Somewhere off The West Coast of England

Olivea Carrigan

No, no, no, no! Damn! My footsteps raced along the cobblestone as I zipped through the city. I was going to be late… again. Shops, windows and red brick buildings flew by me as the cold winter air bit at my face. I dodged around the bustling, early morning city folk, weaving through people telling me good morning with no time to reply other than a quick Hello!… Out of breath and freezing I ran all the way to the docks in my heavy winter boots. If frostbite didn’t get to me first, Raymond Pines was definitely going to kill me.

The sounds coming from my feet pounding on the ground eventually changed from stone to wood and the hearty echo of my boots could probably be felt all the way down the dock… to where Raymond was standing. Raymond, Raymond… Why did I keep calling him that?… I’ve been slipping up way too much lately. I had been working for Raymond for a little over five years at that point and he trusted me well enough… but I least wanted to keep some air of professionalism between us. I always called him Mr. Pines, and I was usually on time for my shift at the docks or on his boat. Clearly none of those two simple things had been happening as of lately.

I finally saw him standing there, hands behind his back and his long coat almost touching the dusty wood of the docks below him. Mr. Pines was a man who looked like he belonged at sea, with a white captain’s hat that he wore so well, adorned with a small patch of an anchor and everything. Alas, Mr. Pines stood there, still and staring out to sea. His boat in front of him probably obstructing his view of the gray, overcast clouds and the all too green and blue ocean. The Fellowship was a lovely small ship that I had enjoyed working on for many years at that point… but the keeper of said boat was… illusive to say the least. My footsteps slowed as I approached Mr. Pines’ right side, boots thumping loudly on the wood. I finally stopped next to him and hunched over to catch my breath. He did not look away from the sea.

“Good morning Mr. Pines, I’m sorry I’m late again I just-” I started, practically wheezing out every word.

“It’s alright, James.” Mr. Pines’ voice was commanding but soft. Deep and rooted in confidence and age. I stopped trying to explain and just continued to try and breathe. The winter air made it a difficult time of year.

“James.” I looked up at Raymond. His glance still didn’t waver from the sea. “I think I’m going to retire soon.” He finally looked at me.

Head and body fully turned to face me, his black eye patch covering his left eye coming fully into my view. Another very defining feature of his… He gazed at me, one single blue eye looking downward, unfazed by what he just said. He turned and started walking down the docks.

“Wha- I-… Ray- I mean!… Mr. Pines!” I leapt to catch up with him.

Our footsteps eventually fell in line as Mr. Pines strode down the docks, my mind was racing with a million questions. How could he just… just… say that!

“I- Mr. Pines, I think I have the right to ask at least somewhat where this is coming from? You…You’ve never mentioned or gave any sign of this before.” I was a mess, gesturing wildly with my hands, stumbling over my words. I felt like I had just been slapped across the face.

“James, I think you know right well that I’m not the most talkative person,” Raymond began, “So really. I didn’t think this would be that surprising.” He gave a hearty chuckle and moved his hands to his coat pockets.

“I’m sorry, I don’t know it just seems so… sudden…” As I spoke I realized I had no idea how old Mr. Pines even was. He certainly looked retiring age. Mr. Pines inhaled.

“I must admit I’m a little… nervous I suppose, to share what I’m about to tell you, James… but you deserve to finally hear it from me.” I’m still shocked to this day that I didn’t freeze on the spot and somehow kept walking next to Mr. Pines after he said those words to me.  I had no idea what this possibly could have meant. As we made our way to the pier I could feel the adrenaline building up in my chest. Raymond was retiring and now he also had something else to tell me? I did my best to keep pace with him.

“How old were you when the war started?” Oh. 

I finally understood. And I knew the answer to this question all too well.

“I was 18, sir.” That was about 16 years ago now… God… Has it already been that long since then?

I looked up at him as we walked. I was on the left side, eyepatch fully in view with the sea backdropped behind him. I knew he had fought in the war… I knew his eyepatch was from a serious injury he had sustained in Germany. I knew he wore his dog tags at all times. I could hear them jingling softly under his coat. Sir… why did I just call him sir? I knew he held rank in Britain’s Army… I guess it was only fitting to address him as such… sir…

“Ah… just old enough, hm?” Raymond broke my train of thought.

