SS Valentine

"You play that machine and I will play this one. You can only play one machine at a time anyway."

"I can play as many machines as I want. Now get the hell away from my machine!" the woman responded, almost shouting at Frank and dropping her cigarette from her lips as she did.

Like Penny with the others in the dining room, Frank's lifetime of living in New York had given him an attitude of not taking crap from anyone. He was about to tell this woman where she could get off, but again like Penny, noticed that all those around him were agreeing with the fat lady and he was surrounded by older folks, some even holding their canes menacingly. Deciding not to provoke any more argument, he took the quarters he had won with his first spin and started to leave.

"Put my money back. It came from my machine and is my money!" The woman shouted with even more anger in her voice.

Now Frank was really getting pissed, but felt he needed to get out of the crowd. He took the quarters in his hand, and saying "You want them, you go get them!" threw them into the crowd, away from the exit. As the seniors watched the flight of quarters, Frank pushed his way out of the circle and walked purposely toward the door where he shoved it open and walked through. Out of the casino and the danger it contained, he felt his pulse start to slow.

Frank walked aimlessly for 10 minutes before he took time to stop and take a moment to sort things out. So far, he had only been able to find some kind of peace in the bar and this would be a long trip, even if he left on Wednesday, if he had to spend all his time there. The cabin was not the complete solitude he hoped for, but maybe he could find at least a bit of rest if Penny had calmed some from earlier. It was getting close to 11 and Frank decided to end his wandering and make his way back to the room.

*****

Penny had spent the last 2 hours wondering how she was going to protect her honor from Frank when he came back. She wanted to get changed before he came in but as she thought about her sleepwear, she remembered the baby doll set she had brought along. Why couldn't she have put in the flannel nightie and her full length robe? Right now, there was no way she would wear that nightie. But, what to wear instead. She decided to sleep in her clothes, they would be the best defense against some sex crazed stranger in the room with her. She knew it would not be comfortable, but this was not normal so she would have to adjust for the 2 days until he would leave.

Penny wanted to put some sort of barrier on the bed between them. What to use – she tried putting the suitcases there, but they would not stand up on their own. There wasn't anything in the room that would serve as a suitable substitute so she piled all the clothes she had into a wall of sorts that she intended to use to separate each one's side. She would have had more clothes to use in the wall, but decided her underwear would not be suitable in that role. The line wasn't what she would have liked, but it would have to do.

The lock on the door clicked shortly before 11 and Penny's feeling of dread returned. The sugar high had peaked and was now pulling her mood down. Lifetime's subliminal message that all men are pigs had made her even more conscious of some impending event, though she could not find any evidence from earlier that such an event would occur. Frank came into the cabin slowly, he also was uncertain what to expect. He looked at the line of shirts and shorts on the bed with an uncertain feeling. Penny saw him look and decided it was time to set the rules.

"You stay on your side of the line and I will stay on my side. I will have my mace under the pillow and if I even think you are trying to get fresh, I will use it. Understand!"

Frank was taken aback, this woman was really over the top. She must have some pretty good insecurity issues if she was worried he had any designs on her. True, he thought she wasn't bad if he didn't have any alternatives, but he was less worried about taking advantage of her than he was about just getting some sleep. With the clothes barrier he did not think that there would be much room left to sleep. He did not really want to wake with a faceful of mace if he happened to roll over a bit more than necessary. The bed wasn't that large to begin with but he wasn't going to argue, especially since he knew any argument on his part would make Penny even more certain he would be after her body.

"You can change first and then I will get undressed when you are done." Frank started

"I'm not changing in front of you and this is what I am wearing to sleep in!" Penny replied emphatically.

"I assumed you would change in the bathroom. What you wear to sleep in is not important to me, I just want to get some sleep. Frank countered with fatigue from the day and some alcohol in his words. "If you are ready, I will turn the lights off then get changed myself. I promise to stay on my side."

Penny was nervous, but this was the moment she had dreaded. She had to decide if she could sleep or if she needed to stay awake to make certain Frank did not try anything as she slept. She decided that she would try to stay awake at least for a bit.

"Go ahead and get changed, I am ready to turn the lights out." Penny said.

She turned the light switch off and Frank followed the wall into the bathroom. He took off his shoes followed by his pants and shirt. He would sleep in his undershirt and boxers, just as he did at home. If Penny did not like it she would just have to get used to it. This is how he slept at home and this is how he would sleep here. Once undressed, Frank found his way out and got into his side of the bed.

*****

Penny did not have much luck trying to stay awake to be certain Frank did not do anything untoward and Frank himself dropped off to sleep almost as soon as his head hit the pillow. Each slept without bothering the other and when morning came both were on the proper side of the clothes wall and each was gladdened they had made it through the night without incident.

Frank got up first, his search for clean clothes in his suitcase causing Penny to wake. She watched as he went into the bathroom and soon heard the shower running. She was still tired and felt as though she did not get much rest. The clothes she slept in had not allowed her to get very comfortable, particularly the new bra she had been wearing. She got out of the bed and took the opportunity to get out clean clothes while Frank was still taking his shower. She also put the remaining blouses and shorts that had been their line of demarcation back into her suitcase where they would remain until time for them again tonight.

