Hemingway's Short Stories: Crossing the Sea (5~3)

"Mr. Johnson, he said I was an alcoholic. Maybe he's right. But I can tell you that he's right. That's right, and yes," Eddie said to him.

"I'm not here to fight you," Johnson finally said. "I just do, even though I don't agree with what you're saying. So I will pay you thirty-five dollars a day's rent, for a total of eighteen days, plus two hundred and ninety-five dollars. ”

"You paid me a hundred in advance," I said to him. "I'll give you a list of the fees I paid, and I'll deduct what I haven't eaten. But you'll have to pay for the food and drink on the way back. ”

"It's not excessive," Johnson said.

"Listen to me, Mr. Johnson," said Eddie. "If you know how hard they usually ask strangers for a fee, you can see that this is more than an exaggeration. You know what that's called? That's called exceptional treatment. The captain treats you like his own mother. ”

"I'll go to the bank tomorrow and come in the afternoon to pay. The day after tomorrow, I took a boat and left. ”

"You go back with us and save a ticket. ”

"No," he said. "Take the boat to save time. ”

"That's fine," I said. "How about a drink?"

"Okay," Johnson said. "Are you still angry with me now?"

"Where," I said to him. So the three of us sat in the stern of the boat and drank a glass of whiskey with water together.

The next day I spent the morning on the motorboat, fueling the main engine, and doing all this and that anyway. At noon, I ate at a Chinese restaurant in the suburbs, where I could eat a full meal for four cents. Then I went shopping for something to take back home for my wife and three daughters. Nothing more than some perfumes, a few fans, and two tall hair combs. After buying it, I turned into Donovan's Bar, drank a bottle of beer, chatted with the owner, and then walked back to San Francisco, where I sat down in three or four small hotels and had a bottle of beer. I treated Frankie to two bottles at the Cunard Bar and happily went back to the boat. Back on the boat, there were only four cents left in his pocket. Frankie and I got on the boat, and we sat on the boat waiting for Johnson, and I took a cold beer out of the fridge and drank two more bottles with Frankie.

Eddie didn't show up all night, and he didn't see him for a day, but I knew he would come sooner or later, as soon as the money ran out. Donovan told me that Eddie had been with Johnson at his bar for a while last night, and that Eddie had bought alcohol for them to drink. We waited and waited, and I was suspicious: Johnson is not coming. I had already left a message on the dock that if he came, they would ask him to come and wait for me on the boat, but they said he did not come. But I'm assuming he got back to the hotel late last night, and maybe he slept until noon. The bank closes at half-past three. We saw the planes all fly away. By about half past five, I was no longer happy, but I was getting more and more anxious.

At six o'clock, I sent Frankie to the hotel to see if Johnson was there. At this point, I thought he was probably either out to have fun, or he was still in the hotel, not feeling well, and couldn't get out of bed. I waited and waited until late. But he became more and more anxious, because he still owed me eight hundred and twenty-five dollars.

Frankie went a little over half an hour before returning. I saw him come with hurried steps, and I shook my head at the same time.

"He took a flight and left," he said.

Okay, I see. The consulate is closed. I had four cents left with me, but the plane was already in Miami. I couldn't even send a telegram. What a hot man, Mr. Johnson, I kind of know you. It's all my fault. Fooled.

"Forget it," I said to Frankie, "let's go get a cold beer." That's what Mr. Johnson bought it. There are still three bottles of "tropical beer" left.

Frankie was just as unhappy as I was. I don't know how he did, but it's really unpleasant to look at him. Just like that, he came and patted me on the back and shook my head.

That's how the situation lies ahead. I'm a pauper. The charter fee of 530 yuan was soaked, and the fishing equipment worth more than 350 yuan was lost and there was no money to buy it. I thought to myself: how happy a few of the gang of people who often hang out around the docks must have heard the news. That would certainly have elated some of the "conchs"[6]. The day before, I had promised to send three foreigners to the islands of Gilies[7] for three thousand dollars, but I had refused. In fact, it doesn't have to be sent to the islands of Gileadae, as long as you get out of the country, you can go anywhere.

Well, what am I going to do now? I can't sell a boatload of wine back, because you have to have money to sell wine, and besides, it's not profitable to sell wine now. My hometown is already full of alcohol, and no one wants to buy it. But if I return home empty-handed, I will have to starve for a summer in that town, and how can I get it? The departure fee has already been paid at the time of arrival. Generally, it is prepaid to the customs broker, and the entry and exit procedures are handled by them. Heck, but I don't even have the money to refuel. I didn't say it, but my bad luck is decided. What a hot hand Mr. Johnson!