“Yes sir… I never got drafted though because I-”

“Because you have asthma. I know, son.” He said softly, “As much as you try to hide it, you do a pretty crap job when you think no one is watching.” He gave another hearty chuckle. I looked down to my boots.

“It’s nothing to be ashamed of. In fact… it’s probably a good thing they didn’t let you in.” We turned right, going out onto the long boardwalk that stretched into the ocean. White, paint chipped wood grasping at salty waters and seaweed. I paused, then leapt to keep up and turn the corner.

“I- Ray- Mr. Pines,” I was stumbling over my words again, “I can hardly see how that’s a good thing. In every other aspect besides my… my asthma I was perfect capable of serving in the-”

“Enough.” Raymond stopped and remained facing the end of the pier. We were not even 10 feet out onto the wooden pier.

“Enough…” He kept walking.

We walked to the edge of the world in silence.

Raymond slowed his pace as we neared the old railing that separated us from the vast sea before us. He placed his hands on the paint peeled railing and exhaled.

“I’m not going to tell you about the time I served, because that’s not what this is about.” He finally began, “My time during the actual war was… average I’d say. As average as a man can get for fighting against such uncertain odds all the time. But I do want to tell you this, James… I lost my way for a long, long time after I got out of there. Dumped onto the streets of England, suddenly, with no purpose after serving for… five years?” 

He seemed unsure about that amount of time.

“It’s a miracle that I even survived that long. That I survived those five years and then these 16 years after the fact. It was something no man should ever witness, or feel or even see, James. And I am glad that you didn’t.” He turned to me, leaning against the railing with one arm. Not quite a smile, but not quite a grimace crossed his face. I swallowed thickly, no words coming to my mind. Raymond continued.

“I see so much good in you and I know you love the sea like I do… I can see it in your eyes. The eyes of a sailor. I’m glad that you have the eyes of a sailor and not the eyes of a soldier. They suit you much better than a soldier’s eyes ever would.” A smile finally came to his face. “The sea was something that saved me in my darkest hour. That old boat… and the glorious ocean. Together they are beautiful.” I could feel a lump forming in my throat. A silence settled between us for just a moment.

“I… I never knew you felt that way about those things.” I finally said.

“Mmm… a sailor’s feelings are always tucked deep next to his heart.” Another silence. The cold winter wind blew across the pier.

“So… is this goodbye then? You said you wanted to retire…” I said hesitantly. I didn’t want to know the answer to this question.

“No, I’d like to think of it as just… a new chapter.” Raymond shuffled around in his pockets. “For both of us.” He pulled the keys to the Fellowship out of his pocket and dangled them in front of me. I stopped breathing.

“You’re joking.” I said, dead serious.

“When have I ever told you a joke?” Raymond said then laughed. Fully laughed. Not a chuckle, not an exhale… he laughed.

Raymond then placed the boat keys in my hand, took off his captain’s hat, unlooped his dog tags from around his neck and then handed both of the items to me as well. His flattened, salt and pepper hair now rustled freely in the wind.

“You’re a dear friend, James. And I am thankful for your service to me.”

Tears brimmed my eyes. This man before me, my mentor, my captain, my friend… he had such a good heart even after everything he had gone through. Incredible.

“Thank you, Mr- … Raymond. Thank you, Raymond.” I said as steadily as I could. I tucked my new captain’s hat under my arm and held out the other hand that wasn’t clutching the dog tags and keys for a handshake. Raymond shook my hand firmly, calloused hands warm and comforting.

“And thank you, Captain Maynard.” He smiled widely, single eye crinkling at the corner. I smiled back, just as wide.

We turned together and began to make our way back down the pier. This morning had certainly not gone the way I had expected it to at all. By now I probably would have been out on the Fellowship, many leagues out at sea taking commands from Captain Pines. But now things had suddenly changed and Raymond Pines deserved his rest, deserved his retirement. He deserved everything warm and comforting that the world had to offer him…

“Sir? I just realized something.”

“Yes, son.”

“How old are you exactly?”

“Hmm… My birthday is December 2nd… 1904, I think.” Raymond said matter of factly, a smile reappearing across his face.

“Well, just in case I forget tomorrow… Happy birthday, Mr. Pines.”