CARIBBEAN CRUISE

I had gone on this Caribbean Cruise, and it was the end of the first week of the two week period that I had booked on for and we were docked so that those that had only booked for a weeks voyage could disembark and any new passengers would be coming on board.

Normally, if you came into a port, you could go ashore and see some of the sights, but in this case the stop was only to pick up and drop off passengers so it wasn’t going to be a long stop.

I decided to go on deck and read a book and get some Sun, and was wishing that we would get under way soon, when I finally felt the vibrations of the engines starting up again. I decided to watch the excitement of the ships ropes being cast off as we left the dockside and the people would be waving their good byes.

One thing that I did notice that caught my eye, was a group of three couples on the dock and a lone single woman that had been with them during the week was still on the ship, waving to them.

Soon I went back to my deck chair and became engrossed in the book that I was reading, as the ship got underway for the next Port of Call, which would be the next morning.

I was there, perhaps for about a half hour when this same lady came walking along and then stopped in front of me.

“Excuse me, but would you mind if I sit down beside you?”

“Not at all, Miss.”

“Maria, Maria Parquette. I’m French Canadian.”

“I’m Jay, Jay Weston. Just a regular Canadian. I saw your friends all leave the ship without you?”

“Yes. I guess I misunderstood them. I thought they were booking for a two week cruise, so that was what I did, and here I am and there they go. I figured that I may as well make the most of it and enjoy the next seven days of island hopping. I saw that you’ve been by yourself for the past week. Is that the way that you prefer it?”

“Not necessarily, easier to say that that’s the way that it usually ends up.”

“But why.  You’re an attractive man, don’t you like women?”

“Quite the opposite. I find them very fascinating. Take you for instance. If I had a chance, I’d like to have you join me in these next seven days of Island Hopping as you called it, seeing as you’re all alone now.”

Suddenly there was a gong that sounded three times throughout the ship, signaling that the supper meal would be served in an hour.

“By golly how fortunate. That’s the notice that dinner will be served in an hour. Would you join me for dinner?”

“I’d like that.”

“It’s casual wear. What’s your room number?”

“It’s 202, Level D.”

“I’m on Level E, Room 108. I’ll have to run and see if I can catch the Mat-re-De, to get us a table together if possible. Then we can talk and get better acquainted. I’ll see you at ten to six then, Maria. If you’ll excuse me.” With that I had to leave the tall slender lady with the long hair and dark eyes, but knowing that within the hour I would be back in her company once again.

I was able to find the person that I was looking for, and I told him who I was, even though I was in the tourist section of the ship, and told him I would pay for any differences in the costs involved as to where we were going to be having our dinner. I told him that I wanted this certain table for myself and a guest and he told me that it was impossible. But I told him I was willing to compromise, as it seems that there was an even better spot, but there was no table or chairs there. If he would see to it that there were a table and two chairs put there immediately and reserved for me and my guest, I would see that he was well rewarded for the effort. He looked at the place that I mentioned and smiled and clapped his hands as a signal and a waiter came to him and he told him something, and within two minutes the table and chairs were coming for that position.

I thanked him and told him that I would be seeing him later.

I had to move quickly, as I had to shower and change my clothes yet and be on time to get to Maria’s cabin to escort her to the Dining Hall of the Ship.

When I found her cabin, it was right at the appointed time and when I knocked, she answered the door and stepped out into the alleyway and was ready to go.

She looked very lovely in a short dress that she wore just about her knees and low cut shoes and the upper portion of the dress left just enough showing of her ample breasts to show the cleavage there.

She had left her hair hanging free over her shoulders and back and it came well down to her waist. I had to follow her down the narrow passageway, and it was a pleasure to be doing so.

When we arrived at the dining room, I told the waiter that I had a table reserved for us and I told him my name, and he said that we were to follow him.

Maria looked at me inquisitively, as I put my hand on her shoulder, and turned her to follow the waiter.