"I've got to get some goods back, Frankie," I said. "I've got to think of a way to make some money. ”

"I'll think about it," Frankie said. Frankie usually lounged around the docks, looking for odd jobs, his ears were quite back, and he always drank too much every night. But when it comes to the righteousness of a friend and the kindness of his heart, there is nowhere to find someone better than him. I met him the first time I sailed here. At that time, he used to help me load the goods. Later, although I added equipment and converted it into a yacht, I started this business of soliciting customers to come to Cuba to fish for swordfish, but I still met him often near the docks, in the café and bar. He seems to be a bit silly, and he often doesn't answer people, but smiles back, but that's actually because of the back of his ears.

"You're lucky with anything?" asked Frankie.

"Yes," I said. "What else can I do now? ”

"Anything willing?"

"Yes. ”

"I'm going to think about it," Frankie said. "Where am I going to find you?"

"I'm in Pera[8]," I said. "I've got to eat. ”

In Pera, you can eat a full meal for two cents and a half. The dishes on the menu are a dime each, and the soup is only five cents. I walked to the café with Frankie before parting, and I turned in, but he kept going. Before leaving, he shook my hand and patted me on the back again.

"Don't worry," he said. "I, Frankie, have a lot of scheming, know how to get things done, love to drink, don't have any money, but I'm a good friend. Don't worry. ”

"Goodbye, Frankie," I said. "Dude, don't worry. ”

I walked into Pera and found a table to sit down. The bullet-shattered windows have been replaced with new glass, and the sample wine cabinet has been repaired. There were a few Spanish guys drinking and a few eating. Dominoes were already playing on a table. I asked for a black bean soup and a potato beef stew, which only cost a dime and a half. Plus a bottle of "Drink Toyi" beer, a total of two cents and five. I asked the hostess about the shooting that day, but he wouldn't say a word. They were all terrified.

When I finished eating, I leaned back, smoked a cigarette, and was terribly upset. That's when I saw Frankie coming through the door, followed by a man. Transporting "yellow goods"—— I thought to myself. It turned out to be transporting "yellow goods"!

"This is Mr. Shin," Frankie said, smiling. He is really fast, and he is very proud.

"Hello," Mr. Xin said.

Mr. Xin can be said to be the most sleek "eight-sided light" I have ever seen in my life. There was no problem that he was a Tangshanese, but he spoke like an Englishman, wearing a white suit with a silk shirt and black tie, and a Panamanian hat worth 125 oceans.

"Would you like a cup of coffee?" he asked me.

"I can have a drink with you. ”

"Thank you," Mr. Seng said. "There are no outsiders here, right?"

"If the people in this café weren't outsiders, then there wouldn't be outsiders," I told him.

"That's good," said Mr. Syngh. "You have a boat, right?"

"Thirty-eight feet long," I said. "One hundred horsepower, Kermeith. ”

"Ah," said Mr. Syngh. "I thought it was a little sailboat. ”

"More than enough for two hundred and sixty-five containers. ”

"Will you rent it to me?"

"What price are you willing to pay?"

"You don't need to go yourself. Captain sailor, I bring my own. ”

"No," I said. "I'll have to follow the boat wherever it goes. ”

"Oh, that's right," said Mr. Sin. He turned to Frankie and said, "Would you please stay out for a moment?" and Frankie smiled at him with a look of relish.

"He's behind his ear," I said. "I don't know much English. ”

"Oh, that's right," said Mr. Sin. "You speak Spanish. Tell him to come back later. ”

I gestured to Frankie with my thumb. So he got up and went to the wine counter.

"Don't you speak Spanish?" I said.

"Ah, yes," said Mr. Syn. "What happened to you, how could you be- how could you think about it......"

"I have no money. ”

"Oh, that's right," said Mr. Sin. "Does the ship owe anything? Will anyone demand seizure?"

"Nothing. ”

"That's good," Mr. Seng said. "How many of my poor brethren can be accepted on your ship?"

"How many people can you say?"

"Exactly. ”

"How far is it?"

"A day's journey. ”

"It's hard to say," I said. "If you don't have luggage, it's always okay to pack twelve or thirteen people. ”

"They don't bring luggage. ”

"Where are you going to transport them?"

"It's up to you," Mr. Seng said.

"You mean, it's up to me to decide where to unload them?"

"Load them and sail to Totugas[9], and a sailing ship will come and fetch them. ”

"Listen to me," I said, "there's a lighthouse on the island of Logheki in Totugas, and there's a radio station in it, and that's connected to both ends. ”

"Yes," said Mr. Sin. "Naturally, no one would be so stupid to unload them there. ”

"So what?"

"As I said, you load them and drive the boat there. Your business is to transport them all this way. ”

"What about after that?" I said.

"You can do whatever you need to do when you want to unload them. ”

"Will the sailboat go to Totugas to pick them up?"

"Where is this," Mr. Seng said. "That's stupid. ”

"How much does it cost?"

"Fifty dollars," Mr. Seng said.

"Na Misconduct."

"Seventy-five pieces, right?"

"How much do you have to take a bite?"

