Danger - A Safe Bahamian Novel - Day 26
(3:40 pm Monday Nov 26, 2007)
*** A Lonely Room
Well, gentle reader, trying to get started here. There may be band practice tonight so this may prove a tough day. Time will tell.
(3:50 pm Monday Nov 26, 2007)
Little things that burn your time. Sure, just a bit of housekeeping in connection with yesterday's words, but there goes a bunch of time.
Precious time.
Irredeemable time.
Unless I can manage to come up with a time factory... Perhaps in time for next year.
Oops... I am in trouble now gentle reader... Deep trouble...
I have just caught myself going back into prior day's writings and making little corrections. A real gigantic no-no during NaNo time. That person they call the inner editor must be kept away at all costs.
Now he can some in and vacuum up all your time much worse than any temporal black hole. Watch out for that fellow. Oh, he comes around acting all nice.
"Here, let me help out with that."
"That little correction will not take long and you should do it now where you have it in your mind. You may miss it when you get around to 'official' editing time"
"Can you believe you made that silly typo?"
"Oops, just a little transposition there, let me get that for you."
Helpful points all, I am sure, but don't let him start. And if you find he has started somehow despite your best intentions, run him off right away. Right straight away. Use whatever means necessary.
Mock him if you must.
Tell on him. Yeah, that's right, rat him out to the Fearless Reader.
Tell him there is a leaky pipe in the back yard and ask him to go take a look for you and report back... Then lock the door on him when he goes out to see.
(4:05 pm Monday Nov 26, 2007)
Put your head down and write and write and write while saying 'la la la la la la la...' in your head so you cannot hear his siren call.
(4:34 pm Monday Nov 26, 2007)
Whoosh! A bunch of time just went down the drain there. Do you see how it is the same fight each day gentle reader? The same fight, the same struggle. The same issues.
Where to now?
*** Shack Near Beach
Jack, Mandy, Sarai, and Ronnie are sitting on the front porch watching the waves roll in.
"OK, so you ladies can have the shack, Ronnie and I will string some hammocks and a tarp out back. Not the greatest shelter, but better than a bivouac in any case."
"No, Jack, we can get a room at some hotel and you can have your own room and you own bed."
"You see how bad it gets Ronnie? I can't even talk a woman into sleeping in my bed even when I am not going to be in it. Do I have fleas or something these days?"
There is tired, groaning laughter all around.
"Look, Mandy, I know you can get rooms, but it would be more convenient if we could cut out the travel time and spend the time we save talking and doing what planning we can. It's alright, really. Sometimes in the summer, we sleep out in the hammocks and leave the rooms empty.
(4:46 pm Monday Nov 26, 2007)
"Well, we can discuss that later then, right now, let's get down to business. And Ronnie, thanks again for sending out the smack boats to look for us."
"I am just happy that you all didn't drown and that they spotted your fire."
(5:24 pm Monday Nov 26, 2007)
*** A Lonely Room
Well, there is band practice tonight at six thirty and I need to figure out and eat some dinner before going over there as well. Can I pull off a mini sprint about some of these story lines before then?
We shall see.
*** Shack Near Beach
"OK, so where are we now?" says Jack.
"Well, my people are sending down a team and some new equipment and we are going to take another run at those jokers. If they think they can go around sinking ships, they have another things coming."
"Ah, Mandy..."
"Yes Ronnie?"
"I am not so sure that Sarai's yacht was blown up by the people you think did the deed."
"What?"
"The reports that came in said they the other vessel went down in the same way."
"What!"
"Seems so, so unless you think they scuttled their own vessel as well as yours, there may be more to this whole mess that you think."
"Wait, their vessel went down? The one we were on?"
"If you were on it, yes, that one. The one near the Yacht when the yacht went down."
"How can that be? Who? Wait, what about survivors from that one? Was anyone picked up?"
"No reports of anyone being picked up from her. Dead or alive."
"What's up with that?" asks Mandy.
"No one seems to have any real ideas," says Ronnie.
"Well, I think I want to dive on that wreck and see if we missed something in our brief visit."
"I'm all for that." Jack butts in.
"You know, I am thinking that perhaps it was a mistake to involve you two in that part of the operation. Sarai, wait, before you object, you know you and Jack are civilians. it is not right for me to ask you to risk your lives in such an operation when I have a team coming in to work with me now."
"You are not going to get rid of us that easy," says Jack, "we are deep in this now and I, for one, want to see it through."
"I don't think I can let you."
"I don't think you can stop us!" spouts Jack, "I would like to see you try."
(5:41 pm Monday Nov 26, 2007)
"Sarai, can you speak some sense to this man? You know things are getting too dangerous. What if we are not so fortunate next time."
"I am not so sure Mandy, the two of us are in deep now. And we may be civilians, but we go back a long way and I can tell you that we have been in some tight spots before and Jack has always handled himself well. And I am not all that shabby myself if I may say so."
"Great! Two hard heads on my hands. What am I going to do with you two? I suppose you two might try to go out wild on your own if I didn't take you along."
"You got that right!" says Jack.
"I could always pull some strings and get you two locked up temporarily for your own good."
"Don't even try that!" says Jack standing up in a huff.
(5:49 pm Monday Nov 26, 2007)
(7:38 pm Monday Nov 26, 2007)
*** Band Practice Room
Well, the first song just started. Let's hope this goes well tonight.
*** 38' Cheoy Lee Ketch - Up Around Nun Jack, Abaco
Well, Fred just barely made it to shore with the bull shark snapping at his heels. But make it he did.
Golden Child didn't know who was more afraid there. Fred for himself and his feet, or her for her man.
"What in the world were you doing out there Fred?'
"I saw this box floating way out there and I swam out to see what it was."
"Why in the world would you go swimming out there with this shark hanging about?"
"He hasn't been around in a while and I kind of forgot about him. Then too, this thing looked interesting floating out there. And I probably wasn't thinking right because I was still pretty upset with you."
"Well, don't do that again my love! I don't think I could handle losing you at this stage of the game."
(7:53 pm Monday Nov 26, 2007)
They lay down on the beach to catch their breaths and soon burst out laughing.
"I think I am going to kill that beast soon. Do we have something back on the boat to catch him with?"
"I think we should have something. Why do you want to kill him?"
"He is getting on my nerves. Plus, this isn't natural. I have never seen an animal act the way he is acting. It is almost like he has something personal against us."
"Maybe he has been watching too much 'Jaws' lately," laughs Fred. "I normally don't like killing animals for no real reason, but I think he has given us enough reason, so, if you want to, I am with you in it."
"So, what's in the box? Let's open it up lover. No sense in you risking your life and your beautiful limbs and us not even bothering to see that it is that you got."
Well, they got up and tried to open the box but the effort proved to be a non starter. So they decided to take it back to the ketch and open it there.
The bull followed them back around the point and was waiting at the beach near the dinghy when they got there. Patrolling back and forth along the beach.
"You know Goldy, you are right, we need to be done with this brute. He has to die before he puts a hurting one one of us or on someone else. I wonder what has gotten into him?"
(8:29 pm Monday Nov 26, 2007)
*** Band Practice Room
Well, gentle reader, this is really slow going right now. I am almost tempted to give up on the writing for the duration and try to knock it out when I get home later.
That way, I could just kick back and relax and enjoy the music for the rest of the practice.
Sounds good. But do I want to be up till midnight when I get home. And I am getting sick as it is and probably shouldn't even be here tonight.
*** A Lonely Room
(9:34 pm Monday Nov 26, 2007)
Seems I gave in to that temptation.
Well, gentle reader, back from band practice but still having a hard slog of it. Having to do some phone tech support for work right now too.
Once again...
Life Interrupts Art.
*** Shack Near Beach
The planning is over and the night has settled down to one of fun and relaxation. Sam and his wife dropped some steamed steak and white rice off earlier along with some Johnny cake. That went down well.
After dinner, they sat around telling jokes and stories and relating their recent adventures again for Ronnie's benefit. Then Jack went in and put on some music and they began to wind down in earnest.
He put on some classical and followed that up with some easy old island songs. They kept up the conversation over the music until 'Why Fight The Feelin' came on.
(9:47 pm Monday Nov 26, 2007)
(10:17 pm Monday Nov 26, 2007)
when you're home and lonely
on a friday night
baby why fight the feelin
ya gonna be alright
when the days grow longer
and the night's too bright
baby why fight the feelin
ya gonna be alright
baby why fight the feelin
ya gonna be alright
baby why fight the feelin
ya gonna be alright
when your best emotion's
either fight or flight
baby why fight the feelin
ya gonna be alright
when your heart comes crashin
to the ground at night
baby why fight the feelin
ya gonna be alright
baby why fight the feelin
ya gonna be alright
baby why fight the feelin
ya gonna be alright
They all had a great time singing along with that one and after it was done, 'Mary, Quite Contrary' came on.
There goes Mary, quite contrary
asked her how did... her garden grow
she said silver bells
she said cockle shells
said somethin bout pretty maids
in a row... o
There goes Mary, quite contrary
asked her how did... her garden grow
she said silver bells
she said cockle shells
said somethin bout pretty maids
in a row... o
When it came on, Ronnie jumped and went inside and they could hear him rummaging around looking for something. He must have found it since he let out a yell in celebration and then the song went off and he came running back out on the porch with some sheets of paper in his hands.
"Here, everyone, take a copy, I wrote some new words for that tune. Sing it with me."
"You gotta put the music back on for us to sing it."
"That wont work, those words will get mixed up with these. Come on... Let's just try singing it alright?"
"We need the music, Ronnie," explains Jack a little exasperated.
"Does anyone have a guitar?" asks Mandy, "I think I could play along. Would that work?"
"Jack, do you still have that old beat up thing in the closet?" asks Ronnie.
"Yeah, but its out in the shed now, you should be able to find it."
So Ronnie is up and dashing around the side of the shack in a flash.
They hear him rummaging around out there for a while and then another yell of celebration and they hear him returning.
"I have to warn you Mandy, the thing is pretty beat up," says Jack before Ronnie returns.
He comes around the corner and up on to the porch almost at a run, "Here you go, do you think it might be in tune?"
"Do pigs fly? Not to worry though, I think I can tune it if it can be tuned in this condition."
Before long, she has it tuned and she starts trying to play the music to the song.
"How's that?" she asks.
"That sound OK," says Ronnie and he starts to sing along almost under his breath.
There goes Mary, quite contrary
asked her how did... her garden grow
she said silver bells
she said cockle shells
said somethin bout pretty maids
in a row... o
After that they all join in.
There goes Mary, quite contrary
asked her how did... her garden grow
she said silver bells
she said cockle shells
said somethin bout pretty maids
in a row... o
Hey now Peter, pumpkin eater,
Had a wife but, he couldn't keep her
Well he put her, in a pumpkin shell
Then he kept her,
So very well
There goes Mary, quite contrary
asked her how did... her garden grow
she said silver bells
she said cockle shells
said somethin bout pretty maids
in a row... o
By now, they are having a great time and laughing and singing along and cutting up some.
Mother Hubbard, went to her cupboard
Get her poor dog, a little bone...
But when she got there, that cupboard was bare...
Well that poor dog he... aint got no bone...
There goes Mary, quite contrary
asked her how did... her garden grow
she said silver bells
she said cockle shells
said somethin bout pretty maids
in a row... o
Well Miss Muffet, sat on her tuffet
She was eating... her curds and whey...
Come this spider, sat down beside her
Well he frightened... Muffet away...
There goes Mary, quite contrary
asked her how did... her garden grow
she said silver bells
she said cockle shells
said somethin bout pretty maids
in a row... o
Well William Winkie... runs through the town
Up stairs and down stairs, in his night gown...
Peeking in windows... tapping on doors
That boy goin be up, quarter to four...
There goes Mary, quite contrary
asked her how did... her garden grow
she said silver bells
she said cockle shells
said somethin bout pretty maids
in a row... o
Mary had a... little lamb
Had a fleece was... white as snow... o
Every where that, young Mary went...
Well that lamb he... surely follow...
There goes Mary, quite contrary
asked her how did... her garden grow
she said silver bells
she said cockle shells
said somethin bout pretty maids
in a row... o
It ends and they all bust out laughing.
"That wasn't half bad Ronnie. I think you are going to need to keep working on the words in some places, but it is fun. When did you do that?"
"About a week ago now I think," says Ronnie, "I liked you playing Mandy. Thanks for jumping in like that."
"Thanks, I used to dream of being a rock star when I was younger, but my parents sort of side tracked me. Anyway, that is another story for another time. I am getting tired. Can we turn in now?"
And they do.
(10:39 pm Monday Nov 26, 2007)
Tuesday, November 27, 2007
Danger - A Safe Bahamian Novel - Day 25
Danger - A Safe Bahamian Novel - Day 25
(3:14 pm Sunday Nov 25, 2007)
*** A Lonely Room
Hey there gentle reader... well, you are looking at an official NaNoWriMo 2007 winner. Four straight now gentle reader. I feel great, and feel drained.
I want to sleep.
But for your gentle sake, I will try and find another two thousand or more words some where today.
I was reading back in last year's "Sayings - Deterred Bahamian Novel" earlier today and I saw where I was searching for a word factory last year. I thought that perhaps a word wholesaler would have served.
I could use a word factory today, that's for sure.
Or a time factory. Buy a few more hours to tack on at the end of... No! in the middle of the day. Stick them at the end of the day and I may be too tired to use them. It's the little details like that in life that can really mess you up.
You finally get what you ask for but it doesn't do you any real good. Watch out for situations like that gentle reader. They can get you even when you are in your guise as Fearless Reader!
(3:20 pm Sunday Nov 25, 2007)
You know, two thousand words should be a breeze to write. I just did over two hundred right there in about six minutes. If I could keep up that pace, I could do the two thousand in an hour, say an hour and a half to be generous.
Why, then, these four and five hour days. And those are just estimates. It is taking so long, that I don't have the time to go back and figure up more accurate times for each day.
At least you have managed to stick it out with me gentle reader and I really appreciate that. Lots.
It would be even more lonely here in this lonely room if I could not share the experience with you as I write each day.
You know, I don't actually recall ever reading a novel before where the author takes the time to share the actual experience of writing the story with the reader. If you know of any gentle reader, let me know. I would be interested in looking them over.
Well, except for my own poor attempts... And some of those I have written but not read all the way through in one sitting...
(3:25 pm Sunday Nov 25, 2007)
Gotta take a little break here and do some minor housekeeping with respect to yesterday's work. Not editing mind you. What I do is break each scene out of the one big leo node it is in and put each scene in its own node. It makes it easier to go back and look at what went on and continue that thread.
Be back in a bit. Or BBIAB as we say in IRC.
(3:42 pm Sunday Nov 25, 2007)
Back. Well, I ended up having to do one or two other things. Once again, life interrupts art!
*** 38' Cheoy Lee Ketch - Up Around Nun Jack, Abaco
"Look, just don't press me Fred!" shouts Golden Child, "I don't know what to do! There is no way for me to do the right thing now and it is driving me CRAZY! At least I cannot see any way to do the right thing."
Golden Child was in trouble. Between that old rock and hard place.
"If you would just tell me what was going on, I may be able to help you figure out the right thing to do."
"Fred, I am going crazy! Please stop asking me to tell you. I have to and I can't and that is a big part of the problem right now! Please don't ask me again. Let me try to think it out again."
Fred stand up abruptly, angry and confused, "I'm getting out of here! Take your time, I'm going to swim in to the beach and take a walk. I will be back later, or you can come and find me if you sort things out. Later."
He is up the ladder and taking a header into the water before she can even tell him to watch out for that shark. They haven't seen it again since it left that night, but the whole episode had left her a bit spooked.
