First Day in the Caribbean - DiveShop 04

During his lunch break the next day, Rick took a ladder from work and used it to reach the videocam that the dive shop monitor was connected to. Technically it belonged to the city. They had it on the island website as a tourist attraction, and he hoped he wouldn't get into trouble for malfeasance. He reached up and rapped on it a couple times with his knuckles, adjusting the aim a little. He figured it would now take in the slip that held Gus and Bill's boat-he would check when he got to the dive shop. His job was going well. He was in pretty much complete charge of a couple repair projects, and his boss, whose name was Anthony, even asked his advice sometimes.

"Say Rick," Anthony called out, "I didn't mention this at the grand opening—you guys were pretty busy—but that dead pegboard you took off my hands looked pretty good in your shop. Fit right in. Looked about as beat up as everything else," he grinned at his own humor.

"Yup, I got good taste in pegboard." Rick changed the subject slightly. "You seen the weather reports? If that storm doesn't swing north on schedule, we might be in for a blow. I'm thinking we might want to tie a few things down just in case. Won't hurt anything to be prepared."

"Welll, you can batten down a few things, but I don't think nuthin's gonna happen. We still got almost a week, and we ain't had a big blow come through here in a long time." He reflected a minute. "We got only one window in this whole building; I suppose you might get a sheet of plywood ready to put over it when the time comes." He grinned, "by the way, we got several spare pieces back there where the pegboard was; feel free to borrow a couple for your girl's nice little dive shop. She's a cutie, ain't she?"

Rick had to agree, and he thanked him for the offer. He had figured on waiting a couple days to ask about them, but it was nice that the subject came up on its own.

After work he picked up that air mattress and installed it on the bed frame. He would get to the store a little later than usual, but he was happy to be able to deliver news about the mattress. A taxi was parked in front of the dive shop and a distinguished-looking couple was just going into the store. Something made Rick hesitate before going in. He lounged against a phone pole and watched through the store window. He was able to make out Karen hugging them both. Parents. Unannounced. Well, better to interrupt a tour of the store than the initial greeting. Rick headed for the door.

When he came in, he noticed two things, Karen's look of apprehension, and the lady's unconscious curl of her upper lip. Rick nodded just enough to tell Karen he'd follow her lead.

The lady gasped slightly, "Oh mah." Her southern accent was so thick you could smell the chitlins. [I'm not going to try to write with a southern accent. Use your imagination. -ed.]

"Mom, Dad, I'd like you to meet my—handyman, Rick. He's been a great help setting up the store and the shop in back. And he's not as scary as he looks. He's from New Zealand." She tried to smile. Her mom raised her eyebrows. Neither parent moved.

Rick had seen this before. He nodded toward the couple and said, "Mr., Mrs. Janks, pleased to meet you." Then he looked toward Karen "Miss Janks, I think you have some tanks to get filled. I'll get right on that," and he headed toward the back, where there happened to be two tanks that needed filling. Rick worked quietly so he could overhear.

Father: "That boy sure ain't from Mobile, is he? Are you sure he's okay? Aren't there any nice white boys on this here island?"

Mom: "Yes. We keep hoping for some grandchillen, y'know."

Karen: "MOM, you'll get your grandchildren when the right man comes along. Dad, things are different here. People don't care where someone is from. He's a good worker, very dependable. He's also a professional diver and scuba tech. And it's only part time; he just comes in afternoons for a couple hours. I don't know what I'd do without him, and I feel completely safe with him. It's a cinch no burglar'll steal anything while he's around."

Both parents chuckled at that.

Rick thought, "If they only knew!"

Karen gave them a tour, and they stuck their heads into the shop, where they saw Rick working diligently, wiping down the tanks. He looked up and flashed a smile at them. Dad nodded acknowledgement.

Mom asked, "Karen says you're a good asset for the store. How did she find you?"

Rick straightened up and smiled. "I found her. She was struggling with a ladder and I helped out. Been helping out ever since." He paused a moment. "I should probably tell you that we're on a first name basis; I didn't want to seem too forward earlier."

Dad chuckled. "That 'Miss Janks" seemed a little stiff. It's very nice of you to help her out. Is she paying you enough?"

Rick chuckled. "I have a full-time job at the boatworks. This is a hobby, all volunteer. I'm a former seal, and glad to be able to keep my hands wet."