Once again she turned and looked at me, as if she was going to say something and I knew what it was that she must have been thinking. We were in the higher class section of one of the dining rooms.

When the waiter stopped at this table that had a reserved sign on it, I guided Maria to be seated, as all eyes in the area were on us. I then sat down myself and took the menus from the waiter, giving one to Maria, as the waiter removed the reserved sign and made haste to the gentleman at the next table who had signaled his request to see him. This, I could well imagine what it would be about, when the Mat-re-De would probably have been summoned, and be showing up very shortly.

“Jay, what are you doing. We shouldn’t be in here. Have you looked at the prices of these meals. Everybody’s looking at us. We better get out of here right now. I can’t afford to be eating in this dining room and I’m sure that you can’t either.”

“Maria, I ask you if you would have dinner with me so we could talk, isn’t that correct?”

“Yes.”

“Well if I feel that I can afford it and I like the view here, and I want to show you a good time then this is the place that I want to do it in.”

“But Jay,” she said in a whisper, leaning over the table as she said it, so only I could hear it. “Look at the jewelry these women have got on. We’re way out of their class.”

“Maria, we’re not out of anybody’s class, and don’t you ever forget that.”

During this time I had noticed that the Mat-re-De had shown up and had talked to the gentleman at the next table and then he had come over and whispered in my ear.

“Excuse me a minute dear, I have something that has to be taken care of.”

Then picking up my wine glass and fork, I stood up and I started to click the fork against the wine glass to get everybody’s attention.

“Your attention please.” I waited until the large room had quieted down and everybody was waiting to hear what I was about to say. “It seems that a certain gentleman here would like to see me and my lady friend removed, for whatever reason. Well I like it here, and I’m trying to convince my new lady friend, Miss Maria Parquette, to accept my invitation to join me here for all our meals for the next week while we are aboard the ship. And, I’m telling the Mat-re-De that if the gentleman doesn’t like it, he can shove it where the Sun don’t shine. Thank You.”

With that, there was complete silence in the dining room, and then first one person began clapping and then another and then it was everyone clapping and shouting.

Maria was stunned at first and then she started to smile and then that turned into a laugh, as she looked around the room and saw that the people were giving her the thumbs up sign and others yelling at her to go for it.

Then there was a chorus of “Maria” “Maria” “Maria.”

By this time Maria was blushing, and she hid her face in the folds of the large menu until things started to quiet down.

Then putting the menu down, she reached out with both hands as a signal for Jay to do the same, so that they could clasp each others hands, as the people watched, and suddenly there was a loud clapping of hands from the around the room, including from the table next to them.

Soon the waiter appeared and Jay suggested that perhaps it would be best that he should order for the both of them.

“I just ordered a home cooked style meal for the both of us Maria. I figured you wouldn’t be into anything fancy.”

“I’m glad you did, I couldn’t figure out what most of those words would have meant. Which brings us back to the question I ask before, what are we doing in this dining room?”

“Good question. If you’re in the main dining hall, you get to be seated with about eight other people, as you remember from last week. You get to hear about their trip, but also about their aches and pains and troubles and all that type of stuff. When you came up to me, you struck me as being someone different. Someone interesting. A person that I wanted to get to know, so I decided to pull out a few things that I had bottled up inside of me and start out fresh.”

“What did you go on this cruise for?”

“Just to get away for awhile. Do something different that I’ve never done before. Meet different people. See different places.”

“Have you enjoyed it?”

“Not really,”

“Why not, may I ask?”

“I don’t really know?”

“Could it be that you’re always trying to do things by yourself?”

“Perhaps. I am a loner by nature. Then all of a sudden, while I’m reading this book, this Angel appears out of nowhere and asks to sit down beside me.”

At this time the waiter comes and fills our water glasses, as we had previously requested, and I ask him to provide a candle for our table. As the candle and our supper arrive, we continue our conversation.

“Jay that was very nice of you to have suggested to have a candle at our table. I really appreciate that. It added a very loving touch to our supper together.”

