Seeking Safe Harbor: Suddenly Everything Changed (The Seeking Series) (18 page)

On the second morning, Captain Wang had the sub brought alongside the sailboat. Cupping his hands at the sides of his mouth, he called over to the sailboat, asking Zach if he could stop and talk.

Zach agreed, and the crew dropped the sails. When the sailboat slowed to a stop, they dropped six rubber fenders over the side and the submarine edged up alongside. They tied one to the other. Once they were sure the fenders would prevent damage to the sailboat’s fiberglass hull, the submarine’s crew extended a “gangplank” between the vessels. The submarine was higher than the La Sirena, so Captain Wang walked carefully down the improvised walkway, which his crew had fashioned out of metal used for flooring on their vessel. He saluted and asked permission to go aboard before actually stepping onto the sailboat.

“Thank you for stopping, captain,” the Chinese officer said, directing it at Zach, but looking around to let everyone know he intended it for all of them. “I have another request.”

“Yes?” Zach said, waiting cautiously.

“With your permission, I would like to have members of my crew ride along with you so that they might learn things about your country.”

Zach thought for a second before responding. “I’m sorry, but that seems like a rather odd request. Why would you want that?”

“No need to be sorry. You have every right to know why. Having lived in the United States, I know something about the people and how the country functions. Your combination of democracy and capitalism has resulted in a unique society. As I am sure you are aware, our attempt at straight communism resulted in abject poverty for a vast majority of our people.

“I am a military person and not political, but I was happy when we changed to a capitalistic economy. It brought a form of wealth to many that we had never before seen. We did not change our form of government, however, and my crewmembers do not know the feeling of being able to make the choices that will govern their lives in a free society. If we are successful at getting to live in your country for a time, it would be very useful for them to know something about how you think and talk.”

“For a time? Does that mean you plan on returning to China?”

“I am Chinese. It is my country. Yes, if it is possible when the air is again fit to breath and the water fit to drink, I will return.”

“And take democracy with you?”

“As I said, I am not a political person. I like democracy but I shall try to fit into whatever system the people choose.”

Zach looked the man in the eye. He wasn’t fool enough to think he could determine if someone was telling the truth or not, but liars often gave themselves away by either shifting their eyes or attempting to focus them unusually straight at a person. Captain Wang’s eyes did neither. He didn’t try to convince him that he was going to promote democracy when he had the chance, either. Someone trying to pull something would do that to build confidence, wouldn’t they? On the other hand, a smart operator might use that as a ploy.

Zach had the same concerns he had with Ron, that the Chinese could use the opportunity to learn how to sail the boat. But, why? They already had a two-hundred-fifty foot boat of their own. Besides, Captain Wang already knew something about sailing, and the others could see them plainly from the deck of the submarine, which was going to be on top of the water most of the time. They could learn simply by observing for a few weeks.

He decided to get more information. “How many do you have aboard?”

“Thirty-seven men, five of whom are officers, including myself.”

Ron, who was standing close behind Zach, commented, “That sounds like very few for a boat that size,”

Captain Wang looked appreciatively over Zach’s shoulder at the ex-navy man. “You know about navy craft, I see. You are quite correct. The normal complement is fifty-five men, nine of whom are officers. However, before we left the South China Sea, we were involved in several skirmishes with the kinds of marauders your aircraft carrier is now hunting down. We rid the world of many bad people, but we lost eighteen men doing it.”

“Thirty-seven is still a lot,” Zach observed, “and I don’t believe any of us speak any form of Chinese,” Zach replied, looking at the newest members of the crew. Millie, George, and Ron all shook their heads.

“I would suggest only two or three at a time,” the Chinese officer said. “One of my officers and one of the enlisted men speak very good English. Two others have a working knowledge. I would also, with your permission, take a turn aboard to translate.” That last statement came as a bit of a surprise given the Commanding Officer’s lead role and responsibility.

Zach looked around. The others, like himself, had considered the consequences. Stacey, Glen, and Denise nodded weakly. They didn’t have any specific objections but their expressions indicated there were reservations.

“As a guest, I probably don’t have a say,” Millie observed, “but I would say yes, if I did.”

“If there are unfortunate consequences, you will suffer them the same as us,” Zach replied, “so, as far as I am concerned, in this process, you do have a say.”

“Then I suppose I have a say, also,” George said. “I have doubts about it, so if you allow them to come aboard, I suggest we watch them closely.” He turned to the submarine captain. “No offense, but we’ve had some bad times recently.”

“No offense taken. There are members of my crew who are just as suspicious. It is to be expected in times such as these.”

“Very well,” Zach concluded, “we can take three at a time. There isn’t room for more. Does eight a.m. to six p.m. sound okay?”

“That sounds very good. As we will be having lunch with you, we will bring food.”

“I hadn’t given any thought to that,” Zach admitted. “What do you have?”

“Rice,” said the Chinese officer.

“Oh,” said Zach with little enthusiasm in his voice.

The Chinese officer laughed. “It is my attempt at a joke. Having watched Americans eat for over five years in Santa Barbara, I am aware that rice is seldom on the menu. We have vegetables and meat. And we catch fish.”

“We sometimes eat rice,” said Stacey, “but we don’t have any at the moment. Maybe we could use some.”

Glen tried to be helpful. “I like rice pilaf well enough. Remember when we ate it at that restaurant in Mission Bay?”

Denise made a face.

“I will see what our cook can come up with,” said Captain Wang, smiling.

