“Ahoy!” It took Josh a moment to realize where the voice was coming from. He climbed out onto the deck of his yacht and saw someone waving from another boat. “Ahoy!” They called again.

“Wait!” Josh descended back into the cockpit and began steering his yacht toward the sailboat. When he was close enough but not close enough for any sailor from the other vessel to climb aboard, he climbed out of the cockpit again. “Hello,” he greeted in a careful tone while assessing the sailor.

Standing on the deck of his yacht, Josh took one look at the sailor and wanted to steer his boat away as fast as he could. The sight of the sailor’s grease-matted shoulder-length hair and the chaotic thicket of his beard took all his strength to remain standing on the deck speaking to the man.

“What happened to you?” Josh asked.

“Can you tell me what date this is?” The sailor spoke in what seemed like an Australian accent, “Is it still 2023? You wouldn’t believe the things I’ve been through.”

“No, it’s 2026.”Josh wondered what he was doing in the waters by the Keys and how he got there.

The sailor’s eyes looked as though they were about to pop. “20…26,” quietly, he counted with his fingers, “3 years? You mean to tell me I’ve been away for 3 years?” He looked like he was about hyperventilate, “Where…” he began before reaching for something to steady himself, “where am I?”

“You’re in the Keys, man. Ninety minutes to shore that way.” Josh pointed toward the horizon.

Still looking at the three fingers on his trembling hands, the sailor kept muttering, “Three years? I’ve been gone for three years?”

Whatdoyousee