Z-A Monday: Seafaring!

This rock star showbiz stuff was scraping the bottom, the whole "girlfriend" thing was stirring his stomach, and Xavier had to get out. He didn't get the sedan he was promised, but settled for an '02 Saturn S-Series that seemed to scoot around ok. With that, he said a sheepish goodbye to the boys in the band, stuck his sack of selected belongings on the back seat, and shot down Highway seventy-seven toward his fate, whatever it may be.

Around sunset he made it to the shore, stored the Saturn, and while shlepping around the docks he came upon a sign soliciting short-term sailors, stevedores, and other seafaring jobs. Xavier figured, heck, he could swim, he liked the sea, studied its various species in school (he fondly recalled the stingray, starfish, squid, shrimp, scallop, shad, salmon, spearfish, sharks...and he liked sushi!), and even knew a little semafore. So he marched into the shack that served as the corporate office and signed on for a week aboard the S.S. Schmidlapp, a sordid-looking, sagging, but seemingly seaworthy ship. He'd be swabbing the deck, sweeping the cabins, serving chow; whatever was needed. Salary was minimal, but just escaping was satisfying enough.

Boarding the Schmidlapp, he served up a salute as the swarthy Captain, Steve Striker, stuck out a hand to shake his, stating "we don't salute here, son; we're not in the service."

"Aye aye, sir", Xavier stated, regretting his use of stupid semi-military cliches.

"Son, it's getting dark. Go stow your gear, find a bunk in steerage and get some shut-eye." He scanned the sky. "Looks like a storm, maybe some swells. Southeaster, I s'pose. Tomorrow we'll square you away, make you a skipper, teach you a square knot, a sheep-shank to secure the ship, and go over the Schmidlapp from stem to stern. For now, hit the sack."

Xavier descended the steps to the bunks with a smug swagger. The seduction of the sea! The smell of saltwater! Scrimshaw, skulls and crossbones, scurvy dogs, the whole shot! What serendipity had brought him here? He knew he would sleep soundly...though he wasn't even sure what was stored in the ship, or who it was serving...