She heard him stroking strongly for shore and resumed her fretting, confused, thinking.
Why did we have to find this treasure? Something that should be such a joy. Really, why couldn't we have found the treasure and not the map?
She wanted to share everything with Fred, all that she was, all that she had, but she couldn't share this. But she wasn't prepared to let this come between them.
She needed to let her sisters know about and see this new map. It could be the very key to all their efforts for so long. But the very rules of the sisterhood prevented it. Once a sister went outside to live with a man instead of bringing the man in, she was forever forbidden to contact her sisters in any way from that day forward. And they were very strict with those rules.
She had to tell them, and she couldn't tell them.
And she couldn't tell Fred why. More sisterhood rules. A sister could leave and go outside, but she was forbidden to mention or give any details of the sisterhood or her former life. They were very strict with those rules too.
A rock and a hard place.
If she wanted to do the right thing.
(3:58 pm Sunday Nov 25, 2007)
The easy thing would be to just keep the treasure, and to use her memory of the first map along with this new map and for her and Fred to go off and find the new treasure together and live happily ever after. Sure, happily ever after, knowing that it would doom the efforts of her beloved sisters and maybe even bring down the sisterhood for all time. And maybe get her and Fred killed if they ran into their enemies along the way. enemies Fred knew nothing about.
What to do? She was going crazy. She had to come up with some answer soon. Or at least some plan of action. She needed action. Deep in her soul. the thinking was getting her nowhere fast. Perhaps action was the answer! She would go and get Fred and they would take action! Together! And come what may they would stay together. She would not let this tear them apart.
She went up the ladder to the cockpit and slipped out of her cutoff jeans and her t-shirt and was about to dive in headlong and swim for the beach when a blur streaking in the corner of her eye sent a stab of fear into her heart.
She looked but didn't see anything. There was a lot of turtle grass over that way though. That bull could be camouflaged over there just waiting for her to enter his realm.
"Fred!" she yelled at the top of her lungs, "Fred, can you hear me? We need to talk! Can you come back?"
Nothing. Could he have gone that far already? Which way would he have gone? Probably down around the point and into the cove. That was his favourite spot on the island. And she could understand the reason why. It was lovely in that cove.
(4:16 pm Sunday Nov 25, 2007)
"Fred!" should she take the inflatable dingy in? That shark bothered her. He could puncture it if he got aggressive. Or tip her over into the drink. Not something she wanted to contemplate. "Fred! Come back!"
*** Beach On The Far End Of Nun Jack, Abaco
Fred could hear her calling in the distance but her was still a bit too upset to answer. let her come find him if she needed him that bad right now. He still needed to walk off some of his frustration.
(4:29 pm Sunday Nov 25, 2007)
Something in the tone of her voice made him almost turn back but he steeled his resolve and continued on down the beach.
What was that ship still doing out there? Could they be treasure hunters? Nah... Something closer in caught his eye. What was that floating over there? It looked interesting. He decided to swim out and bring it in to see what it was.
(4:44 pm Sunday Nov 25, 2007)
*** A Lonely Room
Well gentle reader, I was going really good there for a decent while, but I feel myself slowing down for some unknown reason. I really need to try and ramp up the speed again.
Where to now gentle reader, where to?
*** A Smack Boat Out Of Spanish Wells, Headed For Nassau
Our three friends are aboard. Rescued! The crew of the smack had been looking for them since the word came to the boats from home. They had spotted the fire last night and picked them up from the beach. They were too weak to really celebrate but they were felling better today.
They are all feeling a little more like humans today though.
They are standing on the bow, leaning on the railing and talking quietly together.
(5:02 pm Sunday Nov 25, 2007)
(5:59 pm Sunday Nov 25, 2007)
"So, what are we gonna do now?"
"Well Jack, when we get back, we're gonna hit the sack, Jack. How's that, Jack?"
"That's whacked mac!"
"Enough of the rhyming you two," says Sarai with a commanding voice "I've lost my yacht, we have almost died, can you stop with the clowning around and let's talk some serious talk here please!"
"OK, OK, Sarai," says Mandy, "well, I am going to get in touch with my people in Washington and see if they can scrounge us up another boat and I think we should head back out and see what we can see. Those jokers are not gonna get away with this. But we really should probably rest up for a day or two before going back out. I am sure this has taken a lot more out of us that we feel right now."
(6:48 pm Sunday Nov 25, 2007)
*** 38' Cheoy Lee Ketch - Up Around Nun Jack, Abaco
After too long, Golden Child decides to risk the dinghy. The bull has not made his presence certain, but she senses he is still out there and thinks she sees hints of his presence out of the corner of her eye every once in a while.
She goes to the stern grabs the painter and pulls the inflatable in close. Carefully she descends the ladder and gingerly steps into the bottom and gets the dinghy settled down and quiet in the water before transferring her full weight off of the ladder and into the boat.
She reaches up and un-cleats the painter and drops it into the bow. Just as she is about to sit down and start up the engine, something hits the bottom hard, almost sending her into the water.
"Ahhhh! Don't you mess with me you nasty fish, I will see you drying in the sun before tomorrow is done if you don't clear off and leave us in peace!"
She manages to get properly seated in the stern and gets the little engine started.
She gases it and heads straight in to the beach.
Straight in to the beach. She doesn't slow down until the last minute when she deftly cuts the throttle, kills the engine and tips it up.
The dinghy runs up on the beach and she is up and out over the bow, grabbing the painter as she passes.
The bull almost runs up on the beach after but manages to turn himself around while making a commotion splashing and twisting in the shallows.
(7:09 pm Sunday Nov 25, 2007)
She runs down to the water's edge and screams in rage and picks up sand and shells and throws them angrily in the direction of the shark. "I am not joking with you, you malevolent guppy! I will gut you and hang you out to dry if you don't cut it out.
She goes back to the dinghy and pulls it further out of the water and stakes and our in the sand and ties the painter to it. Then she heads off down the beach in the direction of the cove to the west.
She sees the bull following along about seven yards off shore.
"I am warning you! Are you hard of hearing or what?"
She picks up speed, breaking into a slow trot.
The shark keeps pace.
When she comes around the point, she sees Fred out in the water trying to being some floating to shore and the bull takes off like a bullet in his direction.
"FRED!" she yells, "Get out of the water! The bull is back! get out."
He looks in her direction and waves.
"Shark! get out!"
"What?"
She waves her arms in a motion that she hopes he understand means to get out of the water. "Get out of the water! SHARK!"
He must have heard something, "Shark?" he starts making his way to the shore.
"The BULL!" she yells as she sees his dorsal fin come out of the water much too close to Fred.
(7:27 pm Sunday Nov 25, 2007)
(3:14 pm Sunday Nov 25, 2007)
*** A Lonely Room
Hey there gentle reader... well, you are looking at an official NaNoWriMo 2007 winner. Four straight now gentle reader. I feel great, and feel drained.
I want to sleep.
But for your gentle sake, I will try and find another two thousand or more words some where today.
I was reading back in last year's "Sayings - Deterred Bahamian Novel" earlier today and I saw where I was searching for a word factory last year. I thought that perhaps a word wholesaler would have served.
I could use a word factory today, that's for sure.
Or a time factory. Buy a few more hours to tack on at the end of... No! in the middle of the day. Stick them at the end of the day and I may be too tired to use them. It's the little details like that in life that can really mess you up.
You finally get what you ask for but it doesn't do you any real good. Watch out for situations like that gentle reader. They can get you even when you are in your guise as Fearless Reader!
(3:20 pm Sunday Nov 25, 2007)
You know, two thousand words should be a breeze to write. I just did over two hundred right there in about six minutes. If I could keep up that pace, I could do the two thousand in an hour, say an hour and a half to be generous.
Why, then, these four and five hour days. And those are just estimates. It is taking so long, that I don't have the time to go back and figure up more accurate times for each day.
At least you have managed to stick it out with me gentle reader and I really appreciate that. Lots.
It would be even more lonely here in this lonely room if I could not share the experience with you as I write each day.
You know, I don't actually recall ever reading a novel before where the author takes the time to share the actual experience of writing the story with the reader. If you know of any gentle reader, let me know. I would be interested in looking them over.
Well, except for my own poor attempts... And some of those I have written but not read all the way through in one sitting...
(3:25 pm Sunday Nov 25, 2007)
Gotta take a little break here and do some minor housekeeping with respect to yesterday's work. Not editing mind you. What I do is break each scene out of the one big leo node it is in and put each scene in its own node. It makes it easier to go back and look at what went on and continue that thread.
Be back in a bit. Or BBIAB as we say in IRC.
(3:42 pm Sunday Nov 25, 2007)
Back. Well, I ended up having to do one or two other things. Once again, life interrupts art!
*** 38' Cheoy Lee Ketch - Up Around Nun Jack, Abaco
"Look, just don't press me Fred!" shouts Golden Child, "I don't know what to do! There is no way for me to do the right thing now and it is driving me CRAZY! At least I cannot see any way to do the right thing."
Golden Child was in trouble. Between that old rock and hard place.
"If you would just tell me what was going on, I may be able to help you figure out the right thing to do."
"Fred, I am going crazy! Please stop asking me to tell you. I have to and I can't and that is a big part of the problem right now! Please don't ask me again. Let me try to think it out again."
Fred stand up abruptly, angry and confused, "I'm getting out of here! Take your time, I'm going to swim in to the beach and take a walk. I will be back later, or you can come and find me if you sort things out. Later."
He is up the ladder and taking a header into the water before she can even tell him to watch out for that shark. They haven't seen it again since it left that night, but the whole episode had left her a bit spooked.
She heard him stroking strongly for shore and resumed her fretting, confused, thinking.
Why did we have to find this treasure? Something that should be such a joy. Really, why couldn't we have found the treasure and not the map?
She wanted to share everything with Fred, all that she was, all that she had, but she couldn't share this. But she wasn't prepared to let this come between them.
She needed to let her sisters know about and see this new map. It could be the very key to all their efforts for so long. But the very rules of the sisterhood prevented it. Once a sister went outside to live with a man instead of bringing the man in, she was forever forbidden to contact her sisters in any way from that day forward. And they were very strict with those rules.
She had to tell them, and she couldn't tell them.
And she couldn't tell Fred why. More sisterhood rules. A sister could leave and go outside, but she was forbidden to mention or give any details of the sisterhood or her former life. They were very strict with those rules too.
A rock and a hard place.
If she wanted to do the right thing.
(3:58 pm Sunday Nov 25, 2007)
The easy thing would be to just keep the treasure, and to use her memory of the first map along with this new map and for her and Fred to go off and find the new treasure together and live happily ever after. Sure, happily ever after, knowing that it would doom the efforts of her beloved sisters and maybe even bring down the sisterhood for all time. And maybe get her and Fred killed if they ran into their enemies along the way. enemies Fred knew nothing about.
What to do? She was going crazy. She had to come up with some answer soon. Or at least some plan of action. She needed action. Deep in her soul. the thinking was getting her nowhere fast. Perhaps action was the answer! She would go and get Fred and they would take action! Together! And come what may they would stay together. She would not let this tear them apart.
She went up the ladder to the cockpit and slipped out of her cutoff jeans and her t-shirt and was about to dive in headlong and swim for the beach when a blur streaking in the corner of her eye sent a stab of fear into her heart.
She looked but didn't see anything. There was a lot of turtle grass over that way though. That bull could be camouflaged over there just waiting for her to enter his realm.
"Fred!" she yelled at the top of her lungs, "Fred, can you hear me? We need to talk! Can you come back?"
Nothing. Could he have gone that far already? Which way would he have gone? Probably down around the point and into the cove. That was his favourite spot on the island. And she could understand the reason why. It was lovely in that cove.
(4:16 pm Sunday Nov 25, 2007)
"Fred!" should she take the inflatable dingy in? That shark bothered her. He could puncture it if he got aggressive. Or tip her over into the drink. Not something she wanted to contemplate. "Fred! Come back!"
*** Beach On The Far End Of Nun Jack, Abaco
Fred could hear her calling in the distance but her was still a bit too upset to answer. let her come find him if she needed him that bad right now. He still needed to walk off some of his frustration.
(4:29 pm Sunday Nov 25, 2007)
Something in the tone of her voice made him almost turn back but he steeled his resolve and continued on down the beach.
What was that ship still doing out there? Could they be treasure hunters? Nah... Something closer in caught his eye. What was that floating over there? It looked interesting. He decided to swim out and bring it in to see what it was.
(4:44 pm Sunday Nov 25, 2007)
*** A Lonely Room
Well gentle reader, I was going really good there for a decent while, but I feel myself slowing down for some unknown reason. I really need to try and ramp up the speed again.
Where to now gentle reader, where to?
*** A Smack Boat Out Of Spanish Wells, Headed For Nassau
Our three friends are aboard. Rescued! The crew of the smack had been looking for them since the word came to the boats from home. They had spotted the fire last night and picked them up from the beach. They were too weak to really celebrate but they were felling better today.
They are all feeling a little more like humans today though.
They are standing on the bow, leaning on the railing and talking quietly together.
(5:02 pm Sunday Nov 25, 2007)
(5:59 pm Sunday Nov 25, 2007)
"So, what are we gonna do now?"
"Well Jack, when we get back, we're gonna hit the sack, Jack. How's that, Jack?"
"That's whacked mac!"
"Enough of the rhyming you two," says Sarai with a commanding voice "I've lost my yacht, we have almost died, can you stop with the clowning around and let's talk some serious talk here please!"
"OK, OK, Sarai," says Mandy, "well, I am going to get in touch with my people in Washington and see if they can scrounge us up another boat and I think we should head back out and see what we can see. Those jokers are not gonna get away with this. But we really should probably rest up for a day or two before going back out. I am sure this has taken a lot more out of us that we feel right now."
(6:48 pm Sunday Nov 25, 2007)
*** 38' Cheoy Lee Ketch - Up Around Nun Jack, Abaco
After too long, Golden Child decides to risk the dinghy. The bull has not made his presence certain, but she senses he is still out there and thinks she sees hints of his presence out of the corner of her eye every once in a while.
She goes to the stern grabs the painter and pulls the inflatable in close. Carefully she descends the ladder and gingerly steps into the bottom and gets the dinghy settled down and quiet in the water before transferring her full weight off of the ladder and into the boat.
She reaches up and un-cleats the painter and drops it into the bow. Just as she is about to sit down and start up the engine, something hits the bottom hard, almost sending her into the water.
"Ahhhh! Don't you mess with me you nasty fish, I will see you drying in the sun before tomorrow is done if you don't clear off and leave us in peace!"
She manages to get properly seated in the stern and gets the little engine started.
She gases it and heads straight in to the beach.
Straight in to the beach. She doesn't slow down until the last minute when she deftly cuts the throttle, kills the engine and tips it up.
The dinghy runs up on the beach and she is up and out over the bow, grabbing the painter as she passes.
The bull almost runs up on the beach after but manages to turn himself around while making a commotion splashing and twisting in the shallows.
(7:09 pm Sunday Nov 25, 2007)
She runs down to the water's edge and screams in rage and picks up sand and shells and throws them angrily in the direction of the shark. "I am not joking with you, you malevolent guppy! I will gut you and hang you out to dry if you don't cut it out.
She goes back to the dinghy and pulls it further out of the water and stakes and our in the sand and ties the painter to it. Then she heads off down the beach in the direction of the cove to the west.
She sees the bull following along about seven yards off shore.
"I am warning you! Are you hard of hearing or what?"
She picks up speed, breaking into a slow trot.
The shark keeps pace.
When she comes around the point, she sees Fred out in the water trying to being some floating to shore and the bull takes off like a bullet in his direction.
