FASTER OR SLOWER?

“Guys, is that Ak’tenamit’s light beam over there? Looks so close...”

“Watch out Paulo!”

Tonight we had seven extra people for dinner. They’re the volunteers from the Ak’tenamit non-profit organization located the other side of the river.

I picked them up on a lancha boat at around 6pm and brought them to the Finca. Three Spaniards, two Americans, one French dude and one German girl. A Spanish guy teaches English, an American girl is a nurse but she does stuff like a full qualified doctor. A Spanish girl does workshops with the school kids, and I’ve no idea what everyone else does. They’re a cool crowd.

Following a massive dinner, they all grabbed a few beers, some chatted with other guests, others played ping-pong, whilst some just relaxed on the hammocks. A great way to wind down after a working day. I looked around the room and all I could see was happy and relaxed people, all moving slow, and their worlds slowed down with them.

At 10pm they wanted to leave so I had to take them back on a lancha boat. I haven’t driven a boat before during the night, so I was kinda uneasy. Anyways I gathered the group in the boat and moved out as slow as I could. The night sky was covered in clouds, announcing rainfall. An eerie darkness engulfed us in the matter of seconds.

I asked the passengers to keep silent, so I could fully immerse into the night and navigate through it. I also asked them to switch off their flashlights as they were confusing me as opposed to helping.

I continued moving forward very slow. After about what seemed like an eternity, - but my watch marked 6 minutes - our boat joined the main river.

Feeling confident that we’ve gone this far, I decided to get cocky and twisted the engine handle making the boat go faster and faster and faster....

I saw a light on the side of the river, which I thought to be Ak’tenamit’s dock, but something wasn’t right. It was a lot smaller than expected, maybe I just need to get closer in order to see it bigger and brighter, so I continued to speed up towards it, faster and faster and faster.

The light felt closer and closer but it kept its small size. Strange, I thought.

I asked the guys if the light beam was their building, but behind it stood something big and tall, a structure of some sort, I was sure now that it wasn’t a wooden dock at all.

It’s the wrong size and height, I thought. It looks like a....

“Watch out Paulo!” I heard.

Instinctively, I held my breath and with a sharp yank, I pulled the engine handle towards me, swivelling our boat to the left, avoiding the light altogether.

With the lancha boat floating next to the structure I could see it perfectly. The structure was a sailing boat anchored on the river and the beam was its safety night light.

We were safe. I could breath normally again.

We continued very slowly towards our destination, this time I brushed away any urges to speed up. Sometimes I, we have to slow down. Slower, slower, even slower...

Ciao 4 now

~ Paulo ~