The new tugboat sits on piles of timbers, ready for launch. The horns blare repeatedly before it starts sliding toward the water, timbers falling away as the tug goes over the edge of the slip. It splashes and almost tips over before righting itself in the sea. Yeah, that’s me.

After decades of nattering on about moving abroad, Ed Walker finally retired and is currently living in Catalunya, Spain. His work can be found in 50-Word Stories, The Arcanist, Blink-Ink and elsewhere.