"FRED!" she yells, "Get out of the water! The bull is back! get out."
He looks in her direction and waves.
"Shark! get out!"
"What?"
She waves her arms in a motion that she hopes he understand means to get out of the water. "Get out of the water! SHARK!"
He must have heard something, "Shark?" he starts making his way to the shore.
"The BULL!" she yells as she sees his dorsal fin come out of the water much too close to Fred.
(7:27 pm Sunday Nov 25, 2007)
Danger - A Safe Bahamian Novel - Day 24
Danger - A Safe Bahamian Novel - Day 24
(4:21 pm Saturday Nov 24, 2007)
*** A Lonely Room
Ah well gentle reader, you might think the joy and elation of winning might carry over and lead to some serious over achievement for a day or so after. Alas, not so in my case this year it seems.
Life interrupts art.
Let's just see if we can avoid a total collapse shall we?
(4:38 pm Saturday Nov 24, 2007)
Well yeah, sure. It would be nice but how.
*** 38' Cheoy Lee Ketch - Up Around Nun Jack, Abaco
Well that mean bull had bothered them for the rest of the day and into the night. You would think he had a personal beef with either Fred, Golden Child, or maybe even the Cheoy Lee...
Several times during the rest of the day, he had wondered off and faded from sight in the turtle grass in the distance, only to come streaking back in when Fred had dared to get back in the water in an effort to dive up the chest sitting right there on the sandy bottom below the ketch.
Fred didn't bother trying to get back in the water after nightfall, but the bull still kept showing himself and bumping the bottom and messing about with the anchour rhode every once in a while.
So, come morning, when there was no sign of the bull for an hour or two after sunrise, Fred decided to try and dive up the chest once again.
Golden Child stood watch while he slipped quietly into the water, took a breath and flipped his legs and fins up into the air and propelled himself to the bottom taking a line to the bottom with him.
Working quickly, he tied the rope around the chest and secured it as best he could in a rush, and then headed back to the surface.
So, once back in the cockpit, he and Golden Child pull the chest up with the rope. It is dicey for a bit, almost coming out of his efforts at securing it, but he manages to grab it just before things go completely south.
They take it down into the cabin and put it on the table on a folded beach towel.
Describe the chest here... old... odd metal in good condition... maps engraved on the surface...
Excitement shows on both of their faces, their breathing is shallow and a bit ragged, Golden Child gets a large flat head screw driver from the tool box and tried using it as a crow bar to break the lock of the chest.
She works at it for a while without making any major progress and then Fred takes a try at it as well. He struggles mightily for a good while with little progress to show for his efforts except for a beginning blister in the webbing between his right thumb and index finger.
Golden Child went back to the tool box and got some lubricant spray and sprayed it in the lock and then sat down with various bits of metal from the tool box and the kitchen drawers and tried her hand at picking the lock.
Fred left her at it for a while trying to sit patiently but getting more and more impatient as time wore on. He finds he can't take it and goes searching about the boat looking for something else to attack the lock with.
He is up in the cockpit looking under the seats when he hears a victory yell come from Golden Child down below.
It doesn't take him long to get back below.
"You got it!"
"I got it baby. I got it."
"Well, let's see what we got then."
(6:26 pm Saturday Nov 24, 2007)
They lift the lid together as they stare expectantly towards the box. As the lid goes up their faces get closer and closer, peering into the box to discover its contents.
At first they both experience a bit of a let down. Sure, it is a treasure of sorts. Some gold coins that neither recognize at first, some golden jewelry with some gem stones down on the bottom, but not much compared to the size of the chest.
Fred starts to carefully take the contents out of the chest a piece at a time and rest them on another beach towel on the table. When the chest is almost empty, He removes a small purple felt bag with draw string top. "I wonder what is in here?" says Fred as he picks it up.
"Open it up then and let's see."
(6:39 pm Saturday Nov 24, 2007)
Golden Child draws in a sharp breath of surprise as Fred takes a small silver cylinder out of the purple felt bag. "What is it Goldy?"
Golden Child is struck dumb. What to do. She can't tell him what she knows, but she can't hold back on her new life partner. "Ah... Um... Ah..."
"What?"
"Open it up and let's see what's inside."
"Do you know what this is?"
"Just open it please Fred. Don't ask me any more questions until I have a chance to sort things out in my mind after I see what's inside."
"What do you mean what's inside? This opens up?"
"Can I have it please? Pass it over and I will show you."
"OK, knock yourself out," he says handing it over to her.
(7:36 pm Saturday Nov 24, 2007)
Golden Child fiddled with the cylinder for a while but didn't seem to be able to open it. Fred got a little antsy and went over an put on the radio.
when you're home and lonely
on a friday night
baby why fight the feelin
ya gonna be alright
when the days grow longer
and the night's too bright
baby why fight the feelin
ya gonna be alright
baby why fight the feelin
ya gonna be alright
baby why fight the feelin
ya gonna be alright
when your best emotion's
either fight or flight
baby why fight the feelin
ya gonna be alright
when your heart comes crashin
to the ground at night
baby why fight the feelin
ya gonna be alright
baby why fight the feelin
ya gonna be alright
baby why fight the feelin
ya gonna be alright
"Yeah! Got it!" exclaims Golden Child as the cylinder comes apart in the middle and she opens it and takes out a rolled up bit of vellum inside with some notes and drawings one one side and a map on the other side.
"Let me see."
"Hold on, let me look at it a bit first."
(7:57 pm Saturday Nov 24, 2007)
(8:56 pm Saturday Nov 24, 2007)
*** A Lonely Room
Where does the time go? Slithering down some temporal black hole like snake that opens its maws to swallow your life whole. Don't let it! Hold your shinai sideways if you have to.
Each moment is precious. Don't let it get away.
Yeah, right, Fearless Reader. That may be all well and good and true, but what a fight that is hey? What a fight...
If only I could get in the flow more this year. If only. If only... One of the chief opponents. If only. And you can tell Mary I said that if you dare.
I just can't get any speed going tonight at all. Think. Think. Think.
*** Marshy Areas On The Eastern Part Of Grand Bahama Island
When our three friends awoke, they were in dire straights. Dehydrated, hungry, not knowing where they were. But Jack was happy. Cheerful even. This made Mandy and Sarai a little more than peeved to say the least. Mandy felt like throwing him back in the ocean and letting him float away until he could float no more. Sarai wanted to dig him a shallow grave and invite him to take a rest.
Jack was oblivious until they spelled it out for him.
"Jack! Cut it out!"
"Cut what out Mandy?"
"Being so cheerful!" said Sarai, "What is wrong with you?"
"Wrong with me? Nothing is wrong with me. What is wrong with you?"
"Oh, I don't know, one or two little things I am sure."
"Right, little things, but look at the big things that are right with you. Buck up girls, we need to get moving."
"Moving, where to? We don't know where we are."
"Well, while you two were getting your beauty rest, I did a little exploring, off to the east there is nothing but a lot of water for people who have boats as large as the ones we are carrying. Off to the west, there is a creek with some more land. I say we head west."
"Jack, I say we stay put and try to find something to make a signal fire tonight when the sun goes down."
"I really think we should get going Jack," says Mandy again, "what do you think Sarai."
"As much as I hate to say it, and as much as I would just like to lie down again and sleep forever, I think Jack is right. BUT Jack, when the day starts to wind down, we need to keep Mandy's idea in mind. We need to start gathering something to burn and stop in time to gather more and try setting a fire tonight as a signal. Someone may be looking for us and see it?"
"OK, let's gather up our gear and head out then."
"Do we have to? What good are fins and masks going to do us on a land trek?"
"We are going to come to a creek soon, Who knows what else we will have to cross before we get some where we can feel safe again."
"OK, you win."
"Here, everyone have a sip of water before we move out."
"Jack! Where did you get water?"
"A man has to have his little secrets ladies. Have your sip and let's get a move on. Don't drink too much, we may need to make it last."
After they each have a small sip, they all feel a tiny bit better and shuffle off to the west along the beach, single file, down near the water's edge.
(9:31 pm Saturday Nov 24, 2007)
*** Shack Near Beach
so, no sigh of them yet?
nope, no sigh. they say they will keep looking though.
ok, well, let's hope they get lucky. it has been too long already
yes it has, but you say your friend Jack is good in the water?
yes, he's good, now if it was my other friend down here sam...
he can't swim?
oh, he could swim, just not too good like
and you haven't give him lessons yet
i tried, he doesn't want to learn that from me it seems
well, tech him anyway, island people needs to know
you tell him that, he is a lot bigger than me
tell im? i'll tell im. put im on?
he is not here now brad, but i will be sure to let you speak to him soon
you do that cuz.
later
later fa you cuz, later fa you
Ronnie goes back to his extended brain dump session. It is almost as if he is obsessed with capturing his every thought and inspiration for some reason he cannot yet pin down no matter how much he tries. So he keeps dumping.
---
I want a salt water woman
To sail with through this life
Find me a salt water woman
To be my salt water wife
---
I need some new... love
Red white and blue... love
How do you do... love
From a true American Girl
---
He feels a great tiredness in his very bones, but he doggedly keeps the dump going.
---
I will sing you a song in the night
I will sing dear and try sing it right
Let the words flow and wander where they might
I will sing you a song in the night
I will take you to see true delight
I will show you this note if I might
Let the tune free to wander where it might
I will take you to see true delight
---
(9:54 pm Saturday Nov 24, 2007)
*** A Lonely Room
And Out!
(4:21 pm Saturday Nov 24, 2007)
*** A Lonely Room
Ah well gentle reader, you might think the joy and elation of winning might carry over and lead to some serious over achievement for a day or so after. Alas, not so in my case this year it seems.
Life interrupts art.
Let's just see if we can avoid a total collapse shall we?
(4:38 pm Saturday Nov 24, 2007)
Well yeah, sure. It would be nice but how.
*** 38' Cheoy Lee Ketch - Up Around Nun Jack, Abaco
Well that mean bull had bothered them for the rest of the day and into the night. You would think he had a personal beef with either Fred, Golden Child, or maybe even the Cheoy Lee...
Several times during the rest of the day, he had wondered off and faded from sight in the turtle grass in the distance, only to come streaking back in when Fred had dared to get back in the water in an effort to dive up the chest sitting right there on the sandy bottom below the ketch.
Fred didn't bother trying to get back in the water after nightfall, but the bull still kept showing himself and bumping the bottom and messing about with the anchour rhode every once in a while.
So, come morning, when there was no sign of the bull for an hour or two after sunrise, Fred decided to try and dive up the chest once again.
Golden Child stood watch while he slipped quietly into the water, took a breath and flipped his legs and fins up into the air and propelled himself to the bottom taking a line to the bottom with him.
Working quickly, he tied the rope around the chest and secured it as best he could in a rush, and then headed back to the surface.
So, once back in the cockpit, he and Golden Child pull the chest up with the rope. It is dicey for a bit, almost coming out of his efforts at securing it, but he manages to grab it just before things go completely south.
They take it down into the cabin and put it on the table on a folded beach towel.
Describe the chest here... old... odd metal in good condition... maps engraved on the surface...
Excitement shows on both of their faces, their breathing is shallow and a bit ragged, Golden Child gets a large flat head screw driver from the tool box and tried using it as a crow bar to break the lock of the chest.
She works at it for a while without making any major progress and then Fred takes a try at it as well. He struggles mightily for a good while with little progress to show for his efforts except for a beginning blister in the webbing between his right thumb and index finger.
Golden Child went back to the tool box and got some lubricant spray and sprayed it in the lock and then sat down with various bits of metal from the tool box and the kitchen drawers and tried her hand at picking the lock.
Fred left her at it for a while trying to sit patiently but getting more and more impatient as time wore on. He finds he can't take it and goes searching about the boat looking for something else to attack the lock with.
He is up in the cockpit looking under the seats when he hears a victory yell come from Golden Child down below.
It doesn't take him long to get back below.
"You got it!"
"I got it baby. I got it."
"Well, let's see what we got then."
(6:26 pm Saturday Nov 24, 2007)
They lift the lid together as they stare expectantly towards the box. As the lid goes up their faces get closer and closer, peering into the box to discover its contents.
At first they both experience a bit of a let down. Sure, it is a treasure of sorts. Some gold coins that neither recognize at first, some golden jewelry with some gem stones down on the bottom, but not much compared to the size of the chest.
Fred starts to carefully take the contents out of the chest a piece at a time and rest them on another beach towel on the table. When the chest is almost empty, He removes a small purple felt bag with draw string top. "I wonder what is in here?" says Fred as he picks it up.
"Open it up then and let's see."
(6:39 pm Saturday Nov 24, 2007)
Golden Child draws in a sharp breath of surprise as Fred takes a small silver cylinder out of the purple felt bag. "What is it Goldy?"
Golden Child is struck dumb. What to do. She can't tell him what she knows, but she can't hold back on her new life partner. "Ah... Um... Ah..."
"What?"
"Open it up and let's see what's inside."
"Do you know what this is?"
"Just open it please Fred. Don't ask me any more questions until I have a chance to sort things out in my mind after I see what's inside."
"What do you mean what's inside? This opens up?"
"Can I have it please? Pass it over and I will show you."
"OK, knock yourself out," he says handing it over to her.
(7:36 pm Saturday Nov 24, 2007)
Golden Child fiddled with the cylinder for a while but didn't seem to be able to open it. Fred got a little antsy and went over an put on the radio.
when you're home and lonely
on a friday night
baby why fight the feelin
ya gonna be alright
when the days grow longer
and the night's too bright
baby why fight the feelin
ya gonna be alright
baby why fight the feelin
ya gonna be alright
baby why fight the feelin
ya gonna be alright
when your best emotion's
either fight or flight
baby why fight the feelin
ya gonna be alright
when your heart comes crashin
to the ground at night
baby why fight the feelin
ya gonna be alright
baby why fight the feelin
ya gonna be alright
baby why fight the feelin
ya gonna be alright
"Yeah! Got it!" exclaims Golden Child as the cylinder comes apart in the middle and she opens it and takes out a rolled up bit of vellum inside with some notes and drawings one one side and a map on the other side.
"Let me see."
"Hold on, let me look at it a bit first."
(7:57 pm Saturday Nov 24, 2007)
(8:56 pm Saturday Nov 24, 2007)
*** A Lonely Room
Where does the time go? Slithering down some temporal black hole like snake that opens its maws to swallow your life whole. Don't let it! Hold your shinai sideways if you have to.
Each moment is precious. Don't let it get away.
Yeah, right, Fearless Reader. That may be all well and good and true, but what a fight that is hey? What a fight...
If only I could get in the flow more this year. If only. If only... One of the chief opponents. If only. And you can tell Mary I said that if you dare.
I just can't get any speed going tonight at all. Think. Think. Think.
*** Marshy Areas On The Eastern Part Of Grand Bahama Island
When our three friends awoke, they were in dire straights. Dehydrated, hungry, not knowing where they were. But Jack was happy. Cheerful even. This made Mandy and Sarai a little more than peeved to say the least. Mandy felt like throwing him back in the ocean and letting him float away until he could float no more. Sarai wanted to dig him a shallow grave and invite him to take a rest.
Jack was oblivious until they spelled it out for him.
"Jack! Cut it out!"
"Cut what out Mandy?"
"Being so cheerful!" said Sarai, "What is wrong with you?"
"Wrong with me? Nothing is wrong with me. What is wrong with you?"
"Oh, I don't know, one or two little things I am sure."
"Right, little things, but look at the big things that are right with you. Buck up girls, we need to get moving."
"Moving, where to? We don't know where we are."
