My Journal by Harriman Nelson - Cottage By the Sea

16

Home
20E
20D
20C
20B
20A
19
18
17
16
15
14
13
12
11
10
9
8
7
6
5
4
4B
3
2

My Journal

By Harriman Nelson

16

 

“Hi, sweetheart,” Emmie said as she answered my videophone call. “How are things going? You look tired.”

“Nonsense,” I lied. “Must be the live feed. Anyway, we spotted some unusual clams. Lee sent divers out for me to collect some. Oh, the sub kept moving, so we didn’t lose any time heading to the trench. I just had to call you about this,”I added, holding up the pearl.

“Oh, sweetheart!” she gasped. “It’s beautiful!”

“The clams aren’t any species I know of. And they’re quite toxic as far as a food source is concerned. But the pearl is harmless to touch. I was hoping you might like to have it set into a ring or pendant or something, even if the shape’s a bit irregular.”

“I think it might still be nice for a ring…but you’re right, a pendant would be best. Harry, dear, now be honest with me. You really do look tired. Is anything wrong?”

“No, only…well, while Lee doesn’t complain, I’m sure he misses a working prosthesis. He’s been wearing the patch a lot… the crew gets spooked by the empty socket.”

“I’m so sorry about the damage. Blast that Ronald and congress wanting  to prevent him from getting a replacement at all.”

“Never mind that now. What will be, will be. Now, how are things with you, sweetheart? Miss me?”

“So much it hurts.  You, um, you’re not going down to the Anemone yourself, when you get there, are you?”

“No worry about that. Besides Doc would have a fit. He won’t even think about removing my cast yet.”

“I know you’d like to go, but I’m glad you can’t. By the way, we’ve been getting a  lot of recipes for Spam. Would you like Angie to forward them? You still have some left aboard, haven’t you?”

“A little.”

Just then Lee knocked on the door, not waiting for my okay to enter. How could I be upset as I did the same with him.

“Oh, I’m sorry,” Lee said as he saw the videophone. “I didn’t mean to interrupt.”

“Nonsense, Lee,” Emmie said. “Please, join us.”

“You’re looking good, Emily. Mom doing okay?”

“Yes, dear, she’s out to lunch with some of the girls.”

“Is there something you need from me, son?” I asked.

“Well, yes, actually. Instruments show a fast moving current headed in the same direction as the trench. I’d like Seaview to hitch a ride. We’d get to the coordinates faster than expected. But, it could mean a bumpy ride. I wouldn’t want to disturb the clams.”

“I don’t think they’ll come to any harm.”

“Great,” he grinned and clicked the intercom. “Mr. Morton, it’s a go.  All hands, things might get a little bumpy for awhile.”

“Skipper?” Sparks voice came over, “call from Mr. Ames. Your cabin.”

“Be right there,” then he returned his attention to us, “I’ll leave you two lovebirds to chirp a little longer. And give my best to Mom. I’ll try to call her later.”

 

Despite Seaview’s minor lurches, I spent more time speaking to Emmie  than I’d originally planned. It was hard to ignore the smirks that some of the crew gave me as I finally headed to the nose (with a small degree of difficulty).

 

Chip was studying the faxed Spam recipes, and Lee was using a string to play with Mallie.

“Well, you two seem to be in a good mood,” I said.

“Some of these recipes don’t look bad,” Chip said.

“And Drew is going to meet us near the coordinates,” Lee said, then grinned. “He’s flying to Australia, then will get a private helicopter to drop him aboard Seaview. He’s bringing me the replacement prosthesis. Drew contacted the patent holder who gave the Navy hell for not allowing me to ‘test’ it out in the field before becoming available for government use. And he stressed that as loan and I have to give it back with a complete report as to its functionality for everyday and specialty use, it’s not technically a replacement. The Navy has no choice but to allow me to test it. Case closed. As for a permanent replacement, well, I’m selling my Lamborghini that should just about cover the cost of a civilian model.”

 

“I’m very pleased,” I said, “but I can’t help wondering if you put Ames up to  ‘suggesting’ things to the patent holder.”

“Technically?”

“Lee~”

“All I told Drew was how much simpler my job would be right now with working eyeball optimized with  the same characteristics of the one Mallie damaged, the one under the patent the Navy’s been loaned. What Drew thought about what I said, or didn’t, was his own interpretation. Now, anything in those faxed recipes we should give to Cookie?”


Right now, Cookie is trying to decide on which recipe to use. But it’s pretty much a certainty that we’ll be having Spam Hawaiian, without the pineapple.

 

How he’s going to manage that, is anyone’s guess. I think I should call it Mystery Spam.

 

.