Chapter 43

When everyone got settled down, we had a head to head meeting and talked for several hours about almost every topic you could possibly imagine. It was about ten minutes before Tiny finally snapped out of his daze and started pitching in with some suggestions. The whole time we were all kinda watching Maggie, and could see that she was also watching Tiny. She had a look of love on her face that a blind man couldn't miss. After about three hours of conversation, several of the island women brought lunch out to us and we took a break. We were approached by one of the women, who told us that the elder and several of the men asked if they could come and join our meeting. I quickly told her to tell them they were welcome to join us. I wanted to ask Mikey some questions anyway. We finished our lunch, which was delicious by the way, and sat with refreshments, waiting to see who was going to show up. In about ten minutes, seven men, all older, showed up. They all had whip scars on their bodies, which made me feel disgusted. Myrna had them pull another table up and we all sat back and waited to see what they had to say. Mikey, being the leader, started it off.

"Jon, we feel we owe you an apology. Several of the men watched what happened today, and saw how you handled those men. They were friends of the one called Sukie, and he did a lot of dealing with them. We wish to know why you felt the need to shoot one of them."

"Let me get something straight with all of you right now, Mikey! I won't be threatened by anyone. I own this island and I will not have any dealings with scum like those two men. If I had my way, they would have been shot, weighted down, and thrown in the ocean for the sharks to feed on. I told you when we met the first time that this is my island and no one threatens anyone on it for any reason. Look at the men with you, and see why I hate all slavers. Those scars would never have happened, if the previous owner had taken the time to treat your people decently, and pay them a fair wage for their labors. No, he had to threaten and whip to get a few bucks in his pocket. I meant what I said about you being free to govern yourselves. I will not interfere with your rules unless I think someone's being mistreated, and then I will take it as a personal affront to me."

"Jon, are you willing to listen to some ideas we have that can make us all money? It would be a simple change in what we grow here. There are several people that we have been trading with over the years, who would be willing to buy any extra we can grow. There is a hidden cove only we know about, that we can use to do the trading, except this time we can do it for our tribe's benefit. I am more than willing to keep a set of books that you can inspect any time you wish. The one you call Myrna has given us several ideas that would be easy to implement and be to everyone's advantage."

"Mikey, before I answer that I want to ask you a question."

"You may ask any question you wish, and I will try to answer it."

"Until the word gets out that this island is no longer a slaver's hideout, are your people willing to keep a watch out for unexpected visitors? We will need this while I am here with my friends, as well as after we leave. It will be needed to keep your people safe from harm until you can get up and running on your own. When we leave, I don't want a repeat of history where some outlaw white man comes in and tries to take the island over. When I leave, I want to know your people are willing to fight for what I am giving them, their freedom and self rule, which I know they haven't had for generations. Think about this carefully before you answer, because your women and children, as well as mine, depend on how you answer this as the men of the island. If you need weapons, I will arrange for them and teach you how to use them. Your freedom depends on what your men and women are willing to sacrifice to keep it. If you want to be slaves again, then when I am gone, there is nothing I can do to stop it. Mikey, freedom comes at a cost, and to keep it is hard work and a lot of sacrifice, even the loss of life."

I sat and watched as they all thought about what I had said, and I could see that the ramifications of what they were facing was finally setting in. They hadn't had their own thoughts for generations, and this was the acid test for them. Would they fold, or face it like I hoped they would? This was the hundred dollar question, as far as I was concerned. I had seen people, after years of struggle; finally get their freedom, only to lose it again. They were so cowed by their former masters that they just froze at the thought of thinking for themselves. I had personally seen a warlord with just ten men and a few guns take over thousands of people. They never even put up a fight because they were so used to being told what to do. They had no idea how to act, except to accept someone who would give them orders. Fighting for a cause was one thing, but when someone else did it for you, then the ones who benefitted had no idea what to do when they won. No, this would be up to these people, or I would take it upon myself to move them somewhere safe where they could learn to live the life they deserved.