"Well, while you two were getting your beauty rest, I did a little exploring, off to the east there is nothing but a lot of water for people who have boats as large as the ones we are carrying. Off to the west, there is a creek with some more land. I say we head west."
"Jack, I say we stay put and try to find something to make a signal fire tonight when the sun goes down."
"I really think we should get going Jack," says Mandy again, "what do you think Sarai."
"As much as I hate to say it, and as much as I would just like to lie down again and sleep forever, I think Jack is right. BUT Jack, when the day starts to wind down, we need to keep Mandy's idea in mind. We need to start gathering something to burn and stop in time to gather more and try setting a fire tonight as a signal. Someone may be looking for us and see it?"
"OK, let's gather up our gear and head out then."
"Do we have to? What good are fins and masks going to do us on a land trek?"
"We are going to come to a creek soon, Who knows what else we will have to cross before we get some where we can feel safe again."
"OK, you win."
"Here, everyone have a sip of water before we move out."
"Jack! Where did you get water?"
"A man has to have his little secrets ladies. Have your sip and let's get a move on. Don't drink too much, we may need to make it last."
After they each have a small sip, they all feel a tiny bit better and shuffle off to the west along the beach, single file, down near the water's edge.
(9:31 pm Saturday Nov 24, 2007)
*** Shack Near Beach
Ronnie goes back to his extended brain dump session. It is almost as if he is obsessed with capturing his every thought and inspiration for some reason he cannot yet pin down no matter how much he tries. So he keeps dumping.
---
I want a salt water woman
To sail with through this life
Find me a salt water woman
To be my salt water wife
---
I need some new... love
Red white and blue... love
How do you do... love
From a true American Girl
---
He feels a great tiredness in his very bones, but he doggedly keeps the dump going.
---
I will sing you a song in the night
I will sing dear and try sing it right
Let the words flow and wander where they might
I will sing you a song in the night
I will take you to see true delight
I will show you this note if I might
Let the tune free to wander where it might
I will take you to see true delight
---
(9:54 pm Saturday Nov 24, 2007)
*** A Lonely Room
And Out!
Danger - A Safe Bahamian Novel - Day 23
Danger - A Safe Bahamian Novel - Day 23
(2:48 pm Friday Nov 23, 2007)
(3:08 pm Friday Nov 23, 2007)
*** A Lonely Room
I seem to get off to flying starts like this on way too many days gentle reader.
But today, that's OK. Why? because if all goes well and the electrickery company does not mess with me, I will cross the fifty thousand word marker by the end of the day, submit my file and become an official winner for the fourth year in a row. All the years I have entered.
2007 - Danger - A Safe Bahamian Novel
2006 - Sayings - Deterred Bahamian Novel
2005 - Tings - Anuddah Bahamian Novel
2004 - Conch - a Bahamian Novel
So far, I think none are very good, but Conch is the best. If I can find a plot for it, it might even turn out half way decent after rewriting.
The others? Well, other than their world class greatness, I don't hold out much hope for them. There are things in each that I really like mind you. But...
Well, you tell me...
I must tell you, getting these words out today just feels really sweet. It is not that I am going any faster. Not that they are flowing with any more ease. Not that I have had some flash of inspiration today that was lacking on other days. No. no to all of those. In fact, things have been better on some of the days so far. no, what feels so sweet is that I can feel it in my bones. Fifty thousand is close at hand.
Close at hand and with each word that comes creeping out of my fingers and enters my computer through my old and ragged keyboard brings me one word closer to that lofty goal. A keyboard with a space bar that often decides not to actually work. A decimal point on the numeric keypad that is equally problematic, and a few other quirks.
Lofty for me in any case.
(3:20 pm Friday Nov 23, 2007)
And so it just feels really sweet today. There is a smile trying to break out on my face right at this very moment. Well it just did! Along with a silent chuckle. Sweet. Sweet! SWEET!!!
(3:37 pm Friday Nov 23, 2007)
*** Marshy Areas On The Eastern Part Of Grand Bahama Island
After being in the water for way too long for comfort. Tied together to avoid getting separated, our three water logged friends washed up on a bit of land out on the eastern part of Grand Bahama Island.
They are in a bad way, but alive. There is a chance they would be gone now had it not been for their wet suits and dive gear. They wash up, not knowing where they are and with no sign of civilization in sight.
At least they are alive.
They stumble up the scraggly beach and fall down in exhaustion. Sleep claims them despite the bright sun.
(5:26 pm Friday Nov 23, 2007)
*** A Lonely Room
Wow, time slipping away again and I need to correct it gentle reader, but... like I mentioned,it does not mess with that underlying simple joy that comes from knowing the the goal is so near.
The tortoise and hair race was a good addition to this novel this year. A race to the finish but this one where everyone who crosses the line under the time limit are all winners.
Such an excellent race concept. I need to explore other areas where such racing conditions could make for fun and excitement.
Let's go now and look in on the Cheoy Lee Ketch up around Nun Jack gentle reader. yes, they are still up there. Wonder what they have been doing up there all this time? I will leave it up to your imagination gentle reader. They are newlyweds and all after all.
I think it safe to say they have managed to get closer than the dance though.
*** Beach On The Far End Of Nun Jack, Abaco
(5:34 pm Friday Nov 23, 2007)
Well, the lottery did not pay off for Fred, largely on account of his not having purchased any tickets. Well, even if he had bought a bunch, it is likely that it would not in any case, but you never know. As to the other matter though... The strangest thing happened...
He and Golden Child had been walking hand in hand along the water's edge on that fine, fine white beach around the corner to where they were anchoured when they had spotted a forlorn can of spam sitting up amidst the sea weed just above the high tide line.
"Oh look, a can of wild spam, careful, it may attack!"
"Goldy, I's a man is a true 'conian, I been hunting these wild spam and their fresher kin since I was a boy. One lone can of wild spam is not enough to worry me my sweet."
Fred starts to walk toward it boldly.
"Honey no! Be careful, it may be a boar can. Its family may be around here too. If he is protecting his sow and spamlets, he could turn really mean!"
Fred laughs and bends down to pick up two sticks of drift wood and an old conch shell. He passes one of the pieces of wood back to Golden Child, "Here sweety, you keep a sharp eye out and warn me if you see anything out of the way. You have my back now, I am counting on you."
(5:47 pm Friday Nov 23, 2007)
Fred crouches down in a hunter's squat and approaches the dangers can of wild spam crab wise, his drift wood in his left hand and his conch shell in his right. When he gets within four feet of it, he motions Golden Child to be quiet and to get low. He slowly inches closer...
Closer... Then he pounces. He misses the spam by the barest fraction of an inch with the conch shell but manages to stun it with the follow on blow from the drift wood.
A vigorous tussle ensues, sand flies everywhere. The sounds of a pitched battle ring out. Grunting, whooping, wild screams. Fred is on top for a brief moment and attempts to put the spam into a lock, but then is reversed.
Golden Child comes to his rescue but he warns her back, "No! Goldy! It is too dangerous right now, stay back.I need room to operate."
The spam makes a break for the brush above the beach, seeking escape but Fred is up in a moment and in hot pursuit. he catches it well before the beach runs out and manages to stun it with the drift wood again. He howls a wild howl of glee and it is all Golden Child can do not to break out in howls of laughter.
After a bit more wild and loud struggle,the spam now makes a break for the water, "Get it honey, before it gets away! it is almost to the water!"
Laughing, Golden Child takes aim with her piece of drift wood, using it like a spear. She lets fly with amazing power and accuracy. The wood hists the spam hard and dead centre. It goes right through the can and deep into the soft sand of the beach below. It makes a strange sound when it comes to rest.
Fred sits up with surprise on his face.
"What was that?"
"Nothing. I just got lucky I guess."
"No. What was that sound?"
"What the stick hitting the spam can?"
"No, the other sound that came after that one. I think the stick went in and hit something down in the sand," says Fred dashing over and dropping to his knees and starting to dig with wild abandon using his hands to throw up large amounts of sand in a steady rhythm. It is obvious that he has dug on beaches before.
It is not long before he uncovers a small chest, still intact though looking much the worse for wear.
Golden Child looks on in delight and wonder. "What do you think it is?"
"I don't know. Let's take it back to the boat and open it up and see."
(6:09 pm Friday Nov 23, 2007)
*** 38' Cheoy Lee Ketch - Up Around Nun Jack, Abaco
They swim the chest out to the Cheoy Lee and Goldy climbs up the ladder while Fred holds on to the ladder with his right hand and to the chest with his left.
Golden Child stands up and turns around getting ready to reach down for the chest when she spots a large dark shape out in the clear water, streaking towards her new husband, "Fred! Drop the chest and get up here as fast as you can!"
There is something about the tone of Golden Child's voice that causes Fred to drop one of his childhood's fondest dreams and climb that ladder as fast as he can. No arguments, no questions.
It is a good thing too because a good size bull shark comes streaking in and getting very aggressive around the boat. it attacks the rudder and the keel and then proceeds to attack one of the anchour rhode.
*** A Lonely Room
(7:08 pm Friday Nov 23, 2007)
Well, gentle reader, the electrickery company struck. Another case of the No Voltage Blues today. The same as yesterday. Bam, it goes off for no reason. Shut everything down including turning off the UPS. Only to come on withing ten or twenty minutes. Now, don't get me wrong, I am very happy that it was not off for longer, but why in the world would it need to go off for such short periods both yesterday and today?
Here you go again:
The No Voltage Blues
I got the no voltage blues
I got the no voltage blues
Yeah, B.E.C. is messin with me
I got the no voltage blues
My U.P.S. is beepin
It wakes me from my dream
And man she was a sweet ting
Ate least thats how it seemed
I got the no voltage blues
I got the no voltage blues
Yeah, B.E.C. is messin with me
I got the no voltage blues
My A.C.'s sittin quiet
My room is gettin warm
I lie right here and sigh it
Aint no sign of a storm
I got the no voltage blues
I got the no voltage blues
Yeah, B.E.C. is messin with me
I got the no voltage blues
I'm tryin to write my novel
In thirty short, short days
And now just like the last year
Gots to pray they change their ways
I got the no voltage blues
I got the no voltage blues
Yeah, B.E.C. is messin with me
I got the no voltage blues
Welcome to my world as I often tell my wife.
(7:18 pm Friday Nov 23, 2007)
Getting oh so very close to fifty thousand right now gentle reader, probably just passed it somewhere in here. Let's see shall we?
Just a second...
Yes! SWEET! In this draft I am now officially over fifty thousand words by my count using wc here. I guess I better see what the NaNo word counters say so give me another second if you would be so kind.
Yes! The NaNo counters tell me I have fifty thousand and sixty seven words and my progress bar is now GREEN! Woot!
SWEET!
Celebrate! There is a smile on my face and I am laughing. That feels good!
(7:50 pm Friday Nov 23, 2007)
Wow, cross that line and slow right down...
(8:00 pm Friday Nov 23, 2007)
And basically come... to... a... complete... stop...
Noooo! Not quite enough for that complete stop just yet gentle reader. Close, but if I can just manage to squeeze out another sentence or two, I should be good to go.
This is a good news night all around I guess. I crossed the NaNo line and got my green bar, and I just had a phone conversation about a house that I have been "selling " for years. It looks like it may be all done from my point of view in a week or so. Hopefully before the month is out.
If that happens, it will certainly be a time to have a little party.
(8:08 pm Friday Nov 23, 2007)
And now I really can come... to... a... complete... stop...
(2:48 pm Friday Nov 23, 2007)
(3:08 pm Friday Nov 23, 2007)
*** A Lonely Room
I seem to get off to flying starts like this on way too many days gentle reader.
But today, that's OK. Why? because if all goes well and the electrickery company does not mess with me, I will cross the fifty thousand word marker by the end of the day, submit my file and become an official winner for the fourth year in a row. All the years I have entered.
2007 - Danger - A Safe Bahamian Novel
2006 - Sayings - Deterred Bahamian Novel
2005 - Tings - Anuddah Bahamian Novel
2004 - Conch - a Bahamian Novel
So far, I think none are very good, but Conch is the best. If I can find a plot for it, it might even turn out half way decent after rewriting.
The others? Well, other than their world class greatness, I don't hold out much hope for them. There are things in each that I really like mind you. But...
Well, you tell me...
I must tell you, getting these words out today just feels really sweet. It is not that I am going any faster. Not that they are flowing with any more ease. Not that I have had some flash of inspiration today that was lacking on other days. No. no to all of those. In fact, things have been better on some of the days so far. no, what feels so sweet is that I can feel it in my bones. Fifty thousand is close at hand.
Close at hand and with each word that comes creeping out of my fingers and enters my computer through my old and ragged keyboard brings me one word closer to that lofty goal. A keyboard with a space bar that often decides not to actually work. A decimal point on the numeric keypad that is equally problematic, and a few other quirks.
Lofty for me in any case.
(3:20 pm Friday Nov 23, 2007)
And so it just feels really sweet today. There is a smile trying to break out on my face right at this very moment. Well it just did! Along with a silent chuckle. Sweet. Sweet! SWEET!!!
(3:37 pm Friday Nov 23, 2007)
*** Marshy Areas On The Eastern Part Of Grand Bahama Island
After being in the water for way too long for comfort. Tied together to avoid getting separated, our three water logged friends washed up on a bit of land out on the eastern part of Grand Bahama Island.
They are in a bad way, but alive. There is a chance they would be gone now had it not been for their wet suits and dive gear. They wash up, not knowing where they are and with no sign of civilization in sight.
At least they are alive.
They stumble up the scraggly beach and fall down in exhaustion. Sleep claims them despite the bright sun.
(5:26 pm Friday Nov 23, 2007)
*** A Lonely Room
Wow, time slipping away again and I need to correct it gentle reader, but... like I mentioned,it does not mess with that underlying simple joy that comes from knowing the the goal is so near.
The tortoise and hair race was a good addition to this novel this year. A race to the finish but this one where everyone who crosses the line under the time limit are all winners.
Such an excellent race concept. I need to explore other areas where such racing conditions could make for fun and excitement.
Let's go now and look in on the Cheoy Lee Ketch up around Nun Jack gentle reader. yes, they are still up there. Wonder what they have been doing up there all this time? I will leave it up to your imagination gentle reader. They are newlyweds and all after all.
I think it safe to say they have managed to get closer than the dance though.
*** Beach On The Far End Of Nun Jack, Abaco
(5:34 pm Friday Nov 23, 2007)
Well, the lottery did not pay off for Fred, largely on account of his not having purchased any tickets. Well, even if he had bought a bunch, it is likely that it would not in any case, but you never know. As to the other matter though... The strangest thing happened...
He and Golden Child had been walking hand in hand along the water's edge on that fine, fine white beach around the corner to where they were anchoured when they had spotted a forlorn can of spam sitting up amidst the sea weed just above the high tide line.
"Oh look, a can of wild spam, careful, it may attack!"
"Goldy, I's a man is a true 'conian, I been hunting these wild spam and their fresher kin since I was a boy. One lone can of wild spam is not enough to worry me my sweet."
Fred starts to walk toward it boldly.
"Honey no! Be careful, it may be a boar can. Its family may be around here too. If he is protecting his sow and spamlets, he could turn really mean!"
Fred laughs and bends down to pick up two sticks of drift wood and an old conch shell. He passes one of the pieces of wood back to Golden Child, "Here sweety, you keep a sharp eye out and warn me if you see anything out of the way. You have my back now, I am counting on you."
(5:47 pm Friday Nov 23, 2007)
Fred crouches down in a hunter's squat and approaches the dangers can of wild spam crab wise, his drift wood in his left hand and his conch shell in his right. When he gets within four feet of it, he motions Golden Child to be quiet and to get low. He slowly inches closer...
