Michael slept all day long, arising around seven o'clock in the evening there in the little motel by the highway and the Waffle House. He took a long hot shower, still full from his enormous breakfast he laid back down on the bed watching some sitcoms on NBC. Michael fell asleep just before the local news, but not before he set the bedside alarm clock to wake him at 2:00 a.m.. Michael had slept for a good 16 hours over the past 24 hours and he felt rested but restless. Phase #2 had begun and he hurried to dress and ready himself, back in the same suit for his flight to South America. Michael secured his belongings as he waited for the taxi he had summoned. Michael switched off the light in the little motel room there in North Texas saying "Phase one, complete."
Now the city of Irving is right next to the massive DFW International airport and Michael found himself at his terminal in only about twenty minutes. It was 4:15 a.m. just about two hours from his scheduled take off. Michael paid his driver and walked in to the building for a speedy check-in, where he showed his passport and paid for his ticket, then Michael went through security, where he was made to open up his carry on suitcase, just as the security team at O'Hare had made him do. So he, as in Chicago, showed the receipts for his small fortune in time pieces, explaining/lying he was a jeweler on a his way to deliver this shipment of watches personally. Being that he was well dressed, good looking and charming, his story/lie was effectual and most plausible. Two of the three members of the security staff were women so Michael was able to breeze through with a flashing smile and a little wink of his eye. All was going well for Dr. Cullen who would soon be on his way, he had secured his boarding pass, with one and a half hours left before departure. Michael did not think about this being his last time in America, his native land, nor did he stop to think about Chicago, or the trial, or his lawyer, nor did he even give thought to his partner in crime, Azir. No, Michael kept these thoughts away with visions of the furture and what might happen the next day when he would awake in a foreign land, where he had never been and knew no one. Michael recalled a short story he had read sometime ago, by Isak Dinesen called 'The Dreamers'; in which three men had been on a long, separate, desperate search, for the same woman, whom had broken all of their hearts in some terrible form and fashion. To one man she had been a beautiful prostitute in Rome, to another she was a rebel rallying, milliner from Lucerne, and to the other an angelic, devout pious young virgin in Madrid. She was in fact a wealthy woman, a world renowned young opera singer, traveling in different guises, creating a new life for herself, only always fleeing when she thought someone was too close to knowing her true indentity. So Michael thought he would be like Rosabella, making a new life, a new identity of his own design, he could be this jeweler from the United States. Michael had a rare opportunity not many people could afford, and that was to become another man, living a different life. Perhaps he would buy a little farm and take a wife. Of this Michael thought upon as a distraction from the reality and gravity of what he was about to do. For in fleeing the country he was about to be committing another felony; which if he was ever caught and brought back to justice, would add at least five more years to his prison sentence. Guilty. That is what the verdict would be, Michael knew it, his lawyer knew it , and the district attorneys and the federal prosecutors knew it.
Michael grew anxious his heart racing a bit faster as the minutes approached to board the jumbo jet, it was the biggest plane Michael had ever seen as it sat parked down the jet way. Security came through again asking the typical pre-boarding questions 'did you pack your carry on yourself, are you bringing anything into the country for someone else, has your carry on been in your sight the entire time since you have been in the terminal, etc... Michael showed his passport opened up his luggage again and was relieved when the security agent moved on to the other passengers. Michael waited for the boarding announcement which soon followed as he presented his boarding pass and strolled down the jet way to the waiting aircraft and her bright eyed staff. Michael's fear of flying made him sweat and shake a little, the sound of the plane, the happy people speaking in Spanish, excited to get back to their home country. Michael had knots in his stomach and now he wished he had not drank so much coffee. Michael found his first class seat, next to the window and emergency exit, where he settled down for the 11 hour and 9 minute flight. He did his best to remain calm for the fifteen minutes or so, as all the passengers crowded into the fully booked morning flight to Buenos Aires. The attractive airline stewardess went through the pre-flight routine speaking only in Spanish, which Michael thought was strange as he had never traveled abroad so he asked his stewardess, who explained they do this to welcome home their countrymen and to acclimate those who are unfamiliar with the language. Michael relaxed a bit before take-off with a glass of champagne, extremely happy he had paid extra to sit in the luxury of first class, something he had also never done before. His wide leather seat was comfortable and he had more than enough room to stretch out his 6ft. 1in. frame. He was surrounded by rich, well dressed, Latin men and women with gold and diamond rings and necklaces with small crucifix's, and medallions of their favored patron saint. All were showing warm, friendly smiles, partaking in polite conversation with one another, they all were relaxed having no fear of the plane crashing into the earth or disappearing in the Atlantic ocean. However Michael still had this nagging feeling in his mind, but as the jet plane roared down the runway, engines screaming, Michael and the 207 souls on board gently, and safely, lifted up off the ground, soaring up into ever brightening sky as the sun peeked up over the horizon bringing in a new day and Michael was on his way, traveling into the unknown, not possibly knowing what awaited. Yet if Michael Cullen could have seen into the future he would have never left the United States.
