CHAPTER 30 – SON

I need some time to prepare for the journey. I need to plan what to take with me.

But then I see that I don’t need to take many things.

I decide to take my dog, my parrot, my book and some other small things. I also take the money, gold and silver which are from the ships. They are finally useful to me.

I meet with the prisoners again. I show them my corn and my animals. And I tell them about the island. Then I go on board the ship.

We leave the island in December, 1686. It’s twenty-seven years after my first step on the island.

First, we go to the island where Friday’s people live. The Spanish and Portuguese sailors are very happy when they see us. They are happy that we have a ship. Now we don’t have to build a new ship. We can go to Europe.

My dog is very happy too. When he sees one of the Spanish sailors, he runs to him very quickly. He jumsp on him. He is extremely happy.

The Spanish sailor is his owner. He is very happy too. He starts to cry when he sees his dog. It’s a very emotional meeting.

The sailors start to prepare for our journey across the ocean. Friday has to make a decision. He can stay with his people. Or he can go to Europe with me. He needs some time to think about it. We stay on the island one night.

In the morning, I ask Friday if he knows what to do. He tells me that he wants to go with me to Europe. He prepares everything for the journey. We are ready to go. We start our journey.

Two months later, after a safe journey across the ocean, we arrive to London. For me it’s after thirty-five years.

It looks like the whole world is different after those years. Some parts of London are new.

There are some new houses, streets, roads, shops, parks and big bridge across the river. But it isn’t all. People are also different. They have different clothes. Women have different hair style. Men have different hats and new types of guns.

People use new tools which I don’t know. They have new names for these tools. It’s all very interesting. The style of music in the pubs is also different. I hear new songs. I like this new style. I want to sing these new songs.

From London I return to my town, York. My parents are both dead. I find some relatives. My sister, my uncle and my aunt are still alive. They are happy when they see me. But they think that I’m long dead. So I have no rights to family’s money or land. But I can stay and live in their house.

England is a big shock to Friday. Everything is so new for him. It’s all very interesting for him. He likes this new experience.

What he doesn’t like is the cold weather in winter. It’s February. Snow and ice aren’t good for him. It isn’t logical for him why we live in such conditions. I tell him that in summer the weather is much better.

I send a letter to Brazil. I still remember the address very well. I want to contact people in Brazil. I want to know if my wife is still alive. I want to know if my plantation still exists. But I don’t know what to expect after so many years.

In May, I get a letter and some packets from my wife. She writes nice words to me. She writes about times when she waits for me. But 10 years after my departure, she doesn’t believe that I’m alive. She marries again and she has a new family. But her new husband is ill and he dies. It’s already two years. Now, she lives without a husband.

I also get a letter from my wife’s father. He is very old but still alive. In his letter, he writes expenses and profit from my plantation during all these years.

They both send me many nice presents. They send me some nice skins and a little box full of gold. They also send me some boxes of sugar to sell.

My wife has also a big surprise for me. She writes that I have a son. It’s great news. He is born eight months after my departure. He is now a big man and he wants to meet me.

So many things happen in a short time. I can’t believe that it’s all true. I want to cry. Then I want to laugh. All the emotions are too much for me. I’m not able to be calm. I stand up. I sit down. I stand up again. I walk around the room. I laugh. Then I cry again.

When I’m a little calm, I think about what to do.

WORDS FROM CHAPTER 30