearing wrinkled pants, a blue T-shirt, a jacket with curious ornaments, and a woollen hat—captain. He was of medium height, with a white beard and moustache. His appearance was similar to that of Ernest Hemingway. As if he had come back into our lives!

The man continued with his story while I listened attentively, ‘There was a problem. We didn’t have a lot of food on the boat, so we were forced to look for the mainland to get provisions, but there weren’t many stores. We searched everywhere until we found one that did serve us. It took the crew three days to find a suitable one.’

The closer I got, the more I recognised the thick, raspy voice of the narrator.

‘So I was the one who decided to take the reins of our route. It was my crew! And I decided that I should take care of them immediately! The others did not take long to distribute the few provisions that remained, more for my men than for me. Many insisted that I should have my share of the food. They even called me a fool. But I didn’t care! The survival of my men was what mattered most to me.’

And then he said a sentence that I thought about many times in the few seconds I had, ‘When you are a captain, you must do what is necessary to protect your crew, with the additional energy that maintains your sanity.’

All the sailors kept their expression impassive at that sentence, but it felt like an epiphany to me. Why is that man very familiar to me?

However, each of the sailors was surprised by the rest of the story, including me. Still, I very much expected to hear something else, so I moved closer to the group of sailors while the captain continued to tell his story. ‘This is very interesting,’ I said as I watched them and then continued to drink my lemonade.

‘We were not afraid’, continued the captain, ‘that we would stay hungry. We all knew that we were going to defeat the obstacles.’

I finished my drink and decided to get a little closer, but then I stumbled. The noise made everyone turn and see me. Finally, I got a better look at the man. Is he who I think he is?

It didn’t take long to confirm my suspicions. It was the same man who accompanied Mr Hector! ‘Captain Ludwig Bineo.’

Some of the sailors turned to look at me. ‘A boy!’ exclaimed one of the sailors. ‘He must have listened to us when you were telling your story, Captain.’

‘Is that true, child?’ asked another.

I was nervous, I admit, but I could barely hide my fear. ‘Yes, gentlemen,’ I agreed, a little unsure.

Fortunately for me, the captain showed no signs of displeasure. Instead he let out a great laugh, so loud that it seemed the whales and seagulls heard him. Even many of the buccaneers were surprised by Ludwig Bineo’s reaction.

‘You are amazing, young man!’ said Captain Bineo. ‘You spied on us without making the slightest noise. That’s how several of the sailors I work with are like. Come. Come here! Join us!’

At the captain’s invitation, I approached them without fear, and several sailors made a little space for me to sit with them.

‘What’s your name, boy?’ Captain Bineo asked with a smiling face.

‘My name is Elias Gomez,’ I answered him straight up.

‘Hi, Gomez,’ continued the old man. ‘Elías, I was telling my men my last trip by the sea.’ Then the man got up and came over, holding out his hand. ‘Allow me to introduce myself,’ he continued. ‘My name is Ludwig Bineo, and I am the owner of a wonderful ship called El Valhalla, like the palace of the best warriors. I have travelled most of the world in it.’

‘Yes, sir, I know who you are!’

‘Hears! More respect for Mr Bineo, boy!’ complained another of the sailors.

But Bineo didn’t seem to mind. ‘How do you already know me?’

And then I replied, ‘Because I have your photo at home.’

Everyone, including Captain Bineo himself, was shocked.

‘You are a good friend of Mrs Lina Vespucio’, I revealed, ‘my jefa. She told me about you. She was the wife of Admiral Hector Vespucio.’

At that moment, Ludwig Bineo’s reaction was one of great emotion. It looked like he could jump and dance, even for a man his age. ‘Really?’

The captain was amazed by my answer. We were equal by what one said to the other. ‘Perhaps you’re a son? Grandson maybe?’

‘No, sir. But I’m . . . something like his adopted son, and the same as Admiral Vespucio’s, may he rest in peace.’

At my words, Ludwig Bineo lowered his gaze, and his hand went to his heart. ‘Is Hector really dead?’

I nodded without saying another word.

‘How did he die?’

‘Five years ago in the midst of Hurricane Cesar-Douglas.’

And then he told me, ‘My condolences, boy. Hector was always a great man! Tell me better later. For now, come sit with all of us!’

Despite that gloomy aura, all the sailors took the opportunity to cheer me on.

