"As soon as Guido Marie left the cabin, I quickly pried open the nearest crate. To my shock (total shock) I was greeted by Whiskers and hundreds of his companions. Whiskers let out an excited squeak when he saw me. I quickly turned the crate over so all of the little squirrels (aka squirrelus groundus Californius) could escape and hide away in the plane. I then filled the crate up with blankets enough to approximate the weight of hundreds of ground squirrels." from Chapter 4...
I had just returned to me seat, strapped myself in with the seat belt, when Guido Marie returned from the cockpit. She happily announced that Senor Miguel and Captain Skippy were happily guzzling their drinks...and that soon not only would the plane be flying but so would be the flight crew!
As dawn approached, the flying of the airplane by Senor Miguel and Captain Skippy grew more erratic. It was with great relief that I saw of the skyline of Campeche approaching. However as the plane circled around to prepare for its last approach to the one runway of Campeche International Airport and then start its final descent I was horrified to see several police cruisers surrounding the runway with the police officers peering out from behind their car doors with rifles pointing at our approaching plane. I began to realize they were hoping to nab Senor Miguel, Captain Skippy and Guido Marie in an attempt to put an end to their California Ground Squirrel illegal importation.
Fortunately and unfortunately luck was on the side of the villains for a few brief seconds. As Captain Skippy in his alcohol fueled stupor tried to pull up from the committed landing, he misjudged the distance to the end of the runway and with the roar of engines and the scream of straining wings the plane hit the run way in a bone jarring head snapping thump and then bounced up into the air once again only to plow into a grove of gum trees and oleander bushes that announced the end of the runway. Immediately Senor Miguel and Captain Skippy opened the front door of the plane and leaped to the ground and ran disappearing into the gum trees and oleander bushes.
Guido Marie had been knocked unconscious with the impact and her glass of white wine had fully doused her face. She was sitting in her seat lurched sideways with white wine dripping off her nose and forming a puddle on her flight tray. I thought about helping her but then I knew my true calling was to help the ground squirrels safely escape...and ultimately I needed to find Raoul. So with a gentle sigh, I wipe the wine from her face, her eyes fluttered a bit, and then in her unconsciousness she said: "Ooooh baby, come to Momma!" The situation was scaring the daylights out of me and I knew I needed to flee but not without those darn ground squirrels.
Frantically I searched for them and spotted several little bright eyes peering at me but they would not leave with me. Finally I found Whiskers and whisked him up and put him in the pocket of my field jacket...he settled in with a happy squirrel squeak that seemed arouse the other other 200 or so ground squirrels from their fear and they began to come and gather around us. I could hear sirens blaring in the distance and knew that our moment to escape without harm was rapidly evaporating. Quickly I looked for and found the release for the back door of the plane as well as an escape shute which I quickly let down and with a whoop from me, and big squeak from Whiskers, and a chorus of squeaks from the other ground squirrels we slid down the shute only to land in a heap on the jungle ground...me and 201 ground squirrels. The was much squirrel squeaking and in fact so much so that I feared it would attract the attention of the approaching police.
I had just returned to me seat, strapped myself in with the seat belt, when Guido Marie returned from the cockpit. She happily announced that Senor Miguel and Captain Skippy were happily guzzling their drinks...and that soon not only would the plane be flying but so would be the flight crew!
As dawn approached, the flying of the airplane by Senor Miguel and Captain Skippy grew more erratic. It was with great relief that I saw of the skyline of Campeche approaching. However as the plane circled around to prepare for its last approach to the one runway of Campeche International Airport and then start its final descent I was horrified to see several police cruisers surrounding the runway with the police officers peering out from behind their car doors with rifles pointing at our approaching plane. I began to realize they were hoping to nab Senor Miguel, Captain Skippy and Guido Marie in an attempt to put an end to their California Ground Squirrel illegal importation.