Dad shook hands with Rick, and they got ready to take their leave. Out in the store, Karen and her parents chatted for a while. Dad gave some fatherly advice about running a business, Mom asked about places to visit on the island and plans for the three of them for supper. They planned to spend a few days and make the trip into a vacation. Karen gave them a couple brochures from the rack at the entrance and sent them off to the Islander Hotel. Both agreed she should look for an apartment so she wouldn't have to sleep in the store. A few more hugs and kisses and they hopped into the waiting taxi and took off.

Karen rushed into the shop in tears. She fairly ran into him, throwing her arms around him tightly and sobbing. Rick held her gently and let her cry. She looked up at him, "I'm so sorry. I didn't know they were coming. I wasn't prepared. Didn't know how to act. I should have told them the truth right away. I'm so ashamed of myself. Please forgive me." She smiled a little. "How can you forgive me?"

"I liked your joke about the burglar," he chuckled a little. "And don't worry about your parents. I've experienced worse than this before, and I have good defenses. Parents pack a powerful emotional punch. I thought you handled it well, trusting me and protecting them." He sighed. "Who knows? Maybe they'll decide I'm an okay guy and end up liking me. Though it's a fact of life that things are more, um, peaceful if we don't advertise our full relationship too much."

Karen gave him another squeeze. "You're an okay guy, y'know that? Thank you for being so tolerant."

"All conflict happens when one person insists that another person behave in a certain way. If you want them to eventually find out, I recommend we hope for a chance for them to get to know me better. It needs to be their decision to accept me. If not, I'm willing to keep our relationship clandestine." He paused. "I suppose I shouldn't mention it, but I got the mattress installed. Guess we won't get a chance to try it out for a couple days, eh?"

She stamped her foot. "I bet it's comfortable, too, and I could sure use some comfort." She stamped her foot again. "That's my version of your dance. Pretty good, huh?"

"Very frightening. I'd better be careful around you." He gave her a squeeze. "Oh! I re-aimed the videocam. Let's see what it shows."

They went out to look. Sure enough, you could catch some of the empty slip. Rick noticed the storm had gotten bigger and not turned north yet. "When do these things head north?" he asked.

"You can never tell. We just get more nervous the closer it gets. We still have a couple days, though, in any case." She looked down. "My folks might show up any minute." She skipped to the door, looked both directions, and came back. "Let's go in the shop for a minute."

So they did. She grabbed him and kissed and kissed and kissed, grinding herself into him until she could feel his response. Then she came up for air. "Something to remember me by."

Rick headed out, at loose ends. Abruptly he headed for the hardware to pick up a few more tools and some supplies.

"Where's our dahling daughter?" Mom called from the store door.

"Come on in," she called out from the shop.

"Y'all don't have any company back there, do you?" She asked.

"Only a couple burglars." She came out, suitably dressed for dinner. "Two distinguished southerners who stole my heart," and she kissed her mom's cheek. "You get all settled? Where are we going for supper?"

"Oh, you pick, Deah."

Karen suspected her mom wanted to see where she hung out, but she decided not to reveal her eat-in-the-store habit. Besides, it would be more fun to spend her father's money, so she mentioned Momma Rita's.

On the way, Mom said, "Have you met that nice man in the store right next door to y'all?"

"He sent roses for the grand opening, but we don't hang out."

"Well, that's a start, my deah. He looks like he might be a good catch. Eye-talian background, too. Very distinguished."

Internally, Karen rolled her eyes.

A look from Karen when she introduced them told Octavia to be careful, so she didn't say anything about Rick.

Karen ordered the most expensive item on the menu, wine, and dessert. Her parents felt obliged to follow suit. Karen smiled to herself.

High clouds laced the skies when Karen and her parents headed out for breakfast. She figured, "ah, why not?" and took them to Anchovie's. Octavia had already ended her shift, but they had a pleasant breakfast, and Karen sent them off on a bus tour of the island.

Between customers, Karen worked on fliers about scuba classes and gear rentals. Conversation was beginning to focus on the possibility of a storm, and the weather monitor got a lot of attention. Lunchtime rolled around, and Karen decided to live dangerously. She called the pizza store where the kid worked and ordered a pizza.

In due time a beer-bellied middle aged man showed up with the pizza. "Where's the usual guy?" Karen asked innocently.

