The Day We Met - Part V

The Day We Met - Part I

The Day We Met - Part II

The Day We Met - Part III

The Day We Met - Part IV

Part V

The couple from Washington went on to Mario’s without me. And shortly thereafter, Dave loaded my pack into his dinghy (the other one at the dock had been his), and we went back to the sailboat called Morgenstern.

Morgenstern was docked at the Tijax Jungle Lodge just a quick dinghy ride from Hollymar. I had never been on a sailboat before, and it was all new to me. There were tiny little toilets with pump action flushers, a swaying stove that burned alcohol (I later learned it’s called a gimbaled stove), cozy geometric shaped cabins, and lots of places to bump your head. That first night aboard Morgenstern Dave gave me the quick tour, and then I headed into the jungle for a hot “dock” shower. The shower house was just a short ways from the dock, up a little path, but it really was in the jungle. There were huge cracks under the stalls and the plywood door, separating me from whatever lurked in the darkness of the jungle, was “locked” with a flimsy hook and eye. I remember feeling very vulnerable as I quickly washed a day’s worth of travel from my hair. I was anxious to get back to Morgenstern and to Dave where I couldn’t help but feel completely safe.

I got back to the boat (unscathed) and saw that Dave had whipped up some quesadillas and set out a bowl of chips and salsa. I had missed dinner and I was starving! After dinner we cozied into the aft cabin and watched Ace Ventura Pet Detective (one of our family’s favorites to this day). We talked a little that first night, but not much. I do remember that we exchanged ages. I was 19. He was 25. Deal blower? I thought maybe.

By the time I woke up the next morning he wasn’t onboard. I found him on the dock sanding a new cherry wood dinette table for Morgenstern. Oh my. Was he ever a vision. He had on a pair of cut-off jean shorts that looked like they had seen one too many days at sea, a bandana covering his hair (you know like they wear under a motorcycle helmet), and he was shirtless. Oh the glistening muscles. He saw me coming down the dock, and he turned off his sander. I could tell that he thought I was quite the vision myself. I had on a white tank top and my own cut-off jean shorts. (We loved our cut-offs in the 90’s didn’t we?) I had gone to bed the night before with wet hair and it was fabulously full of body. I felt pretty. It had been dark in the restaurant the night before and 12 volt lights on a sailboat aren’t much brighter. I think we were both pleasantly surprised by how attracted we were to each other. Of course, we didn’t discuss that until later…

To Be Continued...