Now the city of Irving is right next to the massive DFW International airport and Michael found himself at his terminal in only about twenty minutes. It was 4:15 a.m. just about two hours from his scheduled take off. Michael paid his driver and walked in to the building for a speedy check-in, where he showed his passport and paid for his ticket, then Michael went through security, where he was made to open up his carry on suitcase, just as the security team at O'Hare had made him do. So he, as in Chicago, showed the receipts for his small fortune in time pieces, explaining/lying he was a jeweler on a his way to deliver this shipment of watches personally. Being that he was well dressed, good looking and charming, his story/lie was effectual and most plausible. Two of the three members of the security staff were women so Michael was able to breeze through with a flashing smile and a little wink of his eye. All was going well for Dr. Cullen who would soon be on his way, he had secured his boarding pass, with one and a half hours left before departure. Michael did not think about this being his last time in America, his native land, nor did he stop to think about Chicago, or the trial, or his lawyer, nor did he even give thought to his partner in crime, Azir. No, Michael kept these thoughts away with visions of the furture and what might happen the next day when he would awake in a foreign land, where he had never been and knew no one. Michael recalled a short story he had read sometime ago, by Isak Dinesen called 'The Dreamers'; in which three men had been on a long, separate, desperate search, for the same woman, whom had broken all of their hearts in some terrible form and fashion. To one man she had been a beautiful prostitute in Rome, to another she was a rebel rallying, milliner from Lucerne, and to the other an angelic, devout pious young virgin in Madrid. She was in fact a wealthy woman, a world renowned young opera singer, traveling in different guises, creating a new life for herself, only always fleeing when she thought someone was too close to knowing her true indentity. So Michael thought he would be like Rosabella, making a new life, a new identity of his own design, he could be this jeweler from the United States. Michael had a rare opportunity not many people could afford, and that was to become another man, living a different life. Perhaps he would buy a little farm and take a wife. Of this Michael thought upon as a distraction from the reality and gravity of what he was about to do. For in fleeing the country he was about to be committing another felony; which if he was ever caught and brought back to justice, would add at least five more years to his prison sentence. Guilty. That is what the verdict would be, Michael knew it, his lawyer knew it , and the district attorneys and the federal prosecutors knew it.
Michael grew anxious his heart racing a bit faster as the minutes approached to board the jumbo jet, it was the biggest plane Michael had ever seen as it sat parked down the jet way. Security came through again asking the typical pre-boarding questions 'did you pack your carry on yourself, are you bringing anything into the country for someone else, has your carry on been in your sight the entire time since you have been in the terminal, etc... Michael showed his passport opened up his luggage again and was relieved when the security agent moved on to the other passengers. Michael waited for the boarding announcement which soon followed as he presented his boarding pass and strolled down the jet way to the waiting aircraft and her bright eyed staff. Michael's fear of flying made him sweat and shake a little, the sound of the plane, the happy people speaking in Spanish, excited to get back to their home country. Michael had knots in his stomach and now he wished he had not drank so much coffee. Michael found his first class seat, next to the window and emergency exit, where he settled down for the 11 hour and 9 minute flight. He did his best to remain calm for the fifteen minutes or so, as all the passengers crowded into the fully booked morning flight to Buenos Aires. The attractive airline stewardess went through the pre-flight routine speaking only in Spanish, which Michael thought was strange as he had never traveled abroad so he asked his stewardess, who explained they do this to welcome home their countrymen and to acclimate those who are unfamiliar with the language. Michael relaxed a bit before take-off with a glass of champagne, extremely happy he had paid extra to sit in the luxury of first class, something he had also never done before. His wide leather seat was comfortable and he had more than enough room to stretch out his 6ft. 1in. frame. He was surrounded by rich, well dressed, Latin men and women with gold and diamond rings and necklaces with small crucifix's, and medallions of their favored patron saint. All were showing warm, friendly smiles, partaking in polite conversation with one another, they all were relaxed having no fear of the plane crashing into the earth or disappearing in the Atlantic ocean. However Michael still had this nagging feeling in his mind, but as the jet plane roared down the runway, engines screaming, Michael and the 207 souls on board gently, and safely, lifted up off the ground, soaring up into ever brightening sky as the sun peeked up over the horizon bringing in a new day and Michael was on his way, traveling into the unknown, not possibly knowing what awaited. Yet if Michael Cullen could have seen into the future he would have never left the United States.
No comments:
Post a Comment