Voodoo

"Everything is settled Mr Doe. Did you enjoy your stay?"

"Yeah! It was alright."

Alright is the only word that came to your mind both to thank the lovely receptionist for
providing unknowingly a fantasy for your daily jerk off and avoid to have to explain that
you hate this island. The sun made your skin bright red. The mosquitoes made a free buffet
out of your body but most of all you couldn't find a girl to get laid. You think you should have
gone to Asia, maybe Thailand or Philippines. You could have been laid for sure and for cheap
and you always had a weakness for asians. Well next time...

"Very well sir. Your pick up for the airport will be at 11 am tomorrow. At what time should we
wake you up?"

"9 o'clock should be fine."

You reply trying to determine if the gorgeous black girl is wearing a bra under her white
polo shirt.

"9o'clock! Fine sir! Anything else I can do for you Mr Doe?"

Although a multitude of ideas stubble is your head, you answer negatively and head for the
bar across the street from the hotel for a last chance to "meet" someone.

As you get out of the hotel, a black fellow with gray hair wearing an hawaiian shirt shouts with
a strong caribbean accent from behind the bamboo bar on the other side of the road.

"Look who is back ladies! John! Come and give me a hug man!"

His name is Jerry. He is the owner of the place you visited every night since your arrival on this
Island. Not that the drinks were cheaper than elsewhere nor the girls prettier but Jerry made
you feel at home with his large smile and his way of treating you like if you had always been
the best of friends.
Waiting for a big truck to pass by before you cross the street, you see a kid running after a ball
in front of you. In an heroic act that you thought yourself incapable of, you jump to pick up the
kid before the 12 wheels does and drop him in safety on the other side of the road. As you are
about to scowl the boy for his carelessness, Jerry arrives and do it for you in his native
language. After shouting at the kid and sending him home with a kick in the butt, he turns
to you with tears in his eyes and hugs you tight.

"You just saved the life of my son man. I don't know how to thank you! Come! The drinks are on
me tonight, man."

With his arm around your shoulders he leads you to the bar and sits you on a chair in a dark
corner of the "terrace".

"I'll make you taste the best rum on the island man!"

Jerry disappears through a service door behind the bar and reappears with a bottle in one
hand and a little wooden box in the other. He talks a little with a tall young guy who comes
to take his place behind the bar as the middle age picks up two shoot glasses and comes to
sit at your table.

"This rum is made by my aunt herself!" He whispers, filling up the shooters. "I am not allowed
to serve it, but you, my hero friend, deserve the best."

He takes a glass, say "Cheers!" and empty it in his throat.
You pick up the other glass and bottom it up. The liquid burns your throat but leaves a sweet
woody taste in your mouth.
Jerry keeps on thanking you, saying that you are a good guy and pours glasses that you both
keep emptying.
After sharing half of the bottle, the begins to kick in but only for you it seems.

"Hey man! It seems that it is time for you to go to sleep!"

You nod understanding why the aunty's rum cannot be sold.

"One more thing! This is for you. You will need her more than me now."

He opens the little wooden box that you completely forgot and pulls out a piece of red string
with a little voodoo doll shaped as a women carved in black wood and attaches it around your
neck. You thank Jerry for this token of friendship and, with his help, head back to hotel. As you
cross the road and wave a last time goodbye you can hear Jerry say something that you
don't understand.

"Tell Sapho I'll miss her!"

You zigzag back to your room and crash in your bed with your clothes on. You fall quickly in
a deep sleep...