“Well Maria, it seems that a lot of the other ladies did also. Look behind you.”

It was plain to see that at least six other tables had requested candles, and there were others that were also having waiters bring candles to their tables.

“By golly, it looks like you started something here tonight, Jay. You may have some ladies thanking you, but some husbands may be mad depending on the situation.”

“Not necessarily, perhaps I’ve put the ladies in a very romantic mood and it’s just what the men have been wanting for a long time.”

“You could be right there also. Do you like to dance, Jay?”

“Not really, I’d rather cuddle up and watch a good movie on TV, or watch the Moon come up over a northern woods lake, or watch a colorful sunset with a special lady nestled in my arms to enjoy it with me.”

“By golly you really are the romantic one aren’t you, and speaking of full moons, isn’t that supposed to be happening tonight?”

“I’m not sure. If it is, it would be the first time I would see a full moon rise from a ship at sea. We’re headed west, so it would rise off of our stern. That would be quite a sight to see. One of those sights to share with someone special. Would you accept my invitation to join me if that‘s so?”

“I’d be very happy to join you, Jay. That could be an experience that I wouldn’t want to miss.”

Later as we were strolling along the decks, we were near the Pursers desk, and I ask to see a calendar and sure enough there was a full moon that night, and the night sky was going to be clear.

I strolled with Maria to the rear of the ship, not saying anything of what my intentions were, but I wanted to see how the deck lounge chairs were set out there.

On the third deck, I saw what I wanted. A double lounge chair right in the centre of the rear of the back deck, with a full view of the stern of the ship. It was close enough to the railing, that no-one would later block the view from any couple sitting there.

As we walked on by a ways, I asked Maria to wait there for me a moment, as I went back to talk to the deckhand that was there on duty. I ask him to reserve that lounge chair for me and my lady friend, and that I would take care of him personally the following day, giving him my personal information, etc.

She questioned me as to what that was all about, and I told her that I ask if this was a good place to watch the moon come up, and he said yes.”

It was still about two hours before dark and the time for the moon to rise, so we decided to part and go and get ready for that particular time, as we would have to change, as it would be getting cooler on deck as the Sun went down.

My next stop was to see the Captain on the Bridge. No easy task, especially if my call came from the tourist class where I had booked on, so I decided that I better go to the Head Purser and explain why I had decided to go tourist class instead of First Class.

When the Head Purser found out who I really was, he tried very hard to have me switch over to First Class. I told him that I would consider it, but first I wanted to speak to the Captain, and this was arranged without any problems.

When I got up on the Bridge with the Purser and was introduced to the Captain, he told me that he had heard about me and my lady friend, and my little speech that I had made down there in the dining room. He said that he couldn’t help but laugh and wished that he had been down there to have heard it himself.

Then he ask me what it was that he could do for me.

“I was wondering if you would know the exact time that the Moon would be coming up on the horizon?”

“No problem, I’ll have to go over to my computer here to get you that information for our present co-ordinates and time. A few minutes later, he came back to me with the answer. “Ok, it will be at 9:06 Atlantic Time.”

“And that will be off of the stern of the ship, will it?”

“No, the Moon is a bit to the south at this time of the year. So it will be off to the south of the stern.”

“Oh, I was hoping it would be directly behind us.”

“It’s a pretty sight when it’s viewed from the stern, and I can imagine you’re planning on viewing it from there with that lady that I heard you were with when you were in the dining room. I liked what I heard so much about what went on down in the dining room, especially against the gentleman that you said it to, that I’m going to do something special for you.

This is a big ocean and I’ll position this ship and speed it in such a way that the Moon will be at the stern for two full hours tonight for you to enjoy with your lady friend.”

“Thank you, Captain.”

“You’re welcome, Jay.”

I called Maria’s room number, and told her that I would be by to escort her up to the rear deck at 8:45, which would give us just the right amount of time to get up there to watch the Moon come up above the water horizon.