I must be honest. It really was a dream for me to have met the very famous Ludwig Bineo, always remembering when Mrs Vespucio told me about him.

He sat down again, and I sat next to him. He kept repeating to me what a great honour it was to be his guest. I didn’t have much time, but I didn’t care. All the hours around us were surprisingly shortened; we thought it was minutes when the truth was, it was hours, seconds that were really minutes.

The friendly tone that Captain Bineo used in his narration seemed to surround me with a calm that I had not felt in many years, and it did make me feel quite comfortable. It was a feeling that I could only have in the presence of my dear father. And all that wonderful feeling became more powerful. Do you know how I found out? Because Captain Ludwig Bineo moved so calmly and confidently despite his advanced age. I knew the truth.

Captain Ludwig Bineo was someone you really wanted to listen to for hours. I wish I could stay with him and the rest of the group, but I had to work. ‘I have to go, Captain Bineo!’ I exclaimed. I forgot I’m working today.

Captain Bineo saw me a little sad. ‘Then come back with me, Elias. Look for Valhalla! And then I can keep telling you about myself, and you take the opportunity to introduce yourself to us.’

At that moment, I couldn’t be happier. ‘Yes, sir! Mister! Yes, sir! Mister!’ I went back to work with the promise to return carved on my heart. It was my chance to meet the ship. But before that, I met again with the wonderful captain Bineo.

When my shift was over, there he was—Captain Bineo in his great glory. He was a simple man but blessed with a million experiences! Then Captain Bineo went on to tell me about himself. And I told him a little about myself, just a little. What could I do? I was not used to sharing things from my private life. In fact, my time with Captain Bineo reminded me that there are things I prefer to hide from myself. But then we continued our conversation.

‘You will be a great sailor when you grow up if you continue with that discretion,’ young Gomez.’

‘Just call me Elias, Captain, please.’

‘Okay, Elias.’ He smiled at me. ‘Well then, you call me Ludwig!’

The truth is that I got very nervous and quite embarrassed. I couldn’t help but take the opportunity to shake my head. ‘No no no, sir! I could never address you so casually!’

‘And may I ask why, Elias? Aren’t we friends?’

I knew I had to be careful in choosing my words. ‘You are right. But . . . we barely know each other, sir! I . . . I don’t want to disrespect you like that.’

What followed was an awkward silence, accompanied by that wonderful laugh from the captain. ‘As you wish, Elias! I leave to your judgement!’

I smiled at him. ‘So, what did you say, Captain?’

‘Oh yeah’, he exclaimed, ‘the story!’ Well . . . once we got the necessary supplies, we left the island to deliver the order, and . . .’

Don’t you find it weird? It didn’t take long for us to feel like we were already lifelong friends! However, my food caught his attention and made him stop.

‘Do you like seafood, Elias?’ he asked, pointing at my things. I turned to look and remembered that I had to go back to my boss.

‘Yes!’ I exclaimed aloud. ‘Thank you very much for reminding me about the captain bags.’

Then a burly sailor arrived, with a bald head and a huge black beard. He was tall and brown-eyed. He seemed to be a man in good physical condition despite being plump. He was dressed in pants that fit him, a dark-blue T-shirt, and a black cap that matched his beard.

‘Captain’, he finally said, ‘we have to take everything to the ship. I need the others to help us.’

‘Perfect,’ concluded the captain. ‘Take them all if you want.’

‘Thank you, Captain.’

All the sailors got up and ran to Captain Bineo’s ship. He hasn’t let me see it yet, but I know that one day I will be able to see it. Speaking of the captain, he stayed with me and helped me collect my things. ‘Thank you very much, Captain,’ I replied, pleased.

‘You know, Elias’, he said, giving me my things, ‘I have trained the sailors who are part of my crew very well, but I stopped having apprentices a long time ago.’

This filled me with curiosity. ‘And may I ask why, Captain?’

At that moment, Captain Bineo stared at me with a confused expression. ‘I don’t know the same, boy. When you are the owner of a ship like mine, I affirm you have many responsibilities—take care of your crew, the ship, the food, a family—’

‘A family?’

‘Yes, I have a little niece. And also, the body becomes more limited. You won’t be Ned Land every year of your life. Lesson for you. But I wish you could do that! Isn’t that your dream? Wasn’t that what you just told me, boy?’

I was paralysed for a few seconds. ‘Yes, sir.’

