Tatoosh

Write a story that ends with one character waiting for the arrival of another.

It was near 4 oʻclock and the last bus back to Kona was about to leave Hilo when Kalani Brewster saw his old shipmate Mathew across from the pier bus stop. “Hey Crooked Face”, Brewster yelled at the tanned, tall guy wearing a pair of beat-up slippers dressed in old navy blue surf shorts and a yellow torn JC Pennyʻs crew tank top - who curiously stared back across the pier towards the Hilo city bus stop.

“Yea you, Crooked Face”, Brewster yelled again as the laky surfer looking dude strolled towards the bus stop. “Oh my God, Brewster?” came the instant reply from Matt Dillworth the lanky blonde surfer dude known as Crooked Face. Yea, dude how are you? What, how long has it been - what 5-7 years? Last time I saw you we were surfing Baby Queens in Waikiki summer swell, wasnʻt it? Yea, Brewster, I think yourʻe right. So what Matt - what have you been up to?

Matt took a long breath and summed up the last decade of his life by just saying, “I schooled it getting out with an MD to match my initials and Iʻve been volunteering as the medical officer on the yacht “Tatoosh” - do you know her?” “Yea, I do,” said Brewster, “Wasnʻt that Paul Allenʻs baby the Microsoft guy?” Yea, that was up until he died and the company turned it into a medical service boat for the native people of the Pacific.

“Cool - so, what, you living in Kona?” asked Brewster “Not exactly, Iʻm living out in Waiohinu, South Point, and commute to Kona when we sail otherwise Iʻm working at the Pahala Community Hospital in Kau. We donʻt get many patients since the people out there are pretty tough and resilient and if they do need critical medical attention itʻs usually pretty severe so we end up sending them to Kona or Hilo Emergency.

“And you Brewster, what have you been doing?” “Ah not much” came, Brewster's slow reply - “been surfing and shuttling sailboats that day sailors bought online in Cali then sail them back for a small fee. It pays the bills and keeps me on the ocean. But with this Corona Virus thing going on, I havenʻt been getting many requests to shuttle boats anywhere.”

“Hey, Brewster,” said Matt, “You interested in working on the Tatoosh?” Yea, Iʻd really like that - what kind of job?” asked Brewster. “I dunno, there are always looking for salty seamen and I could put in a good word for you. So, yea, let me check it out and Iʻll get back to you. Whatʻs your number or how do I get in touch with you