She was wearing a pair of long slacks and a long sleeved light jacket that matched, which could be taken off if it was too warm.

There were other people on the rear deck, but I saw that the deck hand was standing near our lounge chair so that no one else would be taking them. I directed Maria to these chairs, and she mentioned that it seemed strange that nobody else had taken them yet.

Then she said, “Jay, have you been playing your little games again?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Oh yeah. What time is the Moon going to come up tonight then, tell me that?”

“At 9:06 about, so just get down here and settle down or you’ll miss it with all your silly questions.” I got her to settle back down in the two seat recliner, and I tossed the blanket I had brought with me, loosely over our legs, as it was starting to get a bit chilly.

I looked at my watch, and it said 9:04 and I thought to myself, why do they have the lights on so bright at the back of the ship, at a time when I am out here with a lady for the sole purpose of romancing her with the light of the Moon.

Suddenly, all of the lights slowly dimmed until they went out completely.

Thank you, Captain, I said to myself. It was 9:05

It was completely dark.

At 9:06 the Ship’s horn gave out a short but distinct blast.

I put my arm around Maria’s shoulder as the first tip of the Moon showed above the horizon, and as it rose higher she put her head on my shoulder, and as the Moon continued to rise, she found my other hand and gripped it tight.

She leaned in closer to me, very close. She was snuggling in and I was enjoying it.

She looked up at me and smiled. I reached down to cover her with the blanket to be sure that the smile didn’t go away.

Slowly the Moon rose till it cleared the surface of the water, dead astern of the ship. It cast a mesmerizing gleam against the waters to anyone watching it, as it rose higher above the horizon. Jay heard her whisper to herself “Oh my” as she squeezed his hand.

Then there was a voice that came over the ships loudspeaker system, which Jay recognized as being that of the Captain.

“We’re going to be playing a few hours of romantic music with the first one being Full Moon over Ocean Waters, and it goes out especially for Maria and Jay.”

Hearing that, Maria sat up and looked at me. “Did you hear that. He said our names. Did you put him up to that?”

“Settle down and enjoy it Maria. I didn’t do that. He did that on his own. I just ask the Captain what time the Moon was going to rise, that was all I ask for.”

Then the music started to play, and it was a very romantic tune, and I could feel Maria begin to settle down and cuddle back into my arm like she had been before, only this time it seemed a lot closer.

I could feel that people were looking at us, as I glanced about at different times, and had the feeling that they knew that the song was dedicated to us. Also, there were more people coming to see the Full Moon rising off of the stern of the ship.

These must have realized what was going on by his little dedication, and wanted to see for themselves the Moon rising over the wake of the moving waters of the ships stern.

The Moon was actually showing up as a large golden globe, and it’s reflection on the water was casting a very wide beam. It covered the complete trail of the path that the ship had plowed through the still waters, as there was only a gentle rolling to the surface of the ocean at the time. There couldn’t have been a better tune for the Captain to have picked, then the one that he did. It fit in beautifully with the mood of the evening.

As that song ended, the same male voice came back on saying. “Here’s another one especially for you Maria. It’s called Moon River. Enjoy your evening.”

Maria looked up at me with her large dark eyes. “Jay”

“Honest Maria. I didn’t have anything to do with it, but I’m sure going to thank him for doing it.”

“Well thank him for me also. I was wondering if I should have gotten off of the ship with my friends when they were leaving and I was waving them good bye, and now I’m glad so far that I stayed on board. In fact, I’ve enjoyed it more since they’ve left.”

The music to Moon River had started and she cuddled in closer, as I hugged her a little tighter. The Moon had risen enough so that it had lost most of it’s yellowish size and taken on it’s normal whiteness, with the beam of light narrowing on the surface of the water in the wake of the ship.

We listened to the song in silence. Her head on my shoulder, and yet both our heads resting against pillows on the back of the reclining lounge, which was up in such a way that we could easily see the reflection of the Moon on the water. Her hair was up against my cheek, and I could smell the clean fragrance of it, as I breathed.

