Day 14

“Well, Jiggs?” I asked my friend over breakfast at Sharkey’s Diner, “what are you going to do with your winnings from the betting pool about Seaview’s paint job?”

“Not much,” he laughed. “I knew Crane would do the right thing in the end. Where is he now anyway? I hear he didn’t report for work this morning, not that he was actually scheduled.”

“He said he was taking his  mother for a walk on the beach this morning. A   little ‘quality’ time for them, he said.”

“I know I’ve had my doubts about him. I still think he’s arrogant and opinionated, but guess I do have to admit that he really is a good boy, Harry.”

“I know,” I couldn’t help smiling, especially because Lee really was ‘my’ boy now.

“Excuse me, Admiral Nelson,” Sharkey approached, wiping his hands on his apron, “can I speak with you?”

“What now?” Jiggs asked, irritated, “yes, the sausage is good, the eggs are good, it’s all good. But Admiral Nelson and I are busy right now.”

“Jiggs,” I hissed.  “What is it, Francis?”

“Well, sir, me and the guys were thinking. Now that the Skip’s made his choice, he’s gotta’ be feeling a bit low and...”

“What are you talking about?” Jiggs asked, “Captain Crane did the right thing, why should he feel bad about it?”

“Because painting Seaview red was a really nice fantasy dream of his. Choosing to do the ‘right thing’ instead has to hurt. A lot. But, there’s still a way we can make the Skipper’s dream come true, well, sort of. Without   changing his mind or Seaview’s paint job. But…we’re gonna’ need to, well, borrow something  of Admiral Nelson’s.”

“Just tell me what you want, Chief. I’ll do anything I can to help.”

“Harriman! You don’t even know what it is!”

“Calm down and finish your pancakes. Everything is really good Chief. I don’t know how you’re going to find a replacement for when you’re at sea or at work at NIMR.”

“Ah, that’s another thing. I was hoping that, well, you and the Skipper might help with interviewing  the rest of the applicants for the fry cook positions. Ski and Pat both say, well, that I can be a bit intimidating.”

“No problem, Francis,” I assured him.

“Gee, that’s swell, sir. Now, this is what we need…”

It was mid afternoon before  Captain Crane reported to NIMR and logged in, to catch up on the paperwork for Seaview’s services, which was piling up.  I still don’t know how so many of us managed to cram ourselves into Office #007, filled balloons, streamers and banners.

For a moment I imagined that he could hear our combined breathing and ’shushing’ each other before he opened the door.

“Surprise!” we all yelled and parted like the Red Sea, revealing, on his desk, my scale model of Seaview. Only now it was his. The name plate of ‘SSRN Seaview, Commanded by Capt. Lee Crane’ proved it.  And it was red. Bright, shiny, Corvette Red.

“She’s...she’s beautiful...”

“There’s something else she is, Lad,” I said, with a small box in my hand, “she’s remote controlled. Not the best remote control as far as models go, but she dives and she broaches the surface, just like the real one.”

 “I...I don’t know what to say, ”Lee grinned and turned to his crew, “this is the best welcome home present yet. Thank you. Thank you all.”

“Darn good looking," Jiggs said, "if I say so myself.”

“You...helped with it?”

“Well, I did insist on a third coat of paint," he laughed. 

It’s nearly midnight and Lee is back in his office after he,(and just about all of the crew) ‘tested’ her out’ like kids with a new toy.

He said he had to get caught up on some paperwork.

But I know and he knows I know, he just wants to stare at his Corvette Red Seaview a little longer, and dream.