"Funny thing. When I gave him the delivery, he turned white as a ghost. Utterly refused to do it. Said he'd quit first. Absolutely unequivocal about not delivering. So I said I'd do it. So I left him watching the store." The guy looked around. "He delivered here twice; seems like a nice enough place. I wonder what happened."

Karen feigned innocence. "Good question. Well, you did a fine job. Here's the money and a tip."

The guy declined the tip with a smile, and left.

After he was gone, Karen realized she had forgotten to ask who had ordered the pizzas for the grand opening.

Rick showed up at his usual time. "Safe for me to come in?" he asked quietly, in case they weren't alone.

"Absolutely! In fact, I have something to show you in the shop." on the way she told him about the pizza, and they both chuckled. When they got into the shop, karen pulled up her top and smiled. "See how eager they are to have you see them?" She let it fall. "Now give me a quick kiss before you get to work." The kisses weren't exactly quick, and Rick started to respond again. She sighed. "Their tour is due to return in about ten minutes, plus ten minutes to walk here from the terminal; nah, better not risk it."

Rick smiled, "All the more exciting when we do have time. Say-when are they scheduled to leave? That storm is still headed our way."

They went out to look at the weather monitor. Sure enough, the storm was still on track and getting bigger. "Looks like we're in for a doozey, if this keeps up," remarked Rick. The text running under the radar announced that the storm had been upgraded to a hurricane.

Just then, Mom and Dad came in, happily tired, grinning from ear to ear. Rick and Karen were already standing a polite distance apart, so they didn't guiltily move away from each other. Rick gave a polite nod, and Karen gave them an 'I'm on old timer and I know the area' look.

"So tell us your adventures," she said.

They both looked back and forth from their daughter to Rick, then decided not to make an issue of it. Dad started, "Well, you picked a fine island, I gotta say that. The driver pointed out all sorts of interesting things and places. Pirate's Cove, a volcanic cliff, a family at the top of the mountain with a huge telescope that the college uses for its astronomy class. Several quaint towns on the other side,"

Mom interrupted, "With wonderful shopping. Wait'll you see what we got. Including something for you!"

Karen smiled. "I hope you got yourself a sarong. They're all the rage here, and very comfortable. And I can show you about a dozen ways to tie it. In private, of course; the men don't get to see."

"As a matter of fact, I let this one lady up at the terminal talk me into getting one. Her name was, um, reminded me of Li'l Abner, Sadie! Only she certainly wasn't skinny like the original Sadie Hawkins, but she sure was a good salesman." She pulled out an attractive tropical-print piece of cloth, then pulled out another exactly like it.

"Okay, guys. You go have a beer or something. I've got to give Mom a tutorial," and she waved them off. "Rick, take him to Cliff's Tap. Be back in an hour." She dragged her mom into the office/bedroom behind the counter.

Summarily dismissed, the men looked at each other. "Rick shrugged. I've never been there, but I know where it is." He half smiled. "They'll let us both in, I'm pretty sure.

Mr. Janks gave a shrug. "Looks like I—we don't have much choice, do we? I'm game." They headed out. On the way, he confessed, "I've never met a New Zealander before."

Rick chuckled. "Well, I'm completely new to this whole hemisphere, so I guess we're even."

They found the tavern. It had a bar across the back and a dozen or so booths around the edges, not to mention several tables in the center. Except for two TVs overhead playing a soccer game, it looked more like a diner than a tavern. They picked a booth and ordered a craft brew each.

Mr. Janks studied his bottle. "I never heard of this brand, Dogfish Head. Can't hurt to try it; nothing like going on an adventure, I say. After all, we're in the Caribbean." He held his glass up to Rick in a toast, and they clinked bottles.

"Never heard of mine, either, but I like the name. Hard to beat 'Scuba Tank.' " Rick gazed at the label. "They have a couple things wrong in the picture, but I never drink when I'm diving anyway."

Mr. Janks reflected a moment. "So. How did you get into scuba? If I'm not being too nosy."

"No, not at all. I enlisted in the navy when I was a kid, and learned everything I know there. I think we spent more time underwater than on the surface. New Zealand isn't exactly a war power; mainly we did research and countered drug traffic. Tried to counter it." Rick shook his head.

"Tell me about your tattoos, if that's not too nosy."