Another lengthy but very satisfying conversation soon ensued. That’s how it was. He spoke, I listened, but we are not inhibited. We could trust each other. It was as if I had that feeling of peace that I once had with my father. Few men had managed to do what Bineo was doing now to remind me of the very essence of my childhood.

Immediately, Bineo sat on his chair, looking nostalgic, looking at the sea with a melancholy face. ‘I was’, he continued, ‘proud to have an apprentice. A cabin boy in my crew was something wonderful, something great, something unique in the world, although now what I just told you is just a memory. I don’t think I’ll ever do it again, have another cabin boy in my life. The last one I had I found the last decade.’

‘Really?’

Captain Bineo nodded.

What the captain told me left me thinking for a moment. This could have been the greatest opportunity of my life. I had to think it through because my decision was going to affect both my boss and me. Then without fear, I approached the captain and said, Captain Bineo.’

‘What’s up, Elias?’ the captain asked, turning to look.

I took all the air I could. ‘I . . . I’ve travelled by sea for most of my life, and I’ve been thinking that perhaps you should include me in your crew.’

The captain approached me, surprised. ‘Are you serious?’ he asked with that face.

Then I agreed without thinking about the consequences. However, when I saw my things and my scooter, I was reminded of my boss. I had to ask her permission first. ‘But first’, I argued, ‘I must talk to Lina Vespucio. My decision is going to affect her a lot.’

Then the captain looked at me more seriously. What came next was a big smile. ‘Then let’s not talk about work, Elias. Let’s have some fun! Goes up!’

A Bit of the Bineo Crew: Some of Its Members

The next day, I went back to meet Captain Bineo again. I think it was the best day of my life!

‘Hi, Elias!’

And I also saluted the captain. ‘Good morning, Captain Bineo!’

As Captain Bineo told me, we met at Cocoplum Bay. And Mr Bineo went down to the ports to greet me with a palm on the back.

That still hurt me a bit.

‘Come with me! Hello, boys, he is Elias Gomez.’

I was also able to recognise many of the sailors who had met Ludwig Bineo the day before, particularly three. One of them was an individual with a long black beard and penetrating blue eyes, and despite being a sailor, his skin was the perfect example of what everyone said Caucasian. He dressed very simply: pants that did not cover his legs, a skeleton shirt, and a vest.

‘Hi, Gomez!’ When he approached me, his voice was a little scratchy but not at all intimidating. ‘My name is Gonzalo Mejía. You can call me Chalo.’

The truth is that, with that individual, I felt more comfortable once I heard his voice. ‘Good morning, Mr Mejía.’

He immediately patted me on the shoulder with all force I thought my back would burst. ‘Why so formal? I just told you to call me Chalo.’

Ludwig laughed.

‘Sorry, Chalo.’

‘But don’t apologise either.’

‘But—’

Chalo started to laugh.

The other one who appeared was more tanned, with blond hair and eyes, whose colour was a mixture between red and orange. ‘Captain Bineo’s new pet!’ He had on a long-sleeved white shirt and also some kind of cloth pants. He kept looking at his clothes curiously. Could you really dress like that at sea?

‘It is not true. He’s just a friend,’ said the captain.

The man smiled at me. ‘In that case, Stanfeld!’ After that sentence, I stared at him with an air of confusion. ‘Stanfeld!’ he exclaimed again.

‘Do it right, fool!’ Chalo scolded.

‘Okay, the truth is that I forgot my name a long time ago. But you can call me Stanfeld.’

To be honest, dear reader, I still had no idea how to react to that presentation, if you could call it that. But then, he took a small box and opened it. ‘Don’t you want a cigar? Perfect from Cuba!’ I was offered.

And it was true! They looked new and with a very lively brown What a strange phrase!

‘Stop doing that!’ Chalo commented.

I was feeling a bit confused. But it was at that moment Captain Bineo stepped forward. ‘Enough both of you! Act as you should!’

Chalo nodded, while Stanfeld laughed. ‘Chalo, bring Elias something to eat.’

‘Yes, sir!’

Seeing Ludwig’s two sailors was a wonderful thing. Going back to the beautiful new past!

But without a doubt, what had caught my attention the most was that girl who was more or less my age, but judging by how calculating her movements were and how focused her gaze was, I would say that this was a very mature and reliable girl. She was wearing blue jeans, a brown vest, and a top that left her belly button visible. Very adorable and cute curves! I had to admit.