Closer... Then he pounces. He misses the spam by the barest fraction of an inch with the conch shell but manages to stun it with the follow on blow from the drift wood.
A vigorous tussle ensues, sand flies everywhere. The sounds of a pitched battle ring out. Grunting, whooping, wild screams. Fred is on top for a brief moment and attempts to put the spam into a lock, but then is reversed.
Golden Child comes to his rescue but he warns her back, "No! Goldy! It is too dangerous right now, stay back.I need room to operate."
The spam makes a break for the brush above the beach, seeking escape but Fred is up in a moment and in hot pursuit. he catches it well before the beach runs out and manages to stun it with the drift wood again. He howls a wild howl of glee and it is all Golden Child can do not to break out in howls of laughter.
After a bit more wild and loud struggle,the spam now makes a break for the water, "Get it honey, before it gets away! it is almost to the water!"
Laughing, Golden Child takes aim with her piece of drift wood, using it like a spear. She lets fly with amazing power and accuracy. The wood hists the spam hard and dead centre. It goes right through the can and deep into the soft sand of the beach below. It makes a strange sound when it comes to rest.
Fred sits up with surprise on his face.
"What was that?"
"Nothing. I just got lucky I guess."
"No. What was that sound?"
"What the stick hitting the spam can?"
"No, the other sound that came after that one. I think the stick went in and hit something down in the sand," says Fred dashing over and dropping to his knees and starting to dig with wild abandon using his hands to throw up large amounts of sand in a steady rhythm. It is obvious that he has dug on beaches before.
It is not long before he uncovers a small chest, still intact though looking much the worse for wear.
Golden Child looks on in delight and wonder. "What do you think it is?"
"I don't know. Let's take it back to the boat and open it up and see."
(6:09 pm Friday Nov 23, 2007)
*** 38' Cheoy Lee Ketch - Up Around Nun Jack, Abaco
They swim the chest out to the Cheoy Lee and Goldy climbs up the ladder while Fred holds on to the ladder with his right hand and to the chest with his left.
Golden Child stands up and turns around getting ready to reach down for the chest when she spots a large dark shape out in the clear water, streaking towards her new husband, "Fred! Drop the chest and get up here as fast as you can!"
There is something about the tone of Golden Child's voice that causes Fred to drop one of his childhood's fondest dreams and climb that ladder as fast as he can. No arguments, no questions.
It is a good thing too because a good size bull shark comes streaking in and getting very aggressive around the boat. it attacks the rudder and the keel and then proceeds to attack one of the anchour rhode.
*** A Lonely Room
(7:08 pm Friday Nov 23, 2007)
Well, gentle reader, the electrickery company struck. Another case of the No Voltage Blues today. The same as yesterday. Bam, it goes off for no reason. Shut everything down including turning off the UPS. Only to come on withing ten or twenty minutes. Now, don't get me wrong, I am very happy that it was not off for longer, but why in the world would it need to go off for such short periods both yesterday and today?
Here you go again:
The No Voltage Blues
I got the no voltage blues
I got the no voltage blues
Yeah, B.E.C. is messin with me
I got the no voltage blues
My U.P.S. is beepin
It wakes me from my dream
And man she was a sweet ting
Ate least thats how it seemed
I got the no voltage blues
I got the no voltage blues
Yeah, B.E.C. is messin with me
I got the no voltage blues
My A.C.'s sittin quiet
My room is gettin warm
I lie right here and sigh it
Aint no sign of a storm
I got the no voltage blues
I got the no voltage blues
Yeah, B.E.C. is messin with me
I got the no voltage blues
I'm tryin to write my novel
In thirty short, short days
And now just like the last year
Gots to pray they change their ways
I got the no voltage blues
I got the no voltage blues
Yeah, B.E.C. is messin with me
I got the no voltage blues
Welcome to my world as I often tell my wife.
(7:18 pm Friday Nov 23, 2007)
Getting oh so very close to fifty thousand right now gentle reader, probably just passed it somewhere in here. Let's see shall we?
Just a second...
Yes! SWEET! In this draft I am now officially over fifty thousand words by my count using wc here. I guess I better see what the NaNo word counters say so give me another second if you would be so kind.
Yes! The NaNo counters tell me I have fifty thousand and sixty seven words and my progress bar is now GREEN! Woot!
SWEET!
Celebrate! There is a smile on my face and I am laughing. That feels good!
(7:50 pm Friday Nov 23, 2007)
Wow, cross that line and slow right down...
(8:00 pm Friday Nov 23, 2007)
And basically come... to... a... complete... stop...
Noooo! Not quite enough for that complete stop just yet gentle reader. Close, but if I can just manage to squeeze out another sentence or two, I should be good to go.
This is a good news night all around I guess. I crossed the NaNo line and got my green bar, and I just had a phone conversation about a house that I have been "selling " for years. It looks like it may be all done from my point of view in a week or so. Hopefully before the month is out.
If that happens, it will certainly be a time to have a little party.
(8:08 pm Friday Nov 23, 2007)
And now I really can come... to... a... complete... stop...
Danger - A Safe Bahamian Novel - Day 22
Danger - A Safe Bahamian Novel - Day 22
(9:12 am Thursday Nov 22, 2007)
(1:34 pm Thursday Nov 22, 2007)
*** A Lonely Room
How bout them apples, Fearless Reader?
It is a good thing that when we went to see that Tortoise and Hair race over The Other Other Other Far Side Of The Galaxy way that none of that hair had such finely developed procrastination abilities or we might have still been over there now.
OK, that was a panic...
I was just doing some leo chapter re-arranging of this book and I thought I had lost a day's work. I found it though, just mis-placed. The other day I actually had deleted it and had to go pull my backup off of another machine on the far side of the internet to get back what I had lost...
So, Fearless Reader, should you ever decide to become a Fearless Writer, a fearful writer, or if you already are a writer of any sort, I caution you not to be a Fearless Writer when it comes to making backup copies of your work.
I mean, sure, it is ONLY a book, and in this case, a simple NaNo book, but the fear that blossoms inside when the thought that you have lost a goodly part of it is not a pleasant feeling.
I truly feel for those poor unfortunates who actually do lose their writings. I really hope I shall never find myself in that position again. I know I have already lost some of my works from earlier years for one reason or another.
Say ninety plus five and a quarter inch floppy based backup sets that were not much good years later after sitting around in these semi tropical parts.
I had hoped to do a double word day today and be any to hit a NaNo Winning fifty thousand words tomorrow, but that is not looking too likely at this point.
(2:00 pm Thursday Nov 22, 2007)
*** A Decaying Orbit Around Mars
(Now, I don't know if you have ever been around a decaying orbit before, but it reeks I can tell you that!)
So the slightly green postage stamp on the luscious pink envelope are in this decaying orbit and things are not looking so rosy despite this being the Red Planet and all.
In fact, things are beginning to stink. And the envelope is not all that amused by the situation I can tell you that.
I mean, traipsing all about the place with a slightly green postage stamp riding shotgun and providing motive power is one thing, but having to stick it out for days in a decaying orbit was quite another thank you very much and if you please sir. And so she was making rumblings and threats about getting ready to bail on the whole situation and pull a return to sender ploy if things did not improve drastically... and pronto!
The slightly green postage stamp thinks that the luscious pink envelope sounds fairly serious about about this return to sender ploy so he pulls them out of a decaying orbit which was really only a slightly decaying orbit and puts them into a steep dive towards the surface of the red planet.
(2:18 pm Thursday Nov 22, 2007)
*** The Surface Of The Red Planet
The women of the colonization team are engaged on tunneling into the surface of the red planet so as to keep their colony from being discovered by the probes of the various space agencies who are becoming more and more interested in this particular planet.
So, imagine how surprised they are when the the slightly green postage stamp on the luscious pink envelope zoom by so fast that they left only the barest after image in the women's peripheral vision.
The all stopped what they are doing and looked around, trying to see what they thought they had seen.
"Did you see that sister?"
"See what sister?"
"I don't know it, but did you see it?"
"I am not sure, but I think I saw something. Look! I think we all think we saw something" she says, keying up her long range radio mod. Did any of you see what that was?"
No one had, no one was even sure that they had actually seen anything. No one, that is, except for a teen aged member of the group that said she had an impression of mail.
Well, the other misunderstood her and thought she said male and were instantly on their guard. They had not come this far and invested so much to have things derailed at this point by males.
When she corrected the misunderstanding, they all broke down laughing.
"Mail! Going that fast!" and they all burst out into a fresh rounds of laughter.
(2:33 pm Thursday Nov 22, 2007)
(2:50 pm Thursday Nov 22, 2007)
They all laughed and cracked up and made jokes about the speed of mail and mail vans with flashing lights on top and the fruit cake that was sent off from ancient Egypt just before the ancestors of the children of Israel moved down there in the first place. Now this fruit cake was being sent by Pharaoh to a Chinese emperor what he had met at a frat party at college. So he put on the proper postage and sent it off by camel post.
Imagine the surprise caused by that cake when it finally got delivered to the Albert Hall just before a sold out concert by the greatest rock band ever. Now that was something.
After they finally settled down and caught their breaths, and the stitches in their side eased up, they got back down to work.
(3:10 pm Thursday Nov 22, 2007)
The slightly green postage stamp on the luscious pink envelope settle down lightly on a craggy cliff overlooking the women's work site to watch the goings on for a while.
*** Shack Near Beach
(3:33 pm Thursday Nov 22, 2007)
Ronnie had fallen asleep at five am still in brain dump mode and fallen out of the chair to slumber on the floor.
He woke up in the afternoon feeling like death with major serious dragon breath. You might wonder if Nano and Drake were about. They may very well be. We will have to see what develops as we go along.
He crawled into the bathroom and brushed his teeth with a toothbrush that could use replacing soon and some baking soda that he dumped out of a box he had found in the fridge. It tasted a bit odd but he had run out of tooth paste a few days ago and had not made it to the store yet.
He jumped into the shower for a quick rinse and then toweled off. He wrapped the towel around his waist and went to the kitchen to look for a bite to eat.
He fried up some bologna and sliced up some tomatoes and cheese and some unsliced bread and made himself a sandwich and headed back over to the computer to dive back into brain dump mode.
---
Well I don't know if I love you any more
Said I don't know if I love you any more
No I don't know if I love
Yes I don't know if I love
Well I don't know if I love you any more
Well I don't want your hugs and kisses any more
Said I don't want your hugs and kisses any more
No I don't want your hugs and kisses
Yes I don't want your hugs and kisses
Well I don't want your hugs and kisses any more
---
(3:49 pm Thursday Nov 22, 2007)
---
He pops into his leo program to make some random notes...
---
Things to do:
Read those novels online by that whacked out guy by the name of drew... the one who goes by zotz most places online where he shows up.
Try and come up with some topics for this month's bslug meeting which has been put off until next month. typical Bahamian play.
Work on that podcast / bittorrent publishing platform.
Try and get freecast running for the Free NetRadio Station.
get rivendell installed and set up on that new box.
Research innovative four step business plans.
Get a dspam filter working to cut down on all this spam.
---
(4:02 pm Thursday Nov 22, 2007)
Sam shows up and interrupts...
"Hey Donny, have you heard?"
"Heard what Sam?"
"The yacht Jack was one went down, most of the crew made it OK, but Jack, Sarai and that new woman he met recently, Mandy were all out doing something when it happened and they did not make it with the others and they haven't been found since. It doesn't look good."
"Are they out looking? Who is doing what?"
"Well, BASRA is out and the US Coast Guard has sent a cutter and some choppers. The flying club has some planes up, but so far, nothing."
"Is there anything we can do?"
"We can pray Donnie, that's one thing that could help."
"I did too much praying at the end of a stick to want to do much these days Sam, but for Jack's sake I may offer up one or two in the night."
"I am sorry you still feel that way Donny, but I would be happy to know you are doing what you can."
"Look, I think I may put a call in to my people up on the island and see if any of our boats are in the area and if they may do a little looking for us."
"Let's do all we can Donny, I have a dinner with the Prime Minister tonight. I am going to ask him if he can get the defense Force involved. I tried calling him on his cell, but NaTelCo seems be down."
"You are going out to dinner with the Prime Minister?"
"No, he is coming over to my mother's house. She has known him since they were children and they still get together for old times every once in a while."
(4:38 pm Thursday Nov 22, 2007)
"I didn't know that Sam. You think he might do it?"
"I don't know Donny, but I am trying most everything I can think of. Look, I have to run. I am going by those friends of Jack's who have planes to see if they can take me for a search tomorrow."
"OK, I am going to try and raise my people as soon as you head out to see what they can do."
"Later."
"Later Mabeezo."
Sam leaves and Ronnie fires up his Ekiga and tries to make a sip call up to Spanish Wells.
(5:09 pm Thursday Nov 22, 2007)
The phone answers and his sister is on the other end, "Hello?"
"Hey Josie, I need you to do me a favour."
"Ronnie, is that you? Let me call momma."
"Josie! No!" but it was too late she was gone. He can hear her calling his mother in the distance.
"Momma. Momma! Ronnie is on the phone from Nassau!"
"Ronnie? Hum coming. Tell im I vill be there soon. tell im don't ang hup."
"HOK, momma." she says and then picks the phone back up. "Ronnie, she will be here soon. She says don't hang up."
"I heard her Josie, but I need to speak to you before you put here on. Please, this is important. Promise me. If you put her on I will not get to tell you thin for an hour or more. Please sis!"
"OK, promise, what is it?"
(5:26 pm Thursday Nov 22, 2007)
Before he can begin he hears his mother arrive in a rush on the other end.
"Josie, hum ere. Give me the phone."
"He says he needs to tell me something important before I put you on momma."
"Don't be such a fool girl, more important than his momma, give me the phone."
"Momma, he made me promise."
"Girl, give me that phone." Ronnie hears a little struggle and then his mother comes on, "Ronnie, baby, ow you dohin?"
"Mom, please put Josie back on, this is important."
"Ronnie, I haven't spoken to you in weeks and now you don't wanna talk to your Momma?"
"Mom! Of course I want to talk to you, I just need Josie to do an important favour for me and then while she starts on that, we can talk all you want to!"
(5:34 pm Thursday Nov 22, 2007)
(10:35 pm Thursday Nov 22, 2007)
"Ronnie, don't talk to you mother like that. You have been doing that since you were a young boy and I kept telling you that having attitudes like that would get you in trouble. Did you listen to your momma? No! And look at all the trouble you have ended up in in your life so far from not listening to you momma."
"Ma, sorry, I gotta go, bye, I will call you another day soon." says Ronnie as he clicks on an icon and disconnects from his mother. He hated to do it, but sometimes there is no stopping her for hours once she gets going and he really did not have time for that tonight.
He would just have to call someone else up there on the island and see if he could get someone else to look into things for him.
Who?
He decided to try his cousin Brad, but Brad did not have a sip line. If only his sister had not gone for his mother first thing. He sat back down to the computer and went into the rare_squoper channel on IRC (server not specified on account of security considerations) and saw that Brad was at least showing as being there and so he pinged him.
ping noBradjustfact
yo da Don - what is going on with you cuz?
look, cuz,I have a friend who has gone missing, the yacht he was on went down and he is missing along with two other people.
sorry to hear that cuz, why did you ping me?
well, i am checking to see if any of the Smack Boats are out over Abaco way where they could maybe take a look for them for me.
I will do some quick checking and get back to you soon, can you hang here until then
sure, ping me when you are ready, I am gonna keep working in another window while I wait
will do, bbiab
no probs cuz, thanks
(10:58 pm Thursday Nov 22, 2007)
(9:12 am Thursday Nov 22, 2007)
(1:34 pm Thursday Nov 22, 2007)
*** A Lonely Room
How bout them apples, Fearless Reader?