It was a long time after the song ended before I spoke. “Maria, this moonrise has been the best I’ve ever seen and experienced in my life, and you being here sharing it with me tonight makes it all the more enjoyable.”

“That’s the way that I feel also, Jay. In fact it’s the first time that a fellow has asked me to come and watch the moon rise with him. I never knew that it could be so romantic and exciting, all at the same time. And to see it from the back of an ocean ship no less. I can hardly wait to tell my students about it.”

“Your students?”

“Yes, I’m a French Language Teacher at the University of Waterloo. And what do you do for a living, Jay?”

I knew this was eventually going to be coming up, and I still did not have an answer worked out to tell her, so I gave her the best answer that came to my mind at the time.

“Oh, I have a small company that I own, that keeps me pretty busy most of the time.” I wasn’t sure what her reaction would have been if I told her right out that I owned the Weston Bun Company and at least a half dozen other companies associated with it. Not to mention the Wheat Companies and Western Properties and Grain Refineries that were all associated with the Head Office.

By the word small, I felt I wasn’t really telling a lie, as there are so many businesses in the world that are much larger then mine. Besides, I had inherited it all from my parents when I got to be 24 years old. How time flies. That was 6 years ago.

Suddenly, I felt a tapping on my shoulder, and I turned and it was the deck hand. “Excuse me sir, but the Captain would like to know if he could have breakfast with you and your lady friend at your table in the morning?”

I repeated this to Maria, to get her reaction, and she said it would be alright with her, so I told the deck hand to tell him that we would be delighted if the Captain would join us.

“Jay, what is going on. Why would he want to have breakfast with us. We’re not even supposed to have been in that dining room. Then you went and gave that speech that you did, not that I could blame you.”

“That’s just it Maria. When I went up to ask the Captain about the time that the Moon would be rising, he told me that he had heard about the incident in the dining room, and had wished that he had been there to have seen and heard the whole thing.”

“Is that the reason for all the special music and dedications that we’ve been getting tonight also?”

“Yes, not to mention the dimming of the lights and the totting of the whistle right on time. Oh yes, he made sure that the moon was dead in the ships stern also. Now I think he wants to meet the lady that all this was done for.”

“And to think that I almost was going to give up on my second half of the voyage.

“I think it’s about time that we said good night also. I’ll see you to your cabin this time Maria, to make sure that you get there safely.”

“Like a gentleman, Jay. Any plans for tomorrow?”

“Not yet. Let’s see what this breakfast with the Captain is like, and we’ll take it from there.

I went with Maria down the elevator to her deck and then to her cabin and she unlocked the door. She turned to me and I took her in my arms and she tilted her head slightly, so that I could kiss her on the lips. It was a gentle but firm kiss and it held a lot of meaning to it, and I could tell that it meant a lot to the both of us.

“Good night Maria, and thanks for sitting down on that deck chair beside me this afternoon, even if it was for such a short time.”

“Yes, but look at the nice friendly visit we ended up by having in the long run. Good night, Jay.”

In the morning, when we were seated for breakfast, we were soon joined by the Captain, and I introduced him to Maria.

“So this is the young lady that I’ve changed course and maneuvered my ship all over the ocean for, and I can see that it’s been well worth it.”

“We both want to thank you for doing what you did. It really turned out to be a very nice evening, with that moon rising up there the way that it did. And knowing exactly when it was going to happen really made it very exciting.”

The waiter came and took our orders, and after that, Maria said to the Captain, “I’d like to thank you for the music dedications that you played for us. It was very fitting and I was thinking that Jay had put you up to that, but he said that he didn’t.”

“No Maria, he was just after the time that the moon was going to be coming up. I figured that I’d give you two a nice big extra show, just for what had happened down here in the dining room that I heard about.”

I happened to look over to the next table, and Mr. Snodgrass over there, didn’t seem too pleased. I didn’t know if he could hear what was being said or not, and I didn’t particularly care.