Having decided to start immediately, the submariner captain brought one man who spoke English very well and one who spoke none at all over to the sailboat and introduced them to all those aboard. The two were obviously ill at ease in this strange situation, but the one who spoke English repeated the names of each of the Americans as they were introduced. He never forgot any of them. The other said nothing.

Shortly afterward, a man came over with a large cardboard box. “This is our lunch,” said Captain Wang. He smiled. “It is mostly rice. However, there is one large portion of Cantonese Rice. That is flavored rice mixed with vegetables and various kinds of meats. My cook is very well known for that dish. There is enough for each of you to try for lunch today.”

“Hey, that smells good!” Glen exclaimed, edging up close to the Chinese men.

“I hope you will find that it tastes even better than it smells.” said the officer.

Zach took the box and handed it down to Millie. Put this in the refrigerator, please. We can microwave it later.”

“You have a microwave?” Captain Wang asked.

“Yes.” Zach pointed to two large solar panels on the roof of the main cabin. “We have both solar power and a diesel generator. As long as we don’t overdo it, we have a good supply of electricity.”

At lunch that day, they decided to drop the sails and cut the engine to enjoy a leisurely meal and conversation.

“I remember that Americans can be very cosmopolitan,” commented the submarine captain. “You have many kinds of restaurants in your country.”

“Did you get used to eating American food, or did you just eat rice?” asked Denise.

“When I was there, I ate mostly American cuisine and became quite fond of it.”

“Oh?” said Stacey. “What was your favorite American dish?”

“Tacos.”

T
HE Chinese officer and the Americans burst out laughing at his remark, astonishing the other two submariners. When he was able to control his mirth, Wang told his speechless compatriots about the vast cultural diversity in the United States.

“Every country has its own specialized dishes,” he said after explaining that every country in the world is represented in the U.S. population, some so heavily they make up a majority in areas. “There are restaurants serving dishes from everywhere around the world,” he continued. “In some areas, Mexican restaurants outnumber all others. The taco is actually a Mexican dish but there are so many served, a stranger would assume they are a native U.S. dish.”

After the man who brought the food returned to the submarine and the “gangplank” was removed and stored, the Chinese ship moved away from the
La Sirena
. The sailboat’s crew worked around their “guests” as they hoisted the sails so they could resume their trip. As the Americans talked, the two Chinese who spoke English translated for their shipmate.

When lunch was served, the rice dishes were warmed up in the ship’s microwave. The Chinese were again surprised when Zach, Stacey, and George used chopsticks to eat their Cantonese Rice.

“Yes, the United States must have a very diverse society,” the second English-speaking submariner concluded, a hint of awe in his voice.

Just as surprising to the Americans, Captain Wang used a fork. “Easier to eat with,” he said, although he did resort to chopsticks to pick up smaller items.

After the first day, the submarine pulled up next to the sailboat every morning to drop off three of their crew, and again in the evening to allow them to return. There was always one English-speaking sailor among them. They listened to the Americans talk and asked questions about life in the United States. There was interest in family life, work, entertainment, and shopping but political issues were usually the main topic. The Chinese were amazed that there were different political parties and philosophies, but what seemed to baffle them most was that people openly questioned the actions of their leaders.

The submarine was always in sight, and some members of its crew were always on deck. They worked out, an exercise that looked like yoga to the Americans. When not doing that, they either studied, or fished, using poles at times, but mostly using nets. They caught enough to feed themselves regularly and had enough left over to give to the Americans. They also provided their hosts with a variety of foods from their storage area, which consisted of mostly rice and noodles or a variety of cut portions of meats and vegetables from their freezer. Because of the gifts of food, the Americans used barely half of their own stores during the more than three weeks they were at sea with the submarine.

The crew of the
La Sirena
got used to having the Chinese on board during the day and equally accepted having the submarine nearby at all times. Although they would not characterize their relationship with their “guests” as friendship, it became comfortable for most of them. George kept his distance.

Several of the Chinese were suspicious of the Americans, as well. They weren’t openly hostile but neither did they attempt to get close, their eyes constantly on guard. Ninety percent of the submariners, though, exhibited no hostility and used the opportunity to learn all they could. Like the majority of the Americans, they became comfortable with the arrangement.

Three weeks passed, and they didn’t see another boat as they approached the waters outside California. There was one plane, which was headed west. It was off in the distance and flying at more than thirty thousand feet altitude, so they had no way of knowing what kind of plane it was, where it came from or where it was going. It was unlikely anyone on the plane would have seen them. Two months earlier, on the trip west from California to the South Pacific, they had seen fifteen boats, and at least fifty planes passed by overhead. Things had changed drastically.

As Captain Wang and two members of his crew started to leave the sailboat one evening, they spotted a small clump of loose kelp floating nearby. The officer pointed it out to the sailing crew and called back to them, “We’re near a kelp forest. We should see land by morning.”

A member of the Chinese crew snagged the brownish sea plant with a gaff; a large hook attached to a long pole, and pulled it aboard the sub.

“Great for wrapping some of my cook’s rice dishes,” the captain yelled to the
La Sirena
crew as he watched his men take the kelp below. “He uses it in soups, too. Great food source.”

* * * * *

As dawn broke the next morning, Glen, whose shoulder had healed well enough that he could again stand his watch, saw the California coast ahead. “Hey, everyone,” he called to those below, “we’re home.”

Denise was the first to make her way to the cockpit, followed by Stacey and Zach. The other three soon joined them.