It is a good thing that when we went to see that Tortoise and Hair race over The Other Other Other Far Side Of The Galaxy way that none of that hair had such finely developed procrastination abilities or we might have still been over there now.
OK, that was a panic...
I was just doing some leo chapter re-arranging of this book and I thought I had lost a day's work. I found it though, just mis-placed. The other day I actually had deleted it and had to go pull my backup off of another machine on the far side of the internet to get back what I had lost...
So, Fearless Reader, should you ever decide to become a Fearless Writer, a fearful writer, or if you already are a writer of any sort, I caution you not to be a Fearless Writer when it comes to making backup copies of your work.
I mean, sure, it is ONLY a book, and in this case, a simple NaNo book, but the fear that blossoms inside when the thought that you have lost a goodly part of it is not a pleasant feeling.
I truly feel for those poor unfortunates who actually do lose their writings. I really hope I shall never find myself in that position again. I know I have already lost some of my works from earlier years for one reason or another.
Say ninety plus five and a quarter inch floppy based backup sets that were not much good years later after sitting around in these semi tropical parts.
I had hoped to do a double word day today and be any to hit a NaNo Winning fifty thousand words tomorrow, but that is not looking too likely at this point.
(2:00 pm Thursday Nov 22, 2007)
*** A Decaying Orbit Around Mars
(Now, I don't know if you have ever been around a decaying orbit before, but it reeks I can tell you that!)
So the slightly green postage stamp on the luscious pink envelope are in this decaying orbit and things are not looking so rosy despite this being the Red Planet and all.
In fact, things are beginning to stink. And the envelope is not all that amused by the situation I can tell you that.
I mean, traipsing all about the place with a slightly green postage stamp riding shotgun and providing motive power is one thing, but having to stick it out for days in a decaying orbit was quite another thank you very much and if you please sir. And so she was making rumblings and threats about getting ready to bail on the whole situation and pull a return to sender ploy if things did not improve drastically... and pronto!
The slightly green postage stamp thinks that the luscious pink envelope sounds fairly serious about about this return to sender ploy so he pulls them out of a decaying orbit which was really only a slightly decaying orbit and puts them into a steep dive towards the surface of the red planet.
(2:18 pm Thursday Nov 22, 2007)
*** The Surface Of The Red Planet
The women of the colonization team are engaged on tunneling into the surface of the red planet so as to keep their colony from being discovered by the probes of the various space agencies who are becoming more and more interested in this particular planet.
So, imagine how surprised they are when the the slightly green postage stamp on the luscious pink envelope zoom by so fast that they left only the barest after image in the women's peripheral vision.
The all stopped what they are doing and looked around, trying to see what they thought they had seen.
"Did you see that sister?"
"See what sister?"
"I don't know it, but did you see it?"
"I am not sure, but I think I saw something. Look! I think we all think we saw something" she says, keying up her long range radio mod. Did any of you see what that was?"
No one had, no one was even sure that they had actually seen anything. No one, that is, except for a teen aged member of the group that said she had an impression of mail.
Well, the other misunderstood her and thought she said male and were instantly on their guard. They had not come this far and invested so much to have things derailed at this point by males.
When she corrected the misunderstanding, they all broke down laughing.
"Mail! Going that fast!" and they all burst out into a fresh rounds of laughter.
(2:33 pm Thursday Nov 22, 2007)
(2:50 pm Thursday Nov 22, 2007)
They all laughed and cracked up and made jokes about the speed of mail and mail vans with flashing lights on top and the fruit cake that was sent off from ancient Egypt just before the ancestors of the children of Israel moved down there in the first place. Now this fruit cake was being sent by Pharaoh to a Chinese emperor what he had met at a frat party at college. So he put on the proper postage and sent it off by camel post.
Imagine the surprise caused by that cake when it finally got delivered to the Albert Hall just before a sold out concert by the greatest rock band ever. Now that was something.
After they finally settled down and caught their breaths, and the stitches in their side eased up, they got back down to work.
(3:10 pm Thursday Nov 22, 2007)
The slightly green postage stamp on the luscious pink envelope settle down lightly on a craggy cliff overlooking the women's work site to watch the goings on for a while.
*** Shack Near Beach
(3:33 pm Thursday Nov 22, 2007)
Ronnie had fallen asleep at five am still in brain dump mode and fallen out of the chair to slumber on the floor.
He woke up in the afternoon feeling like death with major serious dragon breath. You might wonder if Nano and Drake were about. They may very well be. We will have to see what develops as we go along.
He crawled into the bathroom and brushed his teeth with a toothbrush that could use replacing soon and some baking soda that he dumped out of a box he had found in the fridge. It tasted a bit odd but he had run out of tooth paste a few days ago and had not made it to the store yet.
He jumped into the shower for a quick rinse and then toweled off. He wrapped the towel around his waist and went to the kitchen to look for a bite to eat.
He fried up some bologna and sliced up some tomatoes and cheese and some unsliced bread and made himself a sandwich and headed back over to the computer to dive back into brain dump mode.
---
Well I don't know if I love you any more
Said I don't know if I love you any more
No I don't know if I love
Yes I don't know if I love
Well I don't know if I love you any more
Well I don't want your hugs and kisses any more
Said I don't want your hugs and kisses any more
No I don't want your hugs and kisses
Yes I don't want your hugs and kisses
Well I don't want your hugs and kisses any more
---
(3:49 pm Thursday Nov 22, 2007)
---
He pops into his leo program to make some random notes...
---
Things to do:
Read those novels online by that whacked out guy by the name of drew... the one who goes by zotz most places online where he shows up.
Try and come up with some topics for this month's bslug meeting which has been put off until next month. typical Bahamian play.
Work on that podcast / bittorrent publishing platform.
Try and get freecast running for the Free NetRadio Station.
get rivendell installed and set up on that new box.
Research innovative four step business plans.
Get a dspam filter working to cut down on all this spam.
---
(4:02 pm Thursday Nov 22, 2007)
Sam shows up and interrupts...
"Hey Donny, have you heard?"
"Heard what Sam?"
"The yacht Jack was one went down, most of the crew made it OK, but Jack, Sarai and that new woman he met recently, Mandy were all out doing something when it happened and they did not make it with the others and they haven't been found since. It doesn't look good."
"Are they out looking? Who is doing what?"
"Well, BASRA is out and the US Coast Guard has sent a cutter and some choppers. The flying club has some planes up, but so far, nothing."
"Is there anything we can do?"
"We can pray Donnie, that's one thing that could help."
"I did too much praying at the end of a stick to want to do much these days Sam, but for Jack's sake I may offer up one or two in the night."
"I am sorry you still feel that way Donny, but I would be happy to know you are doing what you can."
"Look, I think I may put a call in to my people up on the island and see if any of our boats are in the area and if they may do a little looking for us."
"Let's do all we can Donny, I have a dinner with the Prime Minister tonight. I am going to ask him if he can get the defense Force involved. I tried calling him on his cell, but NaTelCo seems be down."
"You are going out to dinner with the Prime Minister?"
"No, he is coming over to my mother's house. She has known him since they were children and they still get together for old times every once in a while."
(4:38 pm Thursday Nov 22, 2007)
"I didn't know that Sam. You think he might do it?"
"I don't know Donny, but I am trying most everything I can think of. Look, I have to run. I am going by those friends of Jack's who have planes to see if they can take me for a search tomorrow."
"OK, I am going to try and raise my people as soon as you head out to see what they can do."
"Later."
"Later Mabeezo."
Sam leaves and Ronnie fires up his Ekiga and tries to make a sip call up to Spanish Wells.
(5:09 pm Thursday Nov 22, 2007)
The phone answers and his sister is on the other end, "Hello?"
"Hey Josie, I need you to do me a favour."
"Ronnie, is that you? Let me call momma."
"Josie! No!" but it was too late she was gone. He can hear her calling his mother in the distance.
"Momma. Momma! Ronnie is on the phone from Nassau!"
"Ronnie? Hum coming. Tell im I vill be there soon. tell im don't ang hup."
"HOK, momma." she says and then picks the phone back up. "Ronnie, she will be here soon. She says don't hang up."
"I heard her Josie, but I need to speak to you before you put here on. Please, this is important. Promise me. If you put her on I will not get to tell you thin for an hour or more. Please sis!"
"OK, promise, what is it?"
(5:26 pm Thursday Nov 22, 2007)
Before he can begin he hears his mother arrive in a rush on the other end.
"Josie, hum ere. Give me the phone."
"He says he needs to tell me something important before I put you on momma."
"Don't be such a fool girl, more important than his momma, give me the phone."
"Momma, he made me promise."
"Girl, give me that phone." Ronnie hears a little struggle and then his mother comes on, "Ronnie, baby, ow you dohin?"
"Mom, please put Josie back on, this is important."
"Ronnie, I haven't spoken to you in weeks and now you don't wanna talk to your Momma?"
"Mom! Of course I want to talk to you, I just need Josie to do an important favour for me and then while she starts on that, we can talk all you want to!"
(5:34 pm Thursday Nov 22, 2007)
(10:35 pm Thursday Nov 22, 2007)
"Ronnie, don't talk to you mother like that. You have been doing that since you were a young boy and I kept telling you that having attitudes like that would get you in trouble. Did you listen to your momma? No! And look at all the trouble you have ended up in in your life so far from not listening to you momma."
"Ma, sorry, I gotta go, bye, I will call you another day soon." says Ronnie as he clicks on an icon and disconnects from his mother. He hated to do it, but sometimes there is no stopping her for hours once she gets going and he really did not have time for that tonight.
He would just have to call someone else up there on the island and see if he could get someone else to look into things for him.
Who?
He decided to try his cousin Brad, but Brad did not have a sip line. If only his sister had not gone for his mother first thing. He sat back down to the computer and went into the rare_squoper channel on IRC (server not specified on account of security considerations) and saw that Brad was at least showing as being there and so he pinged him.
(10:58 pm Thursday Nov 22, 2007)
Danger - A Safe Bahamian Novel - Day 21
Danger - A Safe Bahamian Novel - Day 21
(4:02 pm Wednesday Nov 21, 2007)
*** A Lonely Room
Well Fearless Reader, I am starting my writing day totally pooped out. My eyes are weary and hurting. How shall I pull this off today. I must be sounding very much like a broken record at this point.
(6:19 pm Wednesday Nov 21, 2007)
I have got to find some motivation and some inspiration. What ever happens tonight Fearless Reader I am going to try and write semi steadily and reasonable quickly. Even if I have to write mostly nonsense. I will have to take the fix it on rewrite attitude. My need for sleep must take precedence over the need for anything approaching quality.
(6:31 pm Wednesday Nov 21, 2007)
Yeah right, big words from a man prone to interruptions and bouts of procrastination. And I just got wind of another.
(6:40 pm Wednesday Nov 21, 2007)
OK, so that is out of the way. Now let's see what we can do shall we.
*** The Water Near Mores Island, Abaco
Well, Rising Tide didn't actually explode like it might have in a movie explosion, but there was an explosion on board and she did go down, and quickly. They watched it from afar. It looked like the crew managed to get the tenders launched and get away safely. But the wind had started kicking up and although they came for a brief look, but could not find them in the churned up sea and had to leave as conditions looked to be getting worse.
(6:55 pm Wednesday Nov 21, 2007)
*** A Decaying Orbit Around Mars
A slightly green postage stamp on a luscious pink envelope are laughing together and having a good time. Some how they had ended up in this general vicinity and had been on their way to the lovely looking blue planet when for some strange reason, the desire to visit this red one first had leapt unbidden into the thoughts of each of them at the exact same moment.
And not just any exact same moment. No, the famous, proverbial almost exact same moment.
Now I am sure that some of you know what I mean when I say that, but I dare say there may be others of you who are not yet sufficiently clued in to catch on. For the sake of those of you who find yourselves in that boat, I will endeavour to elucidate and explicate the conundrum for your benefit.
Here is the thing. Think back to all the times in your life when you have read at the exact same moment or heard someone use that phrase in a story, Or been watching a movie or a play where something / somethings happened at the exact same moment...
Well, here is the secret and it may just be one of the most profound secrets of the universe. Due to an odd configuration of space-time, all of those exact same moments are really... the exact same moment. You heard it here first in Danger, there is one and only one exact same moment. Now I know that is at least a little mind bending if not mind blowing as a concept for those of you running up on it for the first time, but that's the way it shakes out... To tell you the truth, I still cannot really wrap my mind around it properly even after all these years.
(I will leave you to ponder that in the back of your mind while we get on with the story Fearless Reader. Of course, if you are so shocked as to be unable to continue reading at this point, feel free to put this book down and come back to it a bit later. As for me, I need to keep on keeping on due ti that aforementioned deadline and those previously referred to tired eyes.)
(7:19 pm Wednesday Nov 21, 2007)
(7:19 pm Wednesday Nov 21, 2007)
And now that they were here at this Red Planet, they were quite happy that they had had that odd notion at that special moment.
You see, there were interesting goings on down on the surface here. Interesting goings on indeed.
*** Shack Near Beach
Ronnie was at the computer again and into serious brain dump mode...
I aint gonna let you
Touch me any more
I aint gonna let you
Kiss me that's for sure
I aint gonna let you
Close my open door
Uhh huh baby
Caint touch me any more
I aint gonna let you
Ride up in my car
I aint gonna let you
Run my tab at the bar
I aint gonna let you
Shoot down my star
Uhh huh baby
Caint ride up in my car
I aint gonna let you
Cut my heart in two
I aint gonna let you
Sip my mountain dew
I aint gonna let you
Walk a mile in my shoes
Uhh huh baby
Caint sip my mountain dew
I aint gonna let you
Stay right up to the end
I aint gonna let you
Drive me round the bend
I aint gonna let you
Love me every now and then
Uhh huh baby
Can't drive me round the bend
---
He caresses
Her tresses
Expresses
His wishes
His missus
At dishes
Says this is
Too much
---
But I don't wanna!
Dude, you're digging a well!
---
Didn't he Rambo?
---
Authentic Replica
Live Recording
Numb Feeling
Rolling Stop
Work Party
Jumbo Shrimp
Pretty Ugly
Old News
Government Budget
Plastic Glass
Sweet Pepper
Bend Straight
Plastic Wood
Smooth Sandpaper
Smooth Shave
---
Bahamian Dances:
The Duppy Strut
The Segillian Swirl
The Retail Shuffle
The Sidewalk Slide
The Hallway Dodge
---
It's always something
Indiana Bones
Munchie Jumping
Poetic Injustice
Nuthin Butt (A Hound Dog)
Past Experience
Science Friction Stories
It's just a matter of lime
It's just an arrow of time
A manioc depressive
Peabo in the sky
The Youth In Asia Movement
Snake and the Flatman
Poetry in Lotion
Spin Doctors in Tubs
You aint just whistlin, Dixie!
My Eyes Explored You.
Rap City in Blue
The Centerville Festival In A Toga
Living in a one room country
Bach by popular demand.
Rhombi Rhythms
Danger at the Roach Motel
I know dem long time
Stranger then Friction
Yugo Girl!
The wavy Adventures of Particle J. Peet
Someone Else's Honey
Running on Empties
Straighten up your fly right
Strangers to Diction
Scrubs in Rockets
Pardon my lips
efooleh.com
I'm trying to remember to forget
Mervin the Mad Mung Bean
Tragically hick
The enemy of my enemy is my enemy's enemy
ishopushopeshopvshop.com
My inlaws are all outlaws
Midnight in my mind
Your passport picture looks better than you.
