Chapter 8: Job Offers

Warren and Francine’s wedding reception was marred by bad news, brought by that same sleazy agent in Abidjian, the one that hired Nigerian pirates as crew members for me and Speedy. We received the news in the middle of the party. Tiger told us. The agent only spoke to Tiger. We aren’t employees of anybody and don’t rate attention...

Enrique was murdered aboard Speedy while still at the dock in Lagos. He was alone, with no one else to help him guard the ship. Curses on whoever failed to hire helpers.

He interrupted local pirates who crept aboard and were trying to steal fuel. They killed him, then escaped in the RIB, also stealing the RIB. Enrique was a good man. May he rest in peace!

May his murderers die slowly, of the most horrible agonizing prolonged misery, and ugliest diseases imaginable. Not until and only after watching all their relatives and everyone they know, die by slow stages, insane with pain, screaming while heaping curses upon their heads for infecting them with the same dread plague!

Now I’m being plain mean!

Tiger tells us the sad news and tells me Mr Tynsall wants me to call. I’ll call in a minute. First, I want to write down that curse I just conjured on Enrique’s murderers. I might want to recite it for whomever left Enrique all alone on Speedy, with no back up!

“What do you want, George. Enrique was your employee. You were responsible for his safety. Why did you not provide backup, help for him on board Speedy? Avoiding the cost of some extra employee’s salaries turned out to be very expensive. Cost Emique’s life, didn’t it! What do you want now, asshole?”

Long silence. Then just as I was about to hang up,

“We are all upset over Enrique’s death. You are angry with me, but I assure you, I’m not to blame. I need your help in getting Enrique back home again. The government brings dead soldiers home, but won’t help with dead civilians. I’ve inquired every where, every official, every office, and everyone says it’s impossible to ship a corpse overseas unless via the military. The military won’t help.”

“Does Enrique have family in Houston? He never mentioned them.”

“Yes, a daughter and grandchildren he supported. They want to bury him at home. How can we ship him home? Can it be done?”

“Contact an oil company currently exploring or drilling in Nigeria. Tell them you have about two hundred twenty pounds of oilfield equipment to ship home. It will fit inside a six foot length of thirty inch diameter casing pipe. You will need the pipe hermetically sealed by welded on round plates both ends after your shipment is placed inside. Inquire the cost of the pipe, plates, and welded ends and the freight for shipping. The expense is several thousand dollars last I heard. They will understand. You don’t need to go into details. This is how they frequently bring their own casualties back home. Leave it as raw metal outside, with no paint or decorations. It’s only a piece of equipment so far as customs is concerned. It’s an open secret everyone including customs ignores, if you don’t foolishly make a fuss. Bury the pipe intact. It won’t smell pretty if opened.”