Pedro the Informer

Our newly fixed up smiles didn't last too long. Navy boys were very sticky about our onboard electronics, especially our laptops which they examined with great curiosity and blatant suspicion. I wanted to take my laptop to the dentist's office to recharge its depleted batteries and pull up some digital Cuban charts which we were unable to use for awhile now due to lack of power. The official who searched our boat sternly forbade me to take my laptop onshore and no amount of pleading would sway him away. Tobi, however, somehow sneaked her laptop to the ambulance undetected by either me or navy guards (she reasoned to me later that he didn't examine her bag and she wasn't told not to bring electronics on land - I wasn't entirely sure about this theory but somehow in my Polish mind it made sense in Cuba.)

Upon our return, Pedro the ambulance driver, after receiving his cash from us, went straight to the guard to inform them about the presence of the mysterious laptop in the dental office waiting room, where Tobi had happily written up some updates while I was getting my teeth blasted clean. The guard had a minor fit, demanding to know if we had any more laptops onboard and if we really took one onshore. I, oblivious to the fact that in the waiting room Tobi was polishing her literary skills, assured the guard that laptops were left on the boat the whole time. The atmosphere was deteriorating fast. Boys with shorts and machine guns were no longer relaxed and their bosses were fuming. We hurriedly left the navy base tossing stupid “gracias” in the air, leaving somewhat dumbfounded and more-than-slightly annoyed chief guard behind. When later on I realized what really happened with Tobi's laptop I grit my freshly done teeth. I felt a bit of a bad taste in my mouth, but surely it was my new fillings. Besides, we were not chased by any gun ships as far as I could tell and I always liked that not-chased-by-the-gun-ships feeling.

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