The few who have traveled to the decaying prison since its closing 10 years ago claim to have heard whispers and screams?
?There is evidently little, if anything, of first-rate interest to be seen ? except, perhaps, one thing which I should not care to see.??The Treasure of Abbott Thomas by M.R. James
A snowy day in New York, metal-gray and cold, and I thought it might be cozy to watch an episode of Destination Truth, a TV show where a group of intrepid explorers travels across the world to investigate paranormal phenomena?to Argentina in search of El Pombero, a dwarfish creature that impregnates women with a mere touch of the finger to the tummy, to Java in the hunt for the Ahool, a giant bat, to the Gobi Desert in quest of the Mongolian Death Worm, a creature whose name pretty much renders explanation unnecessary. An interesting program. Besides, one of the cast members, Erin Ryder in tempting tank top, is awfully easy on the eyes.
Three years ago, the team traveled to Coiba Island, the location of a notoriously brutal prison some 15 miles off the coast of Panama, surrounded by shark-infested waters and crawling with poisonous snakes. The facility opened in 1919, and was home sweet home to Panama?s most dangerous criminals, as well as to the political opponents of Omar Torrijos and Manuel Noriega. Torture was anything but uncommon, and included being tied to a basketball rim by the hands, hanging there for days.
The few who have traveled to the decaying prison since its closing 10 years ago claim to have heard whispers and screams, to have seen lights and shadows. One such witness is none other than Roberto Duran.
Team leader Josh Gates met with a plump and prosperous-looking Duran, who used to train on the island, and had seen and heard?things. Remember what Adlai Stevenson said to Valerian Zorin, ?Don?t wait for the translation?? Well, I didn?t have to wait for the translation of Duran?s answer when Gates asked if he?d ever go back. He won?t.
What?s this, ?Manos de Piedra? afraid of Casper? A 33-year pro with 103 wins, 70 by knockout? A Hall of Famer who faced guys like Marvelous Marvin Hagler, Thomas Hearns, and Iran Barkley? Up there with Joe Gans, Benny Leonard, Tony Canzoneri, Lou Ambers, Ike Williams, and Beau Jack as one of the greatest lightweights of all time, in addition to his star quality as a welterweight, junior middleweight, and middleweight, a-scared of things that go bump in the night?
Fear not, Erin Ryder! Should you opt to return to this grim and grisly island of lost souls (and perhaps your sometime colleague, the equally toothsome Jael de Pardo, might join us), and should Roberto ?No Mas? Duran be too timorous to come to the rescue of a fair damsel in distress, I shall protect you from the sharks and snakes and lights and?shadows?and? whispers?and?screams?and?
Well, I would. Unfortunately, I?m as a busy as a bee, a beaver, Grand Central Station, popcorn on a skillet, a one-armed paperhanger.
So, Erin, if you and your flaunted flesh will excuse me?like Professor Hinkle in Frosty the Snowman, ?I?ve got to get busy writing?busy, busy, busy!?