Rick chuckled. "Most people are afraid to ask, but I appreciate the chance to talk about them. See this here on my cheek? That's my father's family, and the other cheek is my mother's. Most of the rest is teenage rebelliousness and exaggerated conquests.

In spite of his nervousness, Mr. Janks studied the marks.

"I did get one for my navy and scuba prowess. By then, I didn't have a lot of real estate left, so I can't show you that one." He gave a self-deprecating grin.

That made them both laugh, and they ordered another round.

"I was kind of young and rebellious when I started, and my parents did not approve. They were pretty Anglicized. But my grandfather did. He's thoroughly native. Was." Rick looked down. "Died not long after I enlisted."

"Sorry to hear that."

"It's okay. Eventually happens to everyone. So far." He changed the subject. "So what about you? How did you end up with a daughter in the Caribbean?"

Mr. Janks sat back and sighed. Went to college, met my wife, and got a job as an accountant for a big investment firm. Bean counter."

Rick nodded. He had heard the term.

"Nine to five, same office, every day for years. Pretty routine. Had it all planned out, figured Karen'd go to Alabama State or something, but she wanted no part of it. I suppose this is our biggest adventure-having our daughter go to college on an island out in the middle of the ocean, and then not come home but start a business on another island!"

"I am honored to be a part of that adventure," Rick bowed. "I'll do my best to protect your daughter for you. —Unless you want to stay," he grinned.

Mr. Janks started in on his third bottle. Rick was only halfway through his second. "I suppose coming down here would be an adventure, wouldn't it?" He reflected a few moments. "Nah, I'm too settled in my ways. Maybe come down once a year or so, but I'm still needed at work, and we have our social lives."

"Which reminds me," Rick grew serious. "You might be staying longer than you plan. When are you scheduled to leave? There's a storm headed this way, and your flight might get cancelled."

Mr. Janks looked up, startled. "We saw some clouds in the east this afternoon, but didn't think anything about it, and the driver didn't say anything. Will it be dangerous?"

"It'll probably be more inconvenient than dangerous, unless you're foolish enough to go out in it. The town is on the lee side, so that'll lessen the winds, but it'll still be strong enough to break things, and you get lots of flying objects." Rick tried to lessen the danger, thinking of a dad's concern for his daughter. "Stay inside and it'll be noisy but you'll be safe."

"Do you-we have to do anything to get ready?" Concern was written all over his face.

"I have some plywood at work. If the storm stays on track, I'll put it over the store window tomorrow." He made an evil grin. "I might have to tie Karen to a chair to keep her inside."

"Hm. We're scheduled to fly out tomorrow afternoon. When will we know? About the storm, I mean. And our flight."

"We'll know about the storm tomorrow probably, and they'll probably make announcements on the radio and TV, too. We have a weather monitor in the dive shop; maybe we should go take a look, eh?" Rick was partly motivated to keep Mr. Janks from having a fourth beer. "Our hour is about up, we may as well head out," and he stood up.

Mr. Janks was a little less nimble, but he followed suit and they left for the dive shop. The breeze was warm and a little gusty, but it didn't feel like a storm. Rick pointed out some plywood already over some of the storefronts, making Mr. Janks quiet and nervous.

The ladies were sitting at the little table wearing identical sarongs and chatting when they arrived.

Dad ogled his wife and daughter, then headed for the monitor. Karen picked up on his anxiety.

"Probably not too much to look at, Dad, but let's see." She headed for the monitor. "Hmm. Getting closer, isn't it? And bigger. When do you two head out?" Dad told her, and she suggested, "Why not call the airport and see what's up? Maybe you can catch an earlier flight."

He hung up the phone. "They're nervous. Storm's been upgraded to a hurricane. Taking early departures on a first-come-first-served basis. You show up and get in line. Stay there until a vacant seat shows up, or your reserved seat, whichever comes first. There's three flights out before ours. If they don't cancel them." He looked grim. "They wouldn't say how long the line is—it keeps changing. They won't sell us tickets because it's an evacuation, and they don't know how many vacant seats there will be, because people coming in might cancel their tickets."

Mom offered, "Well, I suppose we could wait out the storm..."

"I'm not that adventurous. Let's head out and see what the situation is." He called a taxi and Mom changed into traveling clothes. They exchanged the usual family hugs and kisses, and a firm handshake for Rick. "Take care of her for us, will you? We'll keep you posted." The taxi arrived and they left.