LOST AT SEA

LOST AT SEA

“We can’t go on like this, can we.”

“I was thinking exactly the same thing as the words were coming out of your mouth.”

“What happened to us?”

“I don’t know, Martin, I suppose we’ve fallen into a routine, like all couples do after a few years.  And we don’t have any children to distract us.”

“Well, I don’t like the routine.”

“Neither do I.”

“We’ve let ourselves drift apart.  Do you realize this is the first evening in what seems to be months that we have simply been together with no distraction, with nothing but each other?”

“You’re always involved with this or that and I’m always involved with the other.”

Trying to inject a little humor into the situation, Martin quipped, “I know about this or that, but what about the other?”

“You know perfectly well.  I spend time with Uncle David and at the thrift store where I volunteer.  If it’s not those two things, it’s doing work-related stuff.”

“Why can’t we have a picture-perfect marriage like your parents?”

“They really did have a great relationship.”

“What was their secret?  I mean, they only had you, and you were a picture-perfect child.”

“And they had Uncle David to look after.  Kind, simple Uncle David.”

“Did they EVER fight?”

“Oh sure, but they were both so even-tempered that those quarrels never amounted to much.  Not like your parents.”

“Oh my gosh.  You might as well have put up a sign, “WAR ZONE,” at the entrance to our house.  They were always angry at each other, and usually about the same stuff.  I sometimes wonder how I and my four siblings were ever conceived.”

“I guess they had truces every now and then!  Your mother really doted on being a mom, didn’t she.”

“She made even the most cloying TV mom seem cold and indifferent.  She was trying to make up for her childhood in terrible foster homes.  She was determined that her children would know love and attention.”

“So what about us.  What are we determined to do?”

“I’ve got an idea.  Let’s go sailing on Saturday.  Do you have anything going on this Saturday?”

“Just my usual.  But sailing?  We haven’t been sailing in years.”

“Remember, we went just about every weekend when we were first married. It was our thing to do together.”

“I remember.  Then, it seems like things started to get in the way.  I guess we felt that we needed to start acting like responsible grown-ups and not like the idle rich.”

“Let’s do it!”

“But we sold our boat long ago.”

“We can rent one.  I’ll call tomorrow.  And maybe we can sail over to that restaurant we liked to go to for lunch.”

“Or maybe I can pack us a lunch and we can just be on our own little island in the bay for a while.”

“That sounds even better.”

On Saturday morning, Martin and Linda headed down to the marina and located the sailboat they had rented for the day.  They were greeted by one of the deck hands.

“You folks know all about sailing I guess.”

“Well,” Martin replied, “it’s been several years since we’ve been sailing, but we used to go just about every weekend and I grew up on the water.  I think it’ll all come back.”

“It should be a wonderful day, but they’re forecasting a storm this afternoon.  So, keep an eye on the skies.  Do you have communication?”

“I have my cellphone,” Linda commented. “It’s in a protected case.”

“It’s best to have two, you know.”

“Thank you for your concern,” Martin replied, “but we went sailing for years with no cellphones.  And we’re just going into the bay.”

The couple helped the hand prepare the boat and soon found themselves in the middle of the bay.

“What a glorious day!” Linda exclaimed.  “I’d forgotten how wonderful sailing is.  I can feel the tension just falling away.  Thanks, Martin, for suggesting this.”

“We’re going to have a grand time.  Look at all the other boats out today.  I wonder how many couples at different stages of their relationships are out here with us?”

“As far as I’m concerned, right now we’re the only couple on earth.”

“And what movie did you get that from?”

“Oh, probably some old Myrna Loy film.”

The couple soon settled back into their sailing routine.  Linda pulled out a book and sat in a long-slung chair.  Martin enjoyed fiddling with the riggings and rudder.  After a while, he plundered the cooler they had brought on board and prepared some wine, cheese and crackers.”

“Myrna, would you like some refreshment?”

“Why yes,” she said coyly.  “You read my mind.  You simply read my mind.”

They had always gotten a laugh out of playing at being Hollywood stars out for a frolic.  They pointed out to each other landmarks they remembered and new ones they didn’t.  After their repast, Linda continued with her book and Martin kept heroically navigating the treacherous waters of the bay. Something always got into to him to play the explorer and he soon set his sight on the open waters ahead of him.

“Linda, look!”

“What?”

“What do you see?”

“I can’t see a thing.  Only water.”

“That’s right.  We’ve lost sight of land. We’re free!”

“I thought we were just going to stay in the bay.”

“I know, but you know me.  I’ve always got to push the envelope, at least a little.”