At that moment, the girl smiled at me and took my picture.

‘Helena! Helena!’

She went down. ‘Yes, Uncle Ludwig?’

To my surprise, she slid on one of the tubes attached to the walls. And when I got to the helmet, it was with his uncle, but he acted as if he hadn’t noticed my presence. ‘Helena, honey, I want to introduce you to my new friend. This is Elias Gomez!’

Very unexpectedly, Helena turned her head and looked at me curiously. ‘The young man you told me about?’

‘Yes, beautiful.’

I don’t know whether to say if she looked at me with curiosity or as if she wanted to play with me. The fact is that she was inspecting me with her gaze and raising the hand with which she carried her camera many times. Forgive me, dear reader! But it had been a long time since I’d seen a girl my age and, by the way, such a cute one. I also wanted to check out each of her cute curves! Her expression was so young and pretty, her energy so contagious and lively, the same with her shiny curls.

But Helena Bineo’s voice snapped him back to reality. ‘The truth is that I always wanted to meet you,’ Helena Bineo told me.

‘Really?’

‘Of course! I hadn’t seen my uncle so excited in a long time,’ she commented. But she knew that going back a bit to the past would help him.

‘Well, thank you, miss.’

‘Only Helena! And I, in return, will call you Elias.’ She laughed. ‘My uncle told me that this would happen.’

I had some of the best moments of my week when I set eyes on that perfect, youth-giving smile. ‘Come, Elias’, said the Captain, ‘we’ll accompany you.’

Shyly, trying not to forget the feeling that came from Helena, I said, ‘Yes . . . yes, sir.’

We all headed inside the ship. Although what was inside was not similar to the Titanic, it was more careful than many boats that I saw in the ports.

And it’s time to talk about history. It turns out that Gonzalo Mejía, or Chalo, had grown up on the coasts of Portugal. Even though his name sounded like someone of Spanish origin, the truth is that his parents were originally from Seville; but most of his extended family were from places like Lisbon, Coimbra, or Madeira.

For the past decade, he dedicated himself to working from a very young age in the shipyards to pay for the cooking classes with which he fed his mind. By the time the turn of the century arrived, and on one of their many voyages, both Captain Bineo and Helena were enchanted by his chef skills and his discipline at sea that not having him in the crew would have been a waste. So Captain Bineo recruited him—for a good price: a commission of 2 per cent of the income from deliveries made. Naturally, Chalo accepted.

As for Stanfeld, the truth is that his story always surprised me. What happened was that his family had an interesting Caribbean mix that I had not seen before. His father’s side was Haitian, while his maternal grandparents were all Jamaican, living for several generations between Kingston and Spanish Town, where his family lived selling fruit and building. His age gave the impression of between the ages of 20 and 25. He heard, moreover, that he dedicated himself to sending them letters and some money.

How did you do it from the sea? Pigeons? Something that until now causes me great curiosity. With topics like this, it was that we filled our conversation.

‘So you travel the world. It is not like this?’

Chalo made us all a wonderful banquet of seafood, with a mix of Italian and Spanish dishes. Or at least that’s what I thought.

‘Yes, Elias. Ours is a small independent boat, which accepts jobs from here and there,’ commented Captain Bineo, ‘all kinds of companies, all kinds of businesses—large, small, even family.’

They all agreed.

‘And that’s why they were also here?’

‘Correct, my friend,’ affirmed Captain Bineo. ‘Business.’

‘We had to deliver an order for rubber’, clarified Chalo, ‘but we are also taking the opportunity to fish a little. We need supplies.’

‘You’ll see that Chalo is very strict with that,’ Helena said.

Then the captain clarified, ‘We went to some parts of the Caribbean, and then we made a stop in Colombia.’ He laughed a little. We took the opportunity to visit the Stanfeld family.’

‘And they were very good. Better than they expected.’

This was how lunch went for all of us. Helena took the opportunity to take some photos of us. For this, we all lined up, and then she put her camera on to press the button and leave the beautiful memory.

‘Sorry, Captain Bineo.’

‘Tell me, Elias.’

‘Where is the phone?’

And then Captain Bineo handed me a cell phone. I marked it, and I immediately calmed down when I heard that familiar voice. ‘Lady Vespucio?’

‘Hi, Elias. And where are you calling