The Island Man
The story of the island man is very complex. He resides on Zipolite beach in Mexico.His name is Richard and he is originally from England. I would guess he is around 35 years old. He loves to play guitar and sing (especially We are the World). I don't know how long he has been in Zipolite. He has plans to build a homemade island and circumnavigate the world. He is building his island from jungle vegetation.
I first met the Island Man at Natas bar on Zipolite beach. After we had finished a few beers, the Island Man told me of his island and his ludicrous plans. He told me his island was only a five minute walk up the beach so I agreed to go check it out the next day.
The next day I woke up a little hung-over but excited. I ventured out of my $5 a day cabana and made my way to the Island Man's creation. When i saw the island, my first impression was that there was no way that sucker would make it around the world. It looked like a cheap hut. But since I don't know much about island building, I thought I had better let Richard explain it. He was next to the island perched over a pot cooking some food. When he looked up and saw me, he smiled and exclaimed "So you came to see her!" I affirmed that fact and approached the island. Richard delayed me, saying "Let me show you the blueprints first." He proceeded to show me these drawings of the island made in crayon. The guy had actually drawn three or four perfect cross sections of the island in crayola! I couldn't believe it. It was too much. As he displayed these blueprints, he would point a certain items on the picture and say, "That is where the turbine will be" or "The solar cooker goes here." Richard fully believed that he could create a self sufficient island out of jungle vegetation complete with solar cooker, a turbine for power, and the ability to generate its own climate. And I thought I had wild dreams. The island was constructed on the beach at the mouth of a dry river bed. Richard hoped that the rains would come when his island was complete and fill the river sending him on his way. The rains had been late that summer, and Richard thanked Mother Nature for that proclaiming, "The bitch is on my side."
All of the locals made fun of him constantly, but none of the English speaking tourists would ridicule him. I think it was because he was so damned serious when he told someone about the island that they didn't have the heart to say, "What the hell are you talking about."
The Island Man played guitar, as i previously conveyed, and he had great plans for his musical abilities. He told us he was planning to dock his island in major cities and hold giant rock concerts to raise money for the island. I hope he comes to the coast of Texas.
Update Jan 25,2001.-- Unbelievably, The Island Man appeared on TVs "Ripleys's Believe It or Not." This shocking expose featured him constructing a new Island on the beach just outside of Cancun!.
Update Nov 12,1997.-- The Island man was recently spotted in the zocolo of Mexico City according to a reliable source. Apparently his island was destroyed in the recent hurricane along with most of Zipolite. So the Island Man had not been blown into the ocean by the hurricane as i had conjectured. I thought by now he was halfway to Japan preparing for his first rock concert.
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