Cream puff Casanovas
The colour of nothing
Another shade of boo
An every day lonely knight
Syncing with Sarah
The colour of broke
Deep in the hole of taxes
Fer-de-lance and Isabumma
Down town with Mingo Brown
Aren't I Ronic?
Despite the warning, Rikki lost that number!
d'Wanda Ovit
---
Then he got a bit side tracked and went off surfing the web. He ended up reading some guys National Novel Writing Month novel from a year or two ago and came upon a song that the guy had written for NaNo. He thought he might like to get some guys together to take a shot at recording it some day. It had a license that he could live with.
The NanoWriMo Song
Copyright 2005, Bruno da Beat.
I'm gonna write me a nano song.
Not too short and not too long.
Not too weak and not to strong.
I'm gonna write me a nano song.
I'm gonna play me a nano tune.
Along the lines of the cow and the moon.
Hey mister fiddle what became of the spoon?
I think I need him for my nano tune.
I'm gonna throw me a nano ball.
Wine and women and that's not all.
Lot's of beef and hot salsa for all.
Come and dance at my nano ball.
I'm gonna write me a nano book.
Thirty days to write it won't you take a look.
Like my tune there's gonna be no hook.
You can read it in my nano book.
I'm gonna play me a nano game.
There in the forums where some are lame.
Looking for my quarter hour of fame.
I'm gonna play me a nano game.
Won't you sing me my nano song.
I would do it but it'd turn out wrong.
Record it for me and send it along.
Won't you sing me my nano song?
Please sing me my nano song?
Won't you sing me my nano song?
Well, you only figured out that it was a Creative Commons Attribution Share Alike version 2.5 license if you checked the novel it was a part of. The character in the book that was supposed to have written it did not think to list the license near the song itself in the book.
---
The complete idiots totally moronic guide to ignorance for dummies, a fifty cent illustrated guide.
---
I forget what I wanted to put here...
---
Fee, FIFO, fum
I'm in the QUEUE
With and English MON
Be he a Drive
Or be he a LED
I'll grab his cache
And take his threads
---
I went down to Motown
Kissed me a pretty little girl
I went down to Motown
Kissed me a pretty little girl
She kissed me right back yeah
Put my heart all in a whirl
I went up to Memphis
Saw me the king there on his throne
I went up to Memphis
Saw me the king there on his throne
He looked torn and tattered
Said he just wanted to go home
I went east to LA
Where the stars fall from the sky
I went east to LA
Where the stars fall from the sky
Then three stars stole my lyrics
Now I'm just barely getting by
---
all the colours of your rainbow
were drippin from the sky
when i saw you that bright morning
falling down from a night time high
i don't need no information
cause i am barely getting by
and all the colours of your rainbow
are drippin from the sky
---
(8:58 pm Wednesday Nov 21, 2007)
---
i'm down to nothing baby
that's what i am
i needed something baby
to be your man
but i'm down to nothing baby
even lost my tan
said i'm down to nothing baby
that's what i am
---
if i still loved you
like i loved you
when i loved you
you'd still be mine
you'd still be mine
if i still kissed you
like i kissed you
when i kissed you
that would be fine
so very be fine
but i don't love you
like i loved you
when i loved you
end of the line
end of the line
---
there were five segillian singers
tryin to form a rock and roll band
young white boy blond hair dreamers
singing bout the sun and sand
---
one down two to go
and i
need some
one ta show me just
how love's supposed go
cause it's
one down and two to go
I said...
one down two to go
and i
need some
one ta show me just
how love's supposed go
cause it's
one down and two to go
---
dat gal need ta go
dat gal need ta go
you say you love her so
but dat gal need ta go
she all over town
she flirtin all around
da people stop an stare
dat gal need ta go
dat gal is fa me
dat gal is fa me
oh she love me so
dat gal is fa me
---
give me some time to get you off a my mind
give me some time to move you out of my heart
give me some time to get my act together
give me some time to make a brand new start
cause you were the one to always treat me special
you were the one to always treat me kind
you were the one who up and broke my heart
you were the one to make me lose my mind
---
i live in dreams
and my days end
i don't know why
i try again
when morning comes
and i'm alone
i live in dreams
no telephone
---
i really think it's raining sunshine baby
somewhere deep inside my heart
i really think that i could love you baby
if you would just make the start
i really really think i want you baby
somewhere by the ocean tonight
and you would really really love it baby
and you could be my true delight
i'd take you to see ah places baby
places that we'd never been
and if you'd walk right here beside me baby
i'd show you through a young man's dream
---
(9:11 pm Wednesday Nov 21, 2007)
Wednesday, November 21, 2007
Danger - A Safe Bahamian Novel - Day 20
Danger - A Safe Bahamian Novel - Day 20
(4:16 pm Tuesday Nov 20, 2007)
*** A Lonely Room
At least it is not currently a white room gentle reader, a padded white room.
(4:33 pm Tuesday Nov 20, 2007)
And so it begins again, that long daily struggle, this year, often deep into the night, that struggle to write and write and write.
And once again, last night, time conspired to keep me from writing scenes that needed to happen yesterday and so we must take a little trip on that literary time machine once again.
I guess I could try the flashback game with you gentle reader instead of asking you to go back with me to yesterday and experience it live as it were... Still, all in all, this seems best for now.
Who knows what will happen should we ever go to rewrite. Would you stick with me through that long struggle gentle reader?
Would you prefer to be called fierce reader, or fearless reader?
Fearless Reader, you know, that has a nice ring to it doesn't it Fearless Reader?
Good. Sorry for that mistake up until now. Well, perhaps is was not a mistake at all, perhaps I have just learned a new facet of your being today. Perhaps it has always been evident to me that you were a gentle reader and now, perhaps on this day when I consider the real possibility of our going through the valley of rewrite together I finally learn that you are not only a gentle reader but that you are also Fearless Reader?
Perhaps... no... it couldn't be, could it? You are not like one of those super type people with two identities are you?
Normally a mild mannered gentle reader who likes nothing better than to sit outdoors in a sidewalk cafe on a pleasant sunny day and read inspiring works of great literature with none the less high entertainment value. Only to step into a dark corner of a used book store when the time calls for it and, in an instant of whirling and flashing lights and strange sounds, turn into the caped and masked Fearless Reader. That piratical ninja of a reader who will read anything, anywhere, boldly, and with perfect diction whether, silently, under the breath, or out loud as the situation demands!
I am so happy to meet this other you today Fearless Reader. Welcome to my ever so humble novel... Danger - A Safe Bahamian Novel. I hope you enjoy reading it at least as much as I am enjoying writing it. I hope that it will prove at least a little bit easier to read as it has been to write... Ain't that a loaded statement?
(4:49 pm Tuesday Nov 20, 2007)
(6:57 pm Tuesday Nov 20, 2007)
(7:14 pm Tuesday Nov 20, 2007)
Well, I wanted us to take a trip on the literary time machine, not fall into a temporal black hole.
*** Inflatable Dingy Some Where Off Mores Island, Abaco
"This is about as close as we ought to get to her on the surface," whispered Mandy. She lowered an anchour over the side. They put on their fins and masks and slipped over the side and swam along the lines back to their scuba scooters which they had been towing.
"OK, remember, these re breathers are not for depth, stay above twenty of thirty feet, no need to go that deep really. Let's stay together. Follow my lead when we get there."
Jack and Sarai gave the OK sign and they all went down.
Jack concentrated on his breathing and keeping Sarai in sight. They had a light line between them, but he wanted to keep close and not run the risk of having the line break out here underwater at night. He tried not to think about sharks.
He went into a zone and was surprised when he almost bumped into Sarai ahead of him. The three of them got in close to each other. Mandy let down a small anchour on a rope and tied their scuba scooters together and hooked some ballast from each to the anchour line and let it go thus giving the scooters a mild positive buoyancy. She signaled them to follow and they kicked off after her, Jack again bringing up the rear. Alert.
(8:35 pm Tuesday Nov 20, 2007)
They climbed in over the stern and made their way quietly along the port side.
(8:51 pm Tuesday Nov 20, 2007)
Here's how it worked out.
They explored the whole ship but found no one aboard. They found nothing much of interest at all. They had a discussion as to whether they should call the Rising Tide over to pick them up or go back the way they came.
In the end, they decided to go back the way they came and slipped quietly over the stern and under water.
*** A Lonely Room
Ouch Fearless Reader... For some reason I am really having trouble with what is supposed to be happening at this point in the story.
Listen, if by some strange chance, you end up reading this before I write it, and you can get to send me an email to give me some of you input on what I am doing right or wrong right here in this part of the writing, please do.
mailto:zotz@100jamz.com
I could use all the help I can get right now...
(9:01 pm Tuesday Nov 20, 2007)
*** Shack Near Beach
We find Ronnie back at his computer messing about with serious multi tasking again tonight.
Although right now, he is leaning back in his chair with his feet on the desk and his eyes closed. Listening to a bit of the song he was messing with last night and which he went over to a friend's house today and did a rough recording of.
There goes Mary, quite contrary
asked her how did... her garden grow
she said silver bells
she said cockle shells
said somethin bout pretty maids
in a row... o
There goes Mary, quite contrary
asked her how did... her garden grow
she said silver bells
she said cockle shells
said somethin bout pretty maids
in a row... o
He sits up and clicks on the stop button on his ardour program. Something needs fixing here but he is not sure what. He marks out a region and sets things up to play it as a loop then starts things playing again. He notes with satisfaction that there are no xruns in jackd so far today.
(10:24 pm Tuesday Nov 20, 2007)
He gets bored and frustrated. He can't put his finger on what is bothering him and that is bothering him. Go figure.
He gets up and goes to the fridge to look inside and see what he can see. He checks down low and finds an apple sitting lonely and bored like he is so he grabs it and rinses it off in the sing and then dries it on a paper towel. He takes a bite and then starts to walk back in to the computer. Just as he gets out of the kitchen door, he gets the bright idea to perhaps brew himself up a cup of tea.
Should he do it? Should he risk being up into the night from the caffeine? Would it give him the energy he needed to get this stuff done tonight? He picked up the kettle and shook it. It felt ans sounded a little empty so he went over to the water cooler and put some room temperature into the kettle before putting it back on the stove and lighting the burner under it. He grabs a mug from the cupboard and a tea bag from the container on the counter. Throws in some cane sugar and decides to step out onto the porch to wait for the kettle to boil.
The air was cool and the sky was clear with a few small clouds high up there. The moon was large and high in the sky just a bit to the west of overhead. The stars were beautiful. He sat down and enjoyed listening to the sound of the waves crashing on the rocks and the waves rolling up the sand of the beach. He got a notion to run down for a quick swim but put it out of his mind.
He jumped up and dashed inside and put on some music and then came back out and sat back down.
You and I we used to dance
In the days before romance
Young hearts never took the chance
To get closer than the dance
Then came love with all its fears
And my nights of endless tears
Nights I'd wonder when or where
You might once again be near
You and I have one more dance
Perhaps in England perhaps in France
Wiser hearts should take a chance
Perhaps get closer than the dance
That had a nice sound to it. Now he liked how that one was working out. He really though that this virtual band spread out all over the world might have some legs.
The kettle started to boil and he went inside and poured the water into the mug and put the whole thing under a tea cozy to let it brew for a while.
The phone rang.
"Hello?"
"Hello, is that you Ronnie?"
"Yes, mom, how are you tonight?"
"Your mother is lonely tonight Ronnie. When are you going to come up and visit again? You know you can come up on the boat in the morning and spend the day with me and then go back that night, or even spend the night and go back the next morning or the next night. Is it too much to ask that you should come and visit your mother once in a while?"
"No, mom, it is not too much to ask. It is just that I am busy now. Maybe in a few days or by next week at least I think."
"Why can't you come tomorrow or the next day son?"
"Because Jack is away and I told him I would house sit for him while he is away and keep an eye on things. I don't think I should leave this place empty with all that has been going on around here lately," says Ronnie before he realizes the mistake that he just made.
"What? What all has been going on Ronnie? You are not getting into trouble again are you son? Are you sure this is not another bad crowd you have fallen in with? You know you always used to have that problem growing up. Always running with the wrong crowd and letting them influence you."
"No ma, I think these guys are OK this time. Plus you know those boys mother's used to tell them I was the bad one and that I was being a bad influence on them."
"You were a good boy Ronnie, a little misguided perhaps, and too easily influenced by the wrong set, but you were a good boy."
Ronnie smiles to himself, mothers, you gotta love them.
"Mom, I may have been that good little boy, but I was often the ring leader when it came to getting up to trouble. But thanks for the kind thoughts."
(11:07 pm Tuesday Nov 20, 2007)
"Ronnie, who is watching your house while you are looking after someone else's house?"
"Mom, how many times do I have to remind you, I do not have a house. I am renting a car port from a different friend that he has converted into a studio apartment."
Ronnie remembers that he has tea brewing. Well, that was too long. he is definitely likely to be up all night if he drinks that tea, but he hates to waste stuff so he resigns himself to a long night of work at the computer.
*** Shack Near Beach
We find Ronnie back at his computer messing about with serious multi tasking again tonight.
Although right now, he is leaning back in his chair with his feet on the desk and his eyes closed. Listening to a bit of the song he was messing with last night and which he went over to a friend's house today and did a rough recording of.
There goes Mary, quite contrary
asked her how did... her garden grow
she said silver bells
she said cockle shells
said somethin bout pretty maids
in a row... o
There goes Mary, quite contrary
asked her how did... her garden grow
she said silver bells
she said cockle shells
said somethin bout pretty maids
in a row... o
He sits up and clicks on the stop button on his ardour program. Something needs fixing here but he is not sure what. He marks out a region and sets things up to play it as a loop then starts things playing again. He notes with satisfaction that there are no xruns in jackd so far today.
(10:24 pm Tuesday Nov 20, 2007)
He gets bored and frustrated. He can't put his finger on what is bothering him and that is bothering him. Go figure.
He gets up and goes to the fridge to look inside and see what he can see. He checks down low and finds an apple sitting lonely and bored like he is so he grabs it and rinses it off in the sing and then dries it on a paper towel. He takes a bite and then starts to walk back in to the computer. Just as he gets out of the kitchen door, he gets the bright idea to perhaps brew himself up a cup of tea.
Should he do it? Should he risk being up into the night from the caffeine? Would it give him the energy he needed to get this stuff done tonight? He picked up the kettle and shook it. It felt ans sounded a little empty so he went over to the water cooler and put some room temperature into the kettle before putting it back on the stove and lighting the burner under it. He grabs a mug from the cupboard and a tea bag from the container on the counter. Throws in some cane sugar and decides to step out onto the porch to wait for the kettle to boil.
The air was cool and the sky was clear with a few small clouds high up there. The moon was large and high in the sky just a bit to the west of overhead. The stars were beautiful. He sat down and enjoyed listening to the sound of the waves crashing on the rocks and the waves rolling up the sand of the beach. He got a notion to run down for a quick swim but put it out of his mind.
He jumped up and dashed inside and put on some music and then came back out and sat back down.
You and I we used to dance
In the days before romance
Young hearts never took the chance
To get closer than the dance
Then came love with all its fears
And my nights of endless tears
Nights I'd wonder when or where
You might once again be near
You and I have one more dance
Perhaps in England perhaps in France
Wiser hearts should take a chance
Perhaps get closer than the dance
That had a nice sound to it. Now he liked how that one was working out. He really though that this virtual band spread out all over the world might have some legs.
The kettle started to boil and he went inside and poured the water into the mug and put the whole thing under a tea cozy to let it brew for a while.
The phone rang.
"Hello?"
"Hello, is that you Ronnie?"
"Yes, mom, how are you tonight?"
