Travel Diary: Tales from the Ship
Washing up can be fun!
In the washroom, I’m washing my hands and next to me is a father and child doing the same. The child is about seven years old. They have the following exchange:
Dad: “OK Austin, we are just washing our hands, not playing in the water. No need to make such a production out of it.” Austin: “YAY!!”
Then, Austin is drying his hands at the electric dryer and is delighted to find that it lights up!. He moves his hands up and down so it turns on and off. Dad tries desperately to get Austin to hold his hands steady so they actually get dry. Meanwhile, Austin is dancing a little joyous jig at how incredibly cool this new toy is.
Discretion in Skagway.
Raven Steal the Sun by Israel Shotridge
In one little art shop in Skagway we asked for a print of Raven Stealing the Sun to be set in the back for us whilst we wandered about the town. When we returned, I asked about the picture set aside for me. The rather colorful salesperson, announced. “Oh, yes, we have your blow-up doll back here waiting for you!” This drew a laugh from the other couple at the counter. I laughed and said, “The sigh out front promised discretion!” And the salesperson said, “Hey, I’m from Philly, I’m discreet!” This kind of humor would never be allowed on the Disney Wonder, but clearly things are different in the wild frontier of Alaska.
The Mystery of Table 14?
There are three sit-down restaurants on the ship, a number of “Quick Service” places for pizza and sandwiches and the like, and one very fancy place that costs extra. The three sit-down places are fancy enough for us. Our seating time is 8:15pm and we rotate among the three restaurants on a schedule. We have the same wait staff every night as they rotate along with us. By night two they know are drink preferences, call us by name, etc. It is all very efficient and friendly.
We sit at the same table every night, Table 15. At Table 14, right next to us, is anothe couple, probably our age. We haven’t seen these two exchange more than half a dozen words each night. As soon as they are seated, they pull out their phones ans sit scowling into them. I get it: every relationship is different and we shouldn’t judge. But, you know, we do judge: Do these two even like each other? Let’s call them, Mr. and Ms. Grumpypants.
Then, last night, they don’t show up. Table 14 sits empty. We’ve noticed that when the ship is in port, there seem to be more empty tables at dinner. Our servers explain that many folks are worn out after a day of excursions and room service orders go way up when the ship is anchored in port. So, it isn’t too unusual for people not to show up. But then, Mr. Grumpypants shows up. Alone. No sign of Ms. Grumpypants. Michele and I begin speculating what has happened. Did she finally give up on this bum and choose to stay behind in Juneau? More sinister thoughts soon arise. Did he throw her over the side? Did he smother her in her sleep and even now her not-yet-festering corpse lies hidden under the bed in their stateroom? Are we the only ones who recognize the looming horror waiting to be discovered? But then Ms. Grumpypants shows up and actually smiles at us as she sits down. Well, that’s no fun.
jpj stories by John Jackson is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0
