Stranger.

I had just finished a presentation at the board meeting for Golan Sachs; they actually enjoyed it and were happy to come on board with the idea of the way in which a customer is dealt with at first point of call. To take control of the matter in hand instead of being thrown all around other departments. Good service- happy Customers= retention and Growth.

I was exhausted and had three weeks holiday, usually I work through them but for some reason I really felt the need to visit Italy, Turin where our Lord’s shroud was first found before being taken to the Vatican in Rome. So I packed and booked a cruise that stopped off and other islands around the ocean. I was looking forward to this.

We set off the next day and the weather was nice in England, always hated that ; the weather being beautiful as you go on your holidays, rather it was raining and fog, mist even snow on the horizon, then you feel like that you have really got the best time off work for your holiday and come home to beautiful weather, suppose you just have to be thankful you was even getting a holiday.

The cruise liner was everything it had written about itself, massage parlour, swimming, jacouzie and a shopping mall with a hairdresser, well that was me taken care of. I looked around and almost everyone had partners with them which I did feel like a old prune left on the shelf, but it’s better to be lonely than stuck in an unhappy relationship, besides I have been single 12 years now and it’s not healthy, you become selfish with your time and if your blessed financially not to rely on a man, well unless the right one comes along being lonely here and there is nothing really, there are a lot people worse off than me.

I went up to the top deck we were approaching our first destination a quite little island on France cost where you have a wander and meet the Locals. Didn’t care too much for the French personally, found them pompass and very little patience for the English, so I gave that a miss, instead I sat on deck and carried on with some of my book I was writing. Sense9 Russia, America, Ireland , Australia, Tokyo,China,Iran ,Iraq, Countries with a person I could mentally link up with and we would help each other Russia was the bad guy obviously 🙄 he wanted to rule sapiens brains link them up and run the world. “Anything I could get you Madam?” I looked up to see a waiter smiling with tired fake smiling eyes that were hiding a lot of sorrow. “Yes I would love a cappuccino please” “Right you are Madam.”I could get used to this. As I drank my coffee I noticed a tall striking dark handsome man, just leaning over the deck looking into the sea. Not my tripe I like my men to be men dress up as a man but not in a Louis Vuitton Suit and you smell aristocratic. No definitely not my type, I’ve always thought , “ Men and money just chase after money, money gets money, but they are obsessed with money, I can’t compete with money.”

I strolled around the deck and decided to go for a swim in the indoor swimming pool. It was lovely and refreshing. Then a massage and it was shower and evening meal. I couldn’t of had a more perfect relaxing day.

We set sail for Italy and by morning we were in the middle of the sea I went up to the deck no one not a soul, I looked in the Captain quarters nothing, everyone had disappeared. The Cruise ship was just floating along.

Hi I’m Albert Cuthburt, seems there would only be us on the Ship, I will steer her to the nearest land. We got off at this island to stretch our legs, see if anyone was around, not a soul; it was just getting to a stage where you just couldn’t write this up .. a whole cruise ship of people disappeared and the staff?? Albert gathere some firewood and made a campfire and brought food off the cruise liner and a case of wine, I was quite drunk and said Albert “give us a kiss” “no no he said you are quite drunk I think you should get some rest.” I respected him for that, most men would just jump in and there you go . I felt awkward around him the next morning like I just didn’t know what to say, it’s like we came from two completely different worlds but I hadn’t even talked with him.

After searching round the island we came across a village where natives were just going about there everyday lives, they looked at us and didn’t really give us a glance. The women were weaving and making clothes from animal skin and fur and the men were covering each other’s face in paint. One native had a flute and played it beautifully.

I wrote a poem for Albert for I knew after a week of spending my time with the Natives Natuwa the flute player had captured my heart, we spent our time painting each other and venturing around the irland, he made me a treehouse and we just never stopped laughing and gazing into each other’s eyes. The Chief Ozwan had given permission for us to become one and we had a beautiful ceremony of dancing, singing and pope smoking. Albert spent his time getting the electric to work on the cruise line and sending S.O.S signals out and on the day rescue came I related to him

Farewell my friend our time has come, but memories of laughter will live on we have had fun but now it’s time for you to run. Though Goodbyes can be tough, let’s make this short and sweet, so raise this glass and let’s cheers , to the good times and your journeys to be and let’s hope you find the same love and happiness as me. Goodbye Albert my dear friend.

The End ©️ Dawn Earnshaw