"Your mother is lonely tonight Ronnie. When are you going to come up and visit again? You know you can come up on the boat in the morning and spend the day with me and then go back that night, or even spend the night and go back the next morning or the next night. Is it too much to ask that you should come and visit your mother once in a while?"
"No, mom, it is not too much to ask. It is just that I am busy now. Maybe in a few days or by next week at least I think."
"Why can't you come tomorrow or the next day son?"
"Because Jack is away and I told him I would house sit for him while he is away and keep an eye on things. I don't think I should leave this place empty with all that has been going on around here lately," says Ronnie before he realizes the mistake that he just made.
"What? What all has been going on Ronnie? You are not getting into trouble again are you son? Are you sure this is not another bad crowd you have fallen in with? You know you always used to have that problem growing up. Always running with the wrong crowd and letting them influence you."
"No ma, I think these guys are OK this time. Plus you know those boys mother's used to tell them I was the bad one and that I was being a bad influence on them."
"You were a good boy Ronnie, a little misguided perhaps, and too easily influenced by the wrong set, but you were a good boy."
Ronnie smiles to himself, mothers, you gotta love them.
"Mom, I may have been that good little boy, but I was often the ring leader when it came to getting up to trouble. But thanks for the kind thoughts."
(11:07 pm Tuesday Nov 20, 2007)
"Ronnie, who is watching your house while you are looking after someone else's house?"
"Mom, how many times do I have to remind you, I do not have a house. I am renting a car port from a different friend that he has converted into a studio apartment."
Ronnie remembers that he has tea brewing. Well, that was too long. he is definitely likely to be up all night if he drinks that tea, but he hates to waste stuff so he resigns himself to a long night of work at the computer.
*** The Water Near Mores Island, Abaco.
They got back to their scuba scooters and headed back to the inflatable dingy. When they got back to where it should have been, it wasn't there any more.
"I know this is where we left her, what happened?"
"I don't know Jack, but I agree this is the spot too, look some more, she may have dragged her anchour some."
Jack decides to swim a widening spiral to see what he comes across. He soon finds the dingy, awash and with all of its chambers punctured with what must have been a dive knife. He did not like the implications of that.
They decide that they should get back to the Rising Tide as quickly as they can and head out on their scuba scooters. The thing is, these things are not super speedy.
They are making slow progress when the Rising Tide explodes...
(11:18 pm Tuesday Nov 20, 2007)
(4:16 pm Tuesday Nov 20, 2007)
*** A Lonely Room
At least it is not currently a white room gentle reader, a padded white room.
(4:33 pm Tuesday Nov 20, 2007)
And so it begins again, that long daily struggle, this year, often deep into the night, that struggle to write and write and write.
And once again, last night, time conspired to keep me from writing scenes that needed to happen yesterday and so we must take a little trip on that literary time machine once again.
I guess I could try the flashback game with you gentle reader instead of asking you to go back with me to yesterday and experience it live as it were... Still, all in all, this seems best for now.
Who knows what will happen should we ever go to rewrite. Would you stick with me through that long struggle gentle reader?
Would you prefer to be called fierce reader, or fearless reader?
Fearless Reader, you know, that has a nice ring to it doesn't it Fearless Reader?
Good. Sorry for that mistake up until now. Well, perhaps is was not a mistake at all, perhaps I have just learned a new facet of your being today. Perhaps it has always been evident to me that you were a gentle reader and now, perhaps on this day when I consider the real possibility of our going through the valley of rewrite together I finally learn that you are not only a gentle reader but that you are also Fearless Reader?
Perhaps... no... it couldn't be, could it? You are not like one of those super type people with two identities are you?
Normally a mild mannered gentle reader who likes nothing better than to sit outdoors in a sidewalk cafe on a pleasant sunny day and read inspiring works of great literature with none the less high entertainment value. Only to step into a dark corner of a used book store when the time calls for it and, in an instant of whirling and flashing lights and strange sounds, turn into the caped and masked Fearless Reader. That piratical ninja of a reader who will read anything, anywhere, boldly, and with perfect diction whether, silently, under the breath, or out loud as the situation demands!
I am so happy to meet this other you today Fearless Reader. Welcome to my ever so humble novel... Danger - A Safe Bahamian Novel. I hope you enjoy reading it at least as much as I am enjoying writing it. I hope that it will prove at least a little bit easier to read as it has been to write... Ain't that a loaded statement?
(4:49 pm Tuesday Nov 20, 2007)
(6:57 pm Tuesday Nov 20, 2007)
(7:14 pm Tuesday Nov 20, 2007)
Well, I wanted us to take a trip on the literary time machine, not fall into a temporal black hole.
*** Inflatable Dingy Some Where Off Mores Island, Abaco
"This is about as close as we ought to get to her on the surface," whispered Mandy. She lowered an anchour over the side. They put on their fins and masks and slipped over the side and swam along the lines back to their scuba scooters which they had been towing.
"OK, remember, these re breathers are not for depth, stay above twenty of thirty feet, no need to go that deep really. Let's stay together. Follow my lead when we get there."
Jack and Sarai gave the OK sign and they all went down.
Jack concentrated on his breathing and keeping Sarai in sight. They had a light line between them, but he wanted to keep close and not run the risk of having the line break out here underwater at night. He tried not to think about sharks.
He went into a zone and was surprised when he almost bumped into Sarai ahead of him. The three of them got in close to each other. Mandy let down a small anchour on a rope and tied their scuba scooters together and hooked some ballast from each to the anchour line and let it go thus giving the scooters a mild positive buoyancy. She signaled them to follow and they kicked off after her, Jack again bringing up the rear. Alert.
(8:35 pm Tuesday Nov 20, 2007)
They climbed in over the stern and made their way quietly along the port side.
(8:51 pm Tuesday Nov 20, 2007)
Here's how it worked out.
They explored the whole ship but found no one aboard. They found nothing much of interest at all. They had a discussion as to whether they should call the Rising Tide over to pick them up or go back the way they came.
In the end, they decided to go back the way they came and slipped quietly over the stern and under water.
*** A Lonely Room
Ouch Fearless Reader... For some reason I am really having trouble with what is supposed to be happening at this point in the story.
Listen, if by some strange chance, you end up reading this before I write it, and you can get to send me an email to give me some of you input on what I am doing right or wrong right here in this part of the writing, please do.
mailto:zotz@100jamz.com
I could use all the help I can get right now...
(9:01 pm Tuesday Nov 20, 2007)
*** Shack Near Beach
We find Ronnie back at his computer messing about with serious multi tasking again tonight.
Although right now, he is leaning back in his chair with his feet on the desk and his eyes closed. Listening to a bit of the song he was messing with last night and which he went over to a friend's house today and did a rough recording of.
There goes Mary, quite contrary
asked her how did... her garden grow
she said silver bells
she said cockle shells
said somethin bout pretty maids
in a row... o
There goes Mary, quite contrary
asked her how did... her garden grow
she said silver bells
she said cockle shells
said somethin bout pretty maids
in a row... o
He sits up and clicks on the stop button on his ardour program. Something needs fixing here but he is not sure what. He marks out a region and sets things up to play it as a loop then starts things playing again. He notes with satisfaction that there are no xruns in jackd so far today.
(10:24 pm Tuesday Nov 20, 2007)
He gets bored and frustrated. He can't put his finger on what is bothering him and that is bothering him. Go figure.
He gets up and goes to the fridge to look inside and see what he can see. He checks down low and finds an apple sitting lonely and bored like he is so he grabs it and rinses it off in the sing and then dries it on a paper towel. He takes a bite and then starts to walk back in to the computer. Just as he gets out of the kitchen door, he gets the bright idea to perhaps brew himself up a cup of tea.
Should he do it? Should he risk being up into the night from the caffeine? Would it give him the energy he needed to get this stuff done tonight? He picked up the kettle and shook it. It felt ans sounded a little empty so he went over to the water cooler and put some room temperature into the kettle before putting it back on the stove and lighting the burner under it. He grabs a mug from the cupboard and a tea bag from the container on the counter. Throws in some cane sugar and decides to step out onto the porch to wait for the kettle to boil.
The air was cool and the sky was clear with a few small clouds high up there. The moon was large and high in the sky just a bit to the west of overhead. The stars were beautiful. He sat down and enjoyed listening to the sound of the waves crashing on the rocks and the waves rolling up the sand of the beach. He got a notion to run down for a quick swim but put it out of his mind.
He jumped up and dashed inside and put on some music and then came back out and sat back down.
You and I we used to dance
In the days before romance
Young hearts never took the chance
To get closer than the dance
Then came love with all its fears
And my nights of endless tears
Nights I'd wonder when or where
You might once again be near
You and I have one more dance
Perhaps in England perhaps in France
Wiser hearts should take a chance
Perhaps get closer than the dance
That had a nice sound to it. Now he liked how that one was working out. He really though that this virtual band spread out all over the world might have some legs.
The kettle started to boil and he went inside and poured the water into the mug and put the whole thing under a tea cozy to let it brew for a while.
The phone rang.
"Hello?"
"Hello, is that you Ronnie?"
"Yes, mom, how are you tonight?"
"Your mother is lonely tonight Ronnie. When are you going to come up and visit again? You know you can come up on the boat in the morning and spend the day with me and then go back that night, or even spend the night and go back the next morning or the next night. Is it too much to ask that you should come and visit your mother once in a while?"
"No, mom, it is not too much to ask. It is just that I am busy now. Maybe in a few days or by next week at least I think."
"Why can't you come tomorrow or the next day son?"
"Because Jack is away and I told him I would house sit for him while he is away and keep an eye on things. I don't think I should leave this place empty with all that has been going on around here lately," says Ronnie before he realizes the mistake that he just made.
"What? What all has been going on Ronnie? You are not getting into trouble again are you son? Are you sure this is not another bad crowd you have fallen in with? You know you always used to have that problem growing up. Always running with the wrong crowd and letting them influence you."
"No ma, I think these guys are OK this time. Plus you know those boys mother's used to tell them I was the bad one and that I was being a bad influence on them."
"You were a good boy Ronnie, a little misguided perhaps, and too easily influenced by the wrong set, but you were a good boy."
Ronnie smiles to himself, mothers, you gotta love them.
"Mom, I may have been that good little boy, but I was often the ring leader when it came to getting up to trouble. But thanks for the kind thoughts."
(11:07 pm Tuesday Nov 20, 2007)
"Ronnie, who is watching your house while you are looking after someone else's house?"
"Mom, how many times do I have to remind you, I do not have a house. I am renting a car port from a different friend that he has converted into a studio apartment."
Ronnie remembers that he has tea brewing. Well, that was too long. he is definitely likely to be up all night if he drinks that tea, but he hates to waste stuff so he resigns himself to a long night of work at the computer.
*** Shack Near Beach
We find Ronnie back at his computer messing about with serious multi tasking again tonight.
Although right now, he is leaning back in his chair with his feet on the desk and his eyes closed. Listening to a bit of the song he was messing with last night and which he went over to a friend's house today and did a rough recording of.
There goes Mary, quite contrary
asked her how did... her garden grow
she said silver bells
she said cockle shells
said somethin bout pretty maids
in a row... o
There goes Mary, quite contrary
asked her how did... her garden grow
she said silver bells
she said cockle shells
said somethin bout pretty maids
in a row... o
He sits up and clicks on the stop button on his ardour program. Something needs fixing here but he is not sure what. He marks out a region and sets things up to play it as a loop then starts things playing again. He notes with satisfaction that there are no xruns in jackd so far today.
(10:24 pm Tuesday Nov 20, 2007)
He gets bored and frustrated. He can't put his finger on what is bothering him and that is bothering him. Go figure.
He gets up and goes to the fridge to look inside and see what he can see. He checks down low and finds an apple sitting lonely and bored like he is so he grabs it and rinses it off in the sing and then dries it on a paper towel. He takes a bite and then starts to walk back in to the computer. Just as he gets out of the kitchen door, he gets the bright idea to perhaps brew himself up a cup of tea.
Should he do it? Should he risk being up into the night from the caffeine? Would it give him the energy he needed to get this stuff done tonight? He picked up the kettle and shook it. It felt ans sounded a little empty so he went over to the water cooler and put some room temperature into the kettle before putting it back on the stove and lighting the burner under it. He grabs a mug from the cupboard and a tea bag from the container on the counter. Throws in some cane sugar and decides to step out onto the porch to wait for the kettle to boil.
The air was cool and the sky was clear with a few small clouds high up there. The moon was large and high in the sky just a bit to the west of overhead. The stars were beautiful. He sat down and enjoyed listening to the sound of the waves crashing on the rocks and the waves rolling up the sand of the beach. He got a notion to run down for a quick swim but put it out of his mind.
He jumped up and dashed inside and put on some music and then came back out and sat back down.
You and I we used to dance
In the days before romance
Young hearts never took the chance
To get closer than the dance
Then came love with all its fears
And my nights of endless tears
Nights I'd wonder when or where
You might once again be near
You and I have one more dance
Perhaps in England perhaps in France
Wiser hearts should take a chance
Perhaps get closer than the dance
That had a nice sound to it. Now he liked how that one was working out. He really though that this virtual band spread out all over the world might have some legs.
The kettle started to boil and he went inside and poured the water into the mug and put the whole thing under a tea cozy to let it brew for a while.
The phone rang.
"Hello?"
"Hello, is that you Ronnie?"
"Yes, mom, how are you tonight?"
"Your mother is lonely tonight Ronnie. When are you going to come up and visit again? You know you can come up on the boat in the morning and spend the day with me and then go back that night, or even spend the night and go back the next morning or the next night. Is it too much to ask that you should come and visit your mother once in a while?"
"No, mom, it is not too much to ask. It is just that I am busy now. Maybe in a few days or by next week at least I think."
"Why can't you come tomorrow or the next day son?"
"Because Jack is away and I told him I would house sit for him while he is away and keep an eye on things. I don't think I should leave this place empty with all that has been going on around here lately," says Ronnie before he realizes the mistake that he just made.
"What? What all has been going on Ronnie? You are not getting into trouble again are you son? Are you sure this is not another bad crowd you have fallen in with? You know you always used to have that problem growing up. Always running with the wrong crowd and letting them influence you."
"No ma, I think these guys are OK this time. Plus you know those boys mother's used to tell them I was the bad one and that I was being a bad influence on them."
"You were a good boy Ronnie, a little misguided perhaps, and too easily influenced by the wrong set, but you were a good boy."
Ronnie smiles to himself, mothers, you gotta love them.
"Mom, I may have been that good little boy, but I was often the ring leader when it came to getting up to trouble. But thanks for the kind thoughts."
(11:07 pm Tuesday Nov 20, 2007)
"Ronnie, who is watching your house while you are looking after someone else's house?"
"Mom, how many times do I have to remind you, I do not have a house. I am renting a car port from a different friend that he has converted into a studio apartment."
Ronnie remembers that he has tea brewing. Well, that was too long. he is definitely likely to be up all night if he drinks that tea, but he hates to waste stuff so he resigns himself to a long night of work at the computer.
*** The Water Near Mores Island, Abaco.
They got back to their scuba scooters and headed back to the inflatable dingy. When they got back to where it should have been, it wasn't there any more.
"I know this is where we left her, what happened?"
"I don't know Jack, but I agree this is the spot too, look some more, she may have dragged her anchour some."
Jack decides to swim a widening spiral to see what he comes across. He soon finds the dingy, awash and with all of its chambers punctured with what must have been a dive knife. He did not like the implications of that.
They decide that they should get back to the Rising Tide as quickly as they can and head out on their scuba scooters. The thing is, these things are not super speedy.
They are making slow progress when the Rising Tide explodes...
(11:18 pm Tuesday Nov 20, 2007)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)