... dusk settling over the Caribbean ... the giant emerged from the smooth waters, stood, walked to the beach ... 'giant' was the wrong word, he lacked the prerequisite size ... but it came to mind because his naked body, tanned so deeply by the sun, gave off such power ... and he was big ... big in the shoulders especially ... from somewhere on the small deserted island, the birds were doing their night vocalizing ... they had been his chief companions for so many years ... how many years ...?