"Jon, I have thought about what you have said just now, and also what you said when you came to see me. My people have done nothing but talk about this freedom we have gotten, and I will be the first to admit we have no idea what it is like to be free. As far back as we can remember, we have always had someone to tell us what to do. Now you say we have to take care of ourselves. I agree that the whipping was greatly resented, but how do we learn what to do if we have no direction? Do you know of someone that you trust that will help us learn to live the way our ancestors did, and to help my people to learn to live with this freedom you have given us? We have followed orders for so long, none of us has any idea how to give them and what to do to make you proud of our people."

"Mikey, if that is the case, then I will have to move your people somewhere where I know you won't be taken advantage of. I told you I won't put up with slavery in any form, and if I have to bring someone in to tell your people how to raise crops and how to work them, I would be just as bad as the ones who were here before."

"No! We do not wish to leave our homes and move to a strange place. There must be some way we can work this out so everyone will be happy with the decisions. Jon, there is an old plantation on an island that is only known to a few. A lot of our people escaped there over the years and have kept in touch with us. They have their own trading boats and have asked us many times to join them. They have offered to send boats to the cove for those who want to leave. Maybe they would move back now that we have a good master who wants the best for us. Will you let us use one of the boats to contact them and see if they will meet with you?"

"I would be willing to meet with them, but understand this, Mikey, and tell your people. If they are troublemakers and only want to take over the island and cause problems for everyone, I will have Legionnaires come in and remove them by force, if necessary."

"Oh no, Jon, they are just farmers who grew tired of the whippings, and not having enough food to eat after working all day, seven days a week. Most are young and wish for a better life on their own terms, not by being whipped for small mistakes. Many have been attending the local college on the big island to learn to be better farmers, and how to increase their crops for the betterment of their people. They are not violent like the ones who lived here for several years. Those people were brought in to work, and when they caused nothing but trouble, they were all taken away in the night, never to be seen again. Since then, my people do all the work, even the children help to pick the coconuts and mangoes that we grow here. Since your friend came and told us about you buying the island, we have been well fed and happy for the first time since I can remember. You heard the children's laughter in the village. This was never allowed before, and when they did, they were given extra work to do to keep them quiet."

"Mikey, why don't you go back to your village and talk over what we have discussed today? Use one of the boats to set up a meeting with the men who left. We can meet them in your village and see what they have to say. Mikey, if they come, tell them I will not put up with any funny business, but will intelligently discuss with them what their and our options will be. Make it very clear to them what I have said, and that if they wish to reunite with their families, I will help in any way I can."

He just nodded as they got up and disappeared into the lush jungle that surrounded the patio. This set me to thinking on a path that I had fleetingly thought about before, how many people had gotten away from the brutality on this island in the past. When the men disappeared, the women started up and had a lot to say about what they had just listened to. We spent the whole afternoon talking about all the problems I was facing and every one of them was shocked about Mikey's request to having another overseer to tell them what to do. They and I had never seen such a beaten down race of people, and all of us felt sorry for them. I again reminded them that the danger we were facing might not be gone, and for everyone to keep alert and to lock their doors at night. I also told them to put a chair under the door handles as an added precaution.

"Carver, I want you and the others to be armed at all times. If need be, take several of the pistols and hide them so that only you know where they are, until we can assure ourselves that Mikey and the villagers realize just how much security means. Since they have never had to worry about it before, it is all up to us. Sally, I want you to move to the top floor and the rest of you spread out into the different rooms so we can set up a crossfire if need be. I want to minimize the danger from being all bunched up together in one part of the house. Carver, I will leave the planning for this up to you and Tiny, since you both have experience at it. Remember, we hold the ultimate tool. They don't know we are here, and how many we are. I want to keep it that way. Quanta, if you wish to leave with your family, I will call for a ride to come and take you off the island. Talk it over with your wife and let me know. If any of the rest of you wants to leave, the offer is open for you also. I don't know exactly what we will be facing or when, but I don't want any of you harmed, if staying in a hotel on U.S. soil will prevent it. This is my island, and since I seem to be responsible for these people, I will not abandon them to some smuggler or slaver to be used again."