Fortunately and unfortunately luck was on the side of the villains for a few brief seconds. As Captain Skippy in his alcohol fueled stupor tried to pull up from the committed landing, he misjudged the distance to the end of the runway and with the roar of engines and the scream of straining wings the plane hit the run way in a bone jarring head snapping thump and then bounced up into the air once again only to plow into a grove of gum trees and oleander bushes that announced the end of the runway. Immediately Senor Miguel and Captain Skippy opened the front door of the plane and leaped to the ground and ran disappearing into the gum trees and oleander bushes.
Guido Marie had been knocked unconscious with the impact and her glass of white wine had fully doused her face. She was sitting in her seat lurched sideways with white wine dripping off her nose and forming a puddle on her flight tray. I thought about helping her but then I knew my true calling was to help the ground squirrels safely escape...and ultimately I needed to find Raoul. So with a gentle sigh, I wipe the wine from her face, her eyes fluttered a bit, and then in her unconsciousness she said: "Ooooh baby, come to Momma!" The situation was scaring the daylights out of me and I knew I needed to flee but not without those darn ground squirrels.
Frantically I searched for them and spotted several little bright eyes peering at me but they would not leave with me. Finally I found Whiskers and whisked him up and put him in the pocket of my field jacket...he settled in with a happy squirrel squeak that seemed arouse the other other 200 or so ground squirrels from their fear and they began to come and gather around us. I could hear sirens blaring in the distance and knew that our moment to escape without harm was rapidly evaporating. Quickly I looked for and found the release for the back door of the plane as well as an escape shute which I quickly let down and with a whoop from me, and big squeak from Whiskers, and a chorus of squeaks from the other ground squirrels we slid down the shute only to land in a heap on the jungle ground...me and 201 ground squirrels. The was much squirrel squeaking and in fact so much so that I feared it would attract the attention of the approaching police.
So quickly I bounded up and out of our writhing mess with Whiskers in my pocket and took off for the jungle of gum trees and oleander bushes with 200 squeaking squirrels running behind, ahead, and around me. Within two hundred yard we were able to disappear from sight and the only sound to give us away was the squeaking squirrels which I was trying to hush...but to no avail.
With one final look at the plane now surrounded by police with their guns drawn, I silently wished Guido Marie good luck and began to herd my little entourage to safety.
Words escape me as I try to describe those hours of escaping through the jungle to safety not knowing the way and having Whiskers in my pocket while surrounded by 200 California ground squirrels. We crossed streams, we climbed hills, we descended hills all the while trying to heat east toward the Caribbean shore because I knew The Morocco was somewhere there.
Finally the jungle grew less dense and then suddenly we were on white sand beaches...me and 201 ground squirrels...looking at beautiful blue-green ocean. By this time the sun was setting behind us and casting long shadows from the trees and changing the color of the water for blue-green to slate gray. I did not know whether to turn south or north but finally decided upon north as if some internal magnetic compass was directing me. We trudged for miles as the afternoon slid into night and finally rounding a small peninsula saw a mirage! Yes a mirage! It was a cute little beach-side inn with a sign on it's side saying "The Morocco."
I hesitantly approached the inn from the side facing the ocean fearing what I would find. Would Raoul remember me? Would he tell me and the 201 ground squirrels to get lost? Would he call the police? What if it would not be Raoul?
Yet, as I rounded the side of the inn and approached a huge deck that faced the ocean there was only one man there. He was resting on a lounge chair, shirtless, with his legs covered by a light blanket because of the approaching evening coolness. It was Raoul!
His first looked at me was with a blank gaze that said "who are you." Then the look changed to shock at my entourage of 201 ground squirrels. His look turned quizzical and then I saw knowledge in his eyes as he suddenly remembered me. With a shout of "Juan" he threw off his blanket and started running toward me. With a should of "Raoul" I started to run toward him only to be tripped by running ground squirrels and fall face forward into the sandy beach. By time I spit sand out of my mouth and stood he was upon me hugging me and laughing and crying at the same time. It was as if I had plucked him from a dream and I was finally able to hold him again as I hugged him with my laughter and tears.
Finally when we were able to get our breath, stop laughing, stop crying, he looked at me seriously and said: "What the hell are you doing here with all of these squirrels"?
(next chapter Raoul, Juan and 201 ground squirrels escape Campeche and head back to California)
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