Our orders came, and we ate, and continued our conversation, until the Captain said that he had to leave, as they would soon be coming into port, and there would be a pilot coming on board, who he would have to meet.

But before he left, he told us that he would like us to come up to the bridge some time, when they were at sea, so that he could show us around as to the workings of a ship, and he would even let Maria steer the ship for a while under his directions.

After he left, Maria said to me, “Oh my gosh Jay, just think of it. He’s going to let me steer this ship all by myself. I can hardly wait, I’m so excited.”

“I can well imagine. But finish up your breakfast, so we can go and watch how they come into port and dock up.”

So it continued for several days, as Maria and I got more and more involved with each other, as we toured the islands with others or by ourselves.

Then one afternoon when we returned to the ship, and were having supper, the Head Purser, came up to me and reminded me that the State Room was still available to me for the few days remaining of my trip, or if I had decided yet to stay another week if I desired it. After he left, Maria ask me, “Jay what did he mean by that?”

“He can’t see why I’m in tourist class when there’s a first class suite available if I want it.”

“But why not take it if you can afford it. Myself, I’d just love to get the chance to get out of the hold of this ship instead of having to listen to those engines all night. To get up above deck at night and smell the night ocean air must be like heaven on earth.”

“Maria, the State Room is big, and I’d feel awful lonesome in there all by myself. That is, unless you were in there with me.”

“Is that an invitation to stay over-night?”

“It’s an invitation to move in with me for the rest of your cruise time, plus another week if you can arrange some more time off of your teaching job.”

“We’ve got a good thing going on, and it’s too good to stop it, so I’m going to say yes to both parts of it. Can I move in there right now?”

“There’s no reason that you can’t. If you want to, I’ll tell him that I’ll take the State room and that you’re requesting that your luggage be moved into there when you’re ready for it.”

“Fine, I’ll go and pack my things up right now. And Jay, you won’t be regretting this, I promise you.”

After Maria left, I ordered another coffee, and went to the phone and told the Purser to meet me back in the dining room right away. When he arrived, I told him, that I was going to take him up on his offer of the State Room, but that there was going to be a guest there with me, also moving from the economy section. I told him that it was the lady that I had been with and gave him her name and cabin number, and to see to it that she was given all help possible in moving her belongings, and if there was anything that she needed, it was to be provided for her and to be billed to my account.

Then I went to my own cabin to clean up and pack before I called to have my bags moved over to my new suite, which was on the fifth deck above the main deck, with an over-hanging portion of it protruding out from the ship to give a very scenic view of the ocean. I knew that it was one of two of the most expensive suites on the ship.

When I arrived there, I found out that Maria had already arrived five minutes before me.

“Jay, what a place this is. I can’t imagine why you didn’t take it before, although I can see how you’d feel about being here all by yourself. A Jacuzzi, your own Hot-tub and a King-size bed, Wow. Excuse me for asking, but you can afford it, can you?”

“Yes Marie, I can afford it.”

Then she walked out to the lounge area, which extended out beyond the side of the ship, near the front, in a semi-circular design, giving a view forward and aft along the side of the ship.

“Look at this view from way up here. Oh how I wish I could have been up here, instead of having had to have listened to those engines all night long.”

Then Maria saw the stereo, and went over and turned it on and found that it contained a stack of compact discs. She went through a pile of them and soon had what she wanted and placed them into the stereo and turned it on. If the first was like the rest, she was playing my type of music.

As the bar had not been stocked with the type of refreshments that we preferred, I told her that I was going to get some at the nearest place on the ship that had some.

When I returned, I found Maria had donned a bathing suit and was in the hot-tub and it didn’t take me long to join her there.

The next day, she made arrangements to take another weeks holidays as her teaching classes wouldn’t start for another few weeks yet and she could go for a much needed extended vacation.

When we had our next tour of one of the islands, I had her pick out several new outfits that she liked, and I bought her a pearl necklace and diamond earrings.

Story By: James Westhouse