I'd walk a mile for a computer right now. I know the words "rustic and quaint" should have tipped me off when I read the brochure, but honestly... no Internet access? Is that even allowed nowadays? After throwing a small fit at the front desk (if you can call it that. It was more like a thatched box with a little stool for the non-English speaking teenager who ran the place), I decided to walk around a bit and see if I could find anyone on this silly island who had a working computer. I was willing to pay a generous hourly rate for its use. I just needed to check my e-mail for god's sake!
Up ahead I heard a radio playing top forty hits and in my haste to reach anyplace with electricity, I stumbled over a banana tree root.
"Ouch!" I cried, rolling onto my back and grasping my ankle. I could already feel the swell of flesh pushing against my strappy sandals. Tears stung my eyes and as I tried to call for help a choked sob came out instead. Defeated in so many ways, I was suddenly depleted of all my energy. My body, defeated and hurting, eased into the mushy ground. My splayed arms and legs went heavy and the throb in my ankle faded to a dull ache. Clouds floated by in haste over the treetops. Ironically, on the island, everything moved at a lazy, lethargic pace while the skies zoomed by. In the bustling city, the clouds seemed to just sit and stare at all the chaos.
I thought about all the e-mails I wasn't returning and all the news I wasn't keeping up with. I thought about all the time I was wasting by being on this crazy vacation.
I rolled over and attempted to stand up, but real pain shot up my leg again and I whimpered like a child. I felt like a child. I wanted my mom. Someone to make it all better and fix things for me. I don't know how long I silently lay there; it felt like hours, but was probably more like 20 minutes.
"Are you okay?" I heard a man ask. I shielded my eyes from the sun and looked up to see a very tanned, handsome man looking down at me, offering his hand for support.
"I don't know. I think I'm okay. I hurt my ankle- it might be sprained...or broken," I answered meekly.
He smiled, bent down and gently touched my swollen ankle. "I' can help you."
Relief washed over me and I sighed loudly, forgetting all about my e-mails.
