RE: | MONOMAD | The outsider's lens

When I was a kid—old enough to die in the name of freedom but too young to drink, legally, I met and became good friends with a dude named José, originally from Cuba. My autocorrect typed scuba just now—bad autocorrect, bad! We met at a construction job and then quit together and rehired at a warehouse 60 miles away.

I had bigger plans. We stayed in contact for 3-4 years.

We've since lost touch but his survival story floating on a makeshift raft in search of a better life is so incredible it's hard to believe.

When you're on my screen, I'm reminded of our fun times. Those were the days. Back before, well, before everything that happened the previous 25 years.

You remind me of good times.