TUKWILA, Wash. — Maykel Galindo took a quick glance and realized he was alone — no teammates, coaches or chaperones in sight.
The forward for the Cuban national soccer team knew security was about to become suffocating. Rumors of players defecting were circulating and opportunities to pursue his dream of playing professionally were quickly dwindling.
This was his third trip to the United States. Galindo didn't know if there'd be any more in his future.
"I had a dream to become a professional player that could not be realized in Cuba," Galindo said through a translator. "I don't have a doubt in my mind that I made the right decision."
That decision came on July 9, when instead of going to the lobby, Galindo punched the elevator button for a random floor. He then followed exit signs to the parking garage of The Westin hotel in downtown Seattle and eventually found his way onto a transit bus.
Two months later, Galindo's bold move to defect has led to this: He will play for the Seattle Sounders on Saturday night in the United Soccer League First Division championship against the Richmond Kickers.
"It has been unbelievable, a dream come true," Galindo said.
The rest of Galindo's story is fairly remarkable, too.
Earlier that July day, Galindo scored the only goal for the Cubans in a 3-1 loss to Costa Rica in pool play of the CONCACAF Gold Cup. Galindo was filled with pride as he slid a left-foot shot past the Ticos' goalkeeper, off the post and into the net.
Hours later, Galindo was on a Seattle Metro bus, asking the driver to call Alex Zahajko, the one person Galindo knew in the area.
Zahajko was a simple volunteer, a soccer fan who in the past served as a translator for the Seattle SuperSonics and was asked to be the Cuban's team liaison while in Seattle. Zahajko knew Galindo might call. Galindo asked him earlier in the day about the possibility of going shopping before the team departed for Boston and its final pool play match.
While at a birthday party for a friend of his son, Zahajko was shocked to get a call from a bus driver.
"I thought I was done with the Gold Cup," said Zahajko, a Spanish teacher and soccer coach at Bothell High School northeast of Seattle. "My wife said I'd better go get him."
And thus began a very unanticipated relationship.
Galindo was taken to U.S. Immigration where he indicated his desire to defect to the United States. He was free to travel anywhere in the country, and initially planned on going to Miami. Instead, he stayed in the Pacific Northwest, where the Zahajko's became his foster family.
Galindo, 24, spoke of his dream to play soccer professionally, and his desire to help his struggling family in Villa Clara, Cuba, who he speaks with occasionally. Zahajko knew Adrian Hanauer, general manager of the Sounders, and put the pair in contact.
"The second we heard a player . . . had defected or was trying to, we talked to our coach and internally made the decision that we wanted to be involved," Hanauer said. "Coincidentally the one guy that he knew in Seattle was a friend of mine that I used to play soccer with."
Hanauer and the Sounders began the process of getting Galindo cleared through both U.S. Soccer and the USL. In the meantime, Galindo trained with the Sounders, and became enamored with the family-like atmosphere, one which he had never felt on any team in his native country.
"I wanted to go outside Cuba and really take that challenge of seeing if I was a professional player and had qualities that are worthy of a professional league," Galindo said. "I was going through a very hard time at that moment. The Sounders did all they could . . . and that pumped me up."
Galindo was cleared just before Seattle's regular-season finale. Coach Brian Schmetzer had no concerns about integrating Galindo into the offense with the playoffs approaching.
Instead of affecting the chemistry negatively, Galindo became the missing piece the Sounders needed.
Galindo's speed and skill forced opponents to focus much of their defense on him, opening up more opportunities for his teammates. Galindo hasn't scored yet, but his presence was the key in Seattle's postseason run that included wins over rival Portland and regular-season champion Montreal.
"There were so many more benefits and positives than negatives. It was a no-brainer, an easy decision for me to make," Schmetzer said.
Off the field, Galindo is taking English classes at North Seattle Community College, and has learned how to use the Internet and received some cooking lessons. He's also a music and sports fiend, and has reunited with Seattle Mariners infielder Yuniesky Betancourt, also a native of Villa Clara.
"Sometimes, it feels like I have a teenage son," Zahajko said.
Galindo's first immigration hearing is set for Nov. 29. He's been approached by the Colorado Rapids of Major League Soccer about playing there next year, but he plans to play one more season with the Sounders and then try his hand at a higher level. Hanauer believes Galindo could easily play in MLS and perhaps even in Europe someday.
"Our hope, and we would not hold him back, is to get him back in Seattle for one more year," Hanauer said. "Then maybe someone wants to pay him a good salary and he goes and makes a good life for himself."