“I see some dark clouds over there.  It looks like a storm is headed our way.  Maybe we should turn back.”

“I think you’re right.  I guess I went out farther than I intended.  Everything’s fine.”

“Do you remember when we got caught in a storm one time while we were out sailing?”

“I’ll never forget.  That was pretty scary.”

“I was scared to death.  I just knew we were going to die.”

“So you know what we did, don’t you?”

“We decided to make a baby!”

“Well, the baby didn’t happen, but it took our minds off the storm anyway.”

The water began getting more and more choppy and the dark clouds more ominous.”

“Guess we’d better batten down the hatches some.”

So, Linda secured everything on deck while Martin dealt with the sails and mast.  Soon, it started raining and the water around them became quite rough.  They secured a canvas top over the deck and hunkered down until the storm passed.

“I hope this storm blows over soon.  I’m cold!”

“Let’s snuggle and get warmed up then, okay?”

The storm blew over quickly.  Linda and Martin peaked out of the canvas to see the sun and, once again, a relatively gentle sea.

“Where are we?”

“I have no idea.  Oh dammit!  I forgot to throw out the anchor!”

“So we’ve probably been carried away from shore.”

The storm was moving northeast, so we have probably drifted in that direction.  What time is it?”

Linda looked at her cellphone, which she pulled from its protective bag. “It’s about two in the afternoon.  Should I call for help?”

“You can try, but you might not be able to make a call from here.”

“Nothing.”

“Well, the sun is on our left, so I’m going to set sail again, turn the boat around and head southwest.”

After making what they thought was good progress, the wind died down and they just sat.  Martin used all the technique he had, but the boat seemed stalled.

“On the bright side, my dear, at least we’re in the Atlantic and not the Pacific.  If we have to be lost at sea, it’s a smaller sea to be lost in.”

“Do you really think we’re lost?”

“Well, I sure don’t know where we are.  Let me get out my maps.”

Martin studied the marine maps he had purchased.  He tried to calculate where they might be.

“So, have you figured out anything?”

“Yes.”

“Oh good.  What?”

“Let’s make a baby!”

After they made love, Linda commented, “Now this is no reflection on you, but I’m cold. Oh!  I forgot.  I packed a thermos of coffee!”

“I guess if I can’t warm you up, the coffee might.”

They drank some coffee and stared into the distance. 

“We wanted some alone time, so we got our wish.”

“I’m just glad you’re here.  I really can’t think of anyone I’d rather be alone with.”

“Is that another movie quote?”

“Probably, but I mean it.”

They soon spotted something in the distance.  It was the Coast Guard searching for them.  The Coast Guard Cutter soon came up to them and one of the crewmen shouted down, “Are you two okay? Are either of you injured in any way?”

“We’re fine,” Linda shouted back.

“What’s the condition of your boat?”

“I think it’s fine also,” Martin replied.

“You’re about ten miles from the bay.  Would you like a tow-in or do you think you can make it on your own?”

“As long as we know the direction we need to go, and the weather holds up, I think we’ll be fine.”

“Weather’s supposed to be fine.  Do you have communication?”

“We have a cellphone,” Linda replied, “but it didn’t work the last time we tried it.”

“I’m going to lover down a special phone for you to use.  You could also probably use some provisions, so I’m going to lower down an emergency supply kit.”

“Thanks so much.”

“I’m going to call ahead to the marina to let them know we found you and that you should be expected in this afternoon.  You can give them the phone and the supply kit and they’ll return it to us.  Is there anyone else we should call?”

“I don’t think so.  We can’t thank you enough.”

“Be safe and sane.  Our special number is on the phone.  We’ll give you a call after a while and you call us whenever you need to, okay?”

“We will”

The Coast Guard cutter moved on.  Linda and Martin breathed a huge sigh of relief. 

“What’s in that supply kit, I’m starved!”

“Are you in the mood for sardines and crackers?  Hey, there are some oranges.  I guess we need protection from scurvy.  It’s been, what twenty-four hours?”

“I forgot to ask what time it is!  Does that phone have a clock?”

“Yes, it’s 0700.”

“That’s all?”

They downed the sardines and crackers and also cracked open the thermos of coffee that was in the kit. They were soon on their way.  The return trip went smoothly and they both got excited when they spotted more boats.  Their first sight of land sent them into orbit with happiness.

“You’d think we’d been lost for years.”

“Maybe we were.”

“Martin, I think we’ve said the word ‘we’ more in the past twenty-four hours than we have during the past five years.  It had become just you and me.  I think we might be an “us” again.”

“I think so,” Martin replied as he steadied the rudder.