Frank emerged from the bathroom with all his morning duties finished. He noticed penny had awakened and that she did not look as though she had gotten much rest. Her hair was mussed and there were light circles starting under her eyes. He assumed she had stood guard over him the entire night and now would be paying the price for her insecurity. He was insulted she did not trust him, but could see what she was concerned with also.

"Good morning." Frank started, trying to make an uncomfortable situation a bit less so.

Penny looked up from her worried musings, she had not expected a greeting.

"Hi. Are you finished in the bathroom?" she asked.

"All done. I will put away some of my things then be out for the day. Any plans for you?"

Frank was surprised at his own words. He wasn't trying to be unfriendly to Penny, but didn't expect himself to be concerned with her activities either.

Penny was also surprised by his question. "I don't have anything specific planned, maybe just sit by the pool and read." She hadn't really given the matter any thought, so wasn't sure exactly what might be around to occupy her time.

"Well, have a good day." Frank offered as he left the cabin.

"Thanks." Penny answered from habit as the door closed behind Frank.

Frank went up to the main deck and thought about what he would do for the day. He had not given his plans much thought and decided to get a bite to eat. He found the grill he had passed yesterday and ordered a bacon, egg and cheese sandwich he could eat without having to find a formal dining room. Right now, he was not ready to face any crowds. Once he finished the food, he thought he might do a lap or 2 around the ship and get a head start on that walking program he had thought about to get rid of some of the extra weight he had added over the past couple of years.

Frank went to the outer perimeter of the ship and started to walk as he gazed out to sea. The sun was up and he could see nothing on the horizon in any direction. The sea looked endless as they continued to sail south. He was walking idly as his thoughts were floating from one idea to another when he heard a voice behind him.

"Watch out! Coming through!"

Frank looked over his shoulder to see a line of older passengers in shorts and sweats walking toward him at a brisk pace. Before he had a chance to consider their presence, the first pushed him out of the way and the group moved past him without breaking stride. Frank was surprised and angry at the same time. His first reaction was to give them a piece of his mind, but they were already a hundred feet away and moving further away quickly. He remembered such groups walking around the malls early in the morning and realized that these were those same people, maybe not the individuals he had seen before, but right now all these people were interchangeable. He was about to get back to his walk when he heard "Out of the way!" again. This time, the group was women and they did not look like they were any friendlier than the men had been. Frank moved out of their way in time to avoid being pushed aside and decided his plan to walk the deck would need to be cancelled.

After Frank left, Penny went into the bathroom to get her shower. She locked the door to prevent any surprises, but decided the lock on the bathroom door was there more as a formality than any kind of security. She hurried in the shower, not certain Frank would stay gone. He had stayed away yesterday though so perhaps he might be considerate of her privacy. Once dressed and made up for day wear, Penny emerged from the cabin and thought about breakfast. She remembered the events of last night in the dining room and did not want to chance another encounter with the territorial seniors. She made her way topside and soon found the same grill Frank had visited for his breakfast. She ordered the same bacon, egg and cheese sandwich along with a coffee, extra cream and Splenda. She had a book with her, one she had been meaning to read even before the cruise. Finding a deck chair in the sun, she set her book aside as she finished the sandwich and coffee, and then started to read.

When Penny had sat down, there were no other passengers sitting in the area, but soon some started to arrive. She was not worried, although she did keep vigilant to be certain nothing unpleasant might happen. The other women sitting in the deck chairs were just talking among themselves and did not seem to notice Penny sitting outside their circle. Penny was trying to read, but the women's conversation was not letting her concentrate. Normally, there was a jumble of sound in New York and she could filter out just about anything, but here the women all seemed to be speaking louder than she thought necessary and much of what was spoken had to be repeated as someone would ask what someone else had said. This was annoying enough, but soon Penny was drawn into the conversation. She was not actively participating, but she was aware of everything they were discussing.

Mostly, the discussion consisted of each telling of her own ailments and those of friends and family. Not only was this enough to disturb Penny, but the conversation soon moved to talking about who had died and who might be next. After the subject of death and dying had been discussed sufficiently, they moved their conversation to problems they had with the ship's menu. From too frequent bathroom trips to constipation, the women continued to talk as Penny was getting more and more annoyed. She had hoped to just get some sun and finish a book, but somehow she could not filter out the background noise of these women.

After deciding to pack in his idea of a morning walk, Frank thought he would head over to the pool and see what was going on over there. It wasn't until he had found a seat and taken a good look around that he remembered that he wasn't going to find those hot babes his vacation fantasy had promised him. He saw a group of elderly women in the pool doing water aerobics and the sight of flabby arms, drooping breasts, and bony legs soon made his idea of a fun filled fantasy cruise go dead in the water. He tried not to watch, but like that train wreck you can't look away from, Frank found himself examining these women and wondering if someday he would be spending time with a woman with similar looks. The thought was enough to make him forget about finding that special someone on this trip.

