Illustrator. Photographer. Random thinker. Um rato de praia.

Saturday, August 04, 2007

Coming to America, again

My fellow Americans,
This past July 29th marked the 46th anniversary of leaving my homeland of Cuba and coming to America.

To commemorate this occassion, I did a dramatic re-enactment of my arrival upon these shores.

My re-enactment of my Florida Straits crossing involved paddling out several yards out on the ocean on my kayak, turning around, and making landfall somewhere off the coast of Melbourne Beach. However, this did not go without some unexpected circumstances.

The scorching heat and lack of drinking water were bearable and added a touch of the reality that less fortunate balseros have had to endure, but the jellyfish sting on my face created some difficulty upon the unexpected arrival of the Coast Guard.

As the Coast Guard vessel approached, eyeing me suspiciously, I attempted to tell them that I was not a balsero, but just doing a dramatic re-enactment of my arrival 46 years ago.

However, because of my swollen tongue, when I yelled "I am an American citizen!", they thought I said "Imma mewickan wibbiben," so they thought I was an illegal and they rammed and sunk my kayak.

Fortunately, I had my longboard attached to the kayak and was able to paddle in and catch a wave to freedom!

Enjoy the pictures taken by a sympathetic beachgoer.



Uh oh, here comes the Coast Guard!




You'll never catch me, suckas!




Wet foot!




Dry foot!




America, I kiss you!




Ahhh, freedom!

4 comments:

Richard said...

Octavio, the Great American. (Last photo of you eating a "sand-wich?"....(I know, bad...)

r

jOolian said...

awesome display of reenactment...but where the hellz SpongeBob, or Patrick... they coulda helped, at least with the jellyfish. fairly decent waves AND where's my 7'ish to 8' Funshape board amigo...??....?? you got the connections...

Mia's momma said...

I hope those Coast Guard bastards are going to pay for your kayak!!!

Thanks for the laugh. You make me proud to be an American.

Gabriel Campanario said...

ja ja ja, i love your arrival to America re-enactment, que vivan los Estados Unidos!

 
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