“What does my father look like?” Ramona said. “He looks like a man who would love to see his daughter,” Rich said. “Rich,” Tim said. “I could pay her way there by plane.” “Uncle Tim,” Ramona said, “If this is…
Rescuing Ramona, Episode 75, Odysseys in Paradise
Rich grasped Ramona’s hand and led her out of the kitchen. Tim blocked Tiki from going after Rich and Ramona. They argued in Maori. In the living room, Rich said to Ramona, “Go to your room; you have two minutes…
Finding Ramona, Episode 74, Odysseys in Paradise
Rich and Tim walked back to the marina where Tim’s car was parked nearby. They got in the car and drove for 30 minutes. It was dark by the time they reached a home just outside Auckland. It was a…
A Winter Read In the Summer; Ice Too Thin
Writing a novel was something I never thought I’d have the patience to do. My attention shifts too quickly. And I really liked creating stories. Logically, short stories seemed to me to be the best creative venue in which to…
The Complication, Episode 73, Odyssey in Paradise
“After you called, I immediately hired a man to find Ramona,” Tim said. “She lives with Tiki in Auckland.” “So far not complicated,” Rich said. “She is almost 18,” Tim said. “Tiki has sold her to a man from…
The Story of Jean and Tiki, Episode 72, Odysseys in Paradise
Rich showered. He planned on a having a meal at a restaurant a short walk from the marina. He stepped from the marina’s gate onto a road running alongside. “Are you the man looking for Ramona Cantwell?” Rich turned. A…
Finding Uncle Tim, Episode 71, Odysseys in Paradise
Rich asked for a private phone. The marina had one available in a small office slightly larger than a closet with only enough room for the chair and desk. Rich explained he might need the phone for quite some time…
Docking At Auckland, Episode 70, Odysseys in Paradise
Two days later, the seas rolled and churned; not enough to be a danger, but enough to demand attention. It was like an unsteady old man waking after a nap and shaking off the drowsiness. The sea now ready to…
The Color of Silence, Episode 69, Odysseys in Paradise
Other than being marooned on some distant planet in a far away galaxy, the seas are about as lonely as it can be. It is a test of fortitude and emotional fitness. Rich surmised, “If a man can not live…
You Can Never Return To the Same Place, Episode 68, Odysseys in Paradise
The light blue velvet waters of the Fiji Islands rippled smoothly and endlessly. The choppy uncertain seas were distant memories as well as future realities. Rich sailed south. It seemed the time to do so, just as instinct governs…
Popcorn, Episode 67, Odysseys in Paradise
Rich sailed east for three hours. Again, he dropped the sails. He slept as The Odyssey drifted. It was a short night and he awoke more from the frustration of not being able to sleep. At the chart desk with…
For The Love of Beer, Episode 66, Odysseys in Paradise
Another island appeared on the eastern horizon. Rich checked the map and it appeared to be Nairai Island. Like so many of the islands, it appeared as a risen patch of green on a blue blanket of sea. Circling the…