"Well, that's not about that. You know, the reason why I was able to issue these passes involved is very many aspects, or can it be said that the relationship is very complicated. It didn't end with me. ”

"yes," I said. "Besides, I don't have to pay anything to do that. Isn't it?"

"I understand exactly what you mean," Mr. Seng said. "Then a hundred dollars a good thing?"

"Listen to me," I said. "If I get caught, do you know how many years I'll have to go to jail?"

"Ten years," Mr. Seng said. "At least ten years. But how can this lead to jail, my dear captain. Your only risk is to get the passengers on board. Everything else, it's up to you to take care of it. ”

"What if I send you back to the original ship?"

"That's easy, too. I can tell them that you are not good and that you are bad for me. I can refund some of the money and ship them out again. Is there anything they don't understand, it's not easy to get out on this road. ”

"How am I?"

"Send a letter to the consulate, I think I should have it. ”

"Oh, that's right. ”

"Captain, twelve hundred dollars is not a small amount at the moment. ”

"When will I get the money?"

"If you agree, pay two hundred first, and then another thousand when the man gets on the boat. ”

"What if I take these two hundred dollars and walk away?"

"Then I can't help it," he said with a smile. "But I know you're not going to do that, Captain. ”

"Do you have two hundred yuan?"

"Of course. ”

"Put it under the plate. And he complied. "Okay," I said. "I'll finish the departure procedures tomorrow morning, and I'll leave the boat after dark. So where do we load the goods?"

"How's Bakulanau?"

"Okay. You've got it all arranged?"

"Alright. ”

"We'll have to talk about loading beforehand," I said. "You signal on the headland: two lights, one up and one down. When I saw it, I sailed into the harbor. You also come out in a boat, and the goods are unloaded from your ship and loaded directly onto my ship. You come in person and bring the money too. I don't get any money and I won't let anyone get on board. ”

"Okay," he said. "You start loading, pay half of the goods first, all the goods are loaded, and the rest is paid together. ”

"Okay," I said. "That makes sense. ”

"So it's all settled?"

"It's all settled," I said. "No luggage, no weapons. Firearms and knives, including razors, are not allowed. This must also be made clear. ”

"Captain," said Mr. Syn. "Can't you trust me? Can't you see that your interests and mine are the same?"

"You dare to vouch?"

"Please don't be so me," he said. "Can't you see that your interests and mine's interests are completely identical?"

"All right," I said to him. "When are you going to get there?"

"Before midnight. ”

"Okay," I said. "I think that's all. ”

"Do you want a big ticket or a small ticket?"

"The 100 yuan ticket is good. ”

He stood up and I watched him go out. As he left the door, Frankie smiled at him. didn't say it, this is an eight-sided exquisite Tangshan guy. What an excellent Tangshan guy.

Frankie came to my table. "How?" he said.

"Where did you meet Mr. Xin?"

"He's a Chinese worker," Frankie said. "Big business. ”

"How long have you known him?"

"He's been here for about two years," Frankie said. "Originally, before him, there was another person who transported the Chinese workers. This man was beaten to death. ”

"Mr. Xin will be beaten to death sooner or later. ”

"yes," Frankie said. "How could it not? He's doing a big business. ”

"It's a big business," I said.

"Big deal," Frankie said. "Chinese workers will never come when they go out. They only heard letters from Chinese workers elsewhere saying that it was very good. ”

"That's good," I said.

"This kind of Chinese worker is illiterate. Literate people are making a lot of money. But they didn't even have anything to eat. They eat rice. There are hundreds of thousands of Chinese workers here. But there are only three Chinese women. ”

"How?"

"The government won't let me come. ”

"It's terrible," I said.

"You're done with him?"

"Yes."

"It's good business," Frankie said. "It's better than being an evil man. Earn more money. It's a big business. ”

"Have a beer," I told him.

"You're not in a hurry, are you?"

"What's the hurry," I said. "It's a big business. Thank you. ”

"Alright," Frankie said, patting me on the back. "I was happier than anything else. I just want you to be happy. The Chinese workers have a good business, huh?"

"Great. ”

"I'm happy to hear it," Frankie said. He was so happy to see that the problem had been solved, and I saw that he was almost in tears, so I patted him on the back. Frankie is pretty good.

The first thing I did the next morning was to get the charge d'affaires at the customs broker and ask him to handle the ship's departure formalities for me. He asked me for a list of crew members, and I told him there wasn't any.

"Did you cross the sea alone, Captain?"

"Yes. ”

"What's wrong with that buddy of yours?"

"He's drunk," I told him.

"It's dangerous to cross the sea alone. ”

"It's only ninety miles anyway," I said. "Do you think it's not dangerous to have a drunk on board?"

I drove the boat to the Mobil Oil Company dock across the harbor and filled both tanks with oil. If I had filled up my boat, it would have been able to hold nearly 200 gallons. I didn't want to pay two cents and eighty-one gallons to pay for it here, but I don't know where I'm going to go on this boat.