*****

Penny gave up on her attempt to read about the same time Frank decided he had enough of watching the women doing their aerobics. Neither had any idea of what they wanted to do for the rest of the day, but since it was getting close to midday, each decided on lunch. They met each other as both headed for the familiar grill, not wanting to endure a more formal lunch.

"Hi, Penny. Having a good time?" Frank started

"Sure. There are lots of things to do around here." Penny answered. Then, without waiting for her earlier statement to sink in completely, "You know, this ship really sucks!"

Frank looked at her, not understanding what had caused that outburst. He assumed it had to do with their cabin arrangements.

"Maybe we should find that bursar guy and see what they have come up with." Frank suggested.

"Yeah, we should. But other than the cabin, the people on this ship are really nasty."

Frank nodded as he listened to Penny, remembering his meetings with various passengers from last night and this morning.

"I know what you mean. I realize most of these people are probably someone's grandparents, but they don't act anything like I remember mine acting." Frank stated.

"Yeah, my grandmother was always nice and gentle. These old ladies act as though they own the ship."

The path to the counter was clear so Penny went up and gave the clerk her order. She asked Frank what he wanted so he added his own. Their order was given to the cook and each moved off to the side to wait for lunch to cook.

"How about if we take the food back to the cabin, I don't really want to be among all these old people right now." Frank said.

"OK, I know what you mean."

The food arrived and Frank told the clerk to charge it to his cabin. Their burgers had been placed into a single bag and the drinks were in a cardboard carrier. Frank took the drinks as Penny picked up the bag. She led the way back to their cabin.

In the cabin, Penny got out the burgers and set them on the small table. Frank put the drinks next to them and each took what they had ordered. They were sitting on the bed as they ate when Penny started. "I almost felt like punching a fat woman last night when she wouldn't let me sit at the same table she was hogging. She said they were waiting for others, but the hostess sat me there. She didn't even ask me to move somewhere else politely, just ordered me to get out."

Frank finished chewing the food he had in his mouth before adding "sounds like my night. I went into the casino and a woman told me I was playing her machine like she owned it. Next thing I know, they are all surrounding me and I felt like I was going to get roughed up. I'm not sure how, but these old people look so nice and pleasant by themselves, but get a bunch of them together and they might as well be a street gang in Brooklyn."

"I didn't come on this cruise to hide in my room, but what do we do?" Penny asked.

"Well, maybe we might find them a bit less threatening if we stick together. You know strength in numbers." Frank suggested.

"I am not sure how much strength we will get from just the 2 of us, but it has to be better than each one individually."

"OK, what do we do together to occupy our time?" Frank asked.

"I really am not sure about the dining room, but the food from the grill isn't what I was expecting." Penny put in.

"Well, maybe we can get a table to ourselves in the dining room, but how about this afternoon? Any ideas? The bar doesn't seem too bad, but I really don't want to spend the week there. The casino is out and you take your life into your hands trying to walk around the decks when they are mall walking."

Penny took the brochure from her packet and opened the pages. "I see a lot of shops but don't really have the money to do much shopping. The night club might be something to check out, but it is pretty early for something like that. You said the casino is out, but how about a movie? There are several theaters that might have something showing that will be different."

"I think we can at least check to see what film is playing. Hopefully, we can find seats that George and Irene are not planning to sit in." Frank offered.

Penny laughed, but it was a laugh of nervousness. She had been talking comfortably with Frank as they ate, but now they might be heading to a movie together and she again thought back to her initial fears about a strange man. Still, he seemed pleasant enough and so far had not done or said anything she found problematic. The thought of facing a boat load of angry seniors by herself was enough to allow her to calm her fears and try to find something pleasant to pass the time.

They looked at the ship's information feed on the TV and found a movie that each thought they could watch. Penny was pulling for a chick flick and Frank wanted a shoot 'em up, but in the end they decided on a suspense thriller that looked interesting enough.

*****

After finishing lunch, they cleaned up and headed for the theater that was showing the film they had decided on. The movie would start in about 15 minutes after they arrived, so they found seats near the rear so they could leave easily enough if things got out of hand. Fortunately, there were not many other patrons in the theater and they were able to sit far enough away from anyone else to be able to enjoy the movie without distraction. During the movie, Penny would occasionally brush against Frank or he against her, but each time it was an innocent movement and not intentional. Penny was concerned the first couple of times this happened, but seeing that there was nothing beyond incidental contact, soon relaxed and did not pay any more attention to normal happenings. Frank did not even consciously notice any contact between them and just sat watching the movie, one that each later said they had enjoyed.

Frank and Penny went back to the cabin after the movie ended, talking more casually without some of the discomfort that had originally colored their first meeting.

"Want to try the dining room together?" Frank suggested.

"Maybe we should wait until a little later. You know, all of those old folks will be there early just like the early bird specials back home." Penny laughed.

Frank laughed with her, commenting she might be right. While they waited to head to the dining room a little later, they started talking about work. They each had suspected they worked for Global Underwriters, but now this was confirmed and it didn't take long before each was laying out his or her plans on how the company could be made better. When next they checked the time, an hour and a half had passed and each decided it might be safe to try for dinner.