The begining.

This story really starts in the spring of 2005. I was just getting my head back together from what I call "The Wilderness Years." From the summer of 1998 until winter 2004, I had done my best to destroy my liver and not get anyone pregnant. The latter was easy because I barely had time in between drinks to talk to women. I did have a few girl friends though, they seemed to be as self involved as I was.
You are only young once and I was almost finished with that. My friends were graduating college, getting married, and getting real jobs. I was a teller at the slowest branch of a small bank. I provided outstanding customer service despite the fact that I hated my job. To escape I started fishing and listening to island music. I dreamt of the Carribean and a carefree lifstyle that involved little work and lots of play. Then I read a book called A Pirate Looks at Fifty by one James Buffet. This book changed my life. I realize that sounds absurd but it did. I was inspired to throw off the yolk of small time corporate life and live freely. (Now compare that statement to this.) I decided to work on an oil rig in the Carribean. The deal is I would work two weeks then take two weeks off on the mainland. Those two weeks would be fueled by bad behavior I am sure. So while at my teller station I went to a website that recruits for these types of jobs. The site said that if you had seafaring experience it would give you and edge in the employment process. So I clicked on a link that advertised free experience.