An illegal's tale

[This is the story of a dear friend of mine, about one time she went to visit her son and grandchildren.]

You know my son, who lives over on the French island? I've gone to visit him many times, you know. The first three times I went through the consulate and got a visa to visit him. But then the fourth time they didn't give me a visa. So I had to go by illegal fishing boat.

We left my town in the morning. And you know it only takes a little time to cross the ocean to the French island. But we stayed on the ocean all day... many hours... until after sunset, because the boat captain was worried about the police. 

Finally we were put ashore. I was old then (I'm even older now, and my legs don't work properly). But back then I was old, I couldn't run fast. But I thought maybe someone would take care of the grandmother.

They all ran away, except for maybe two people. I asked them the name of the town we were next to and they told me. I told them that I didn't know anyone in that town. They left me there.

Maybe at 10 PM a man came to the shore where I sat and asked me where I came from. I told him. He took me to his house and  introduced me to his wife. She asked if I had a phone. I didn't. But I had some phone numbers for my son and his friend. The man called my son, but he didn't answer because he didn't know the number. So he called the friend. The friend answered and gave the phone to my son. The man told my son that his mother had taken an illegal fishing boat and was here on the French island. My son didn't believe him at all. So the man gave me the phone. As soon as my son heard my voice he started crying. And I started crying too. I was so tired. My son explained that he couldn't come get me that night because there were no taxis until the morning, but if the man could give me a place to sleep, he would come in the morning.

So the man offered me a place to sleep. I slept that night and the next morning the man took me by taxi to the town where he works and my son met me there. My son took me home and there I found so many relatives and friends! They were so surprised to see me, saying "Ah! MaNoba is so old and yet she is so brave! She came by illegal fishing boat just to visit her son!" 

So I stayed there for three months, as if I had been given a visa, and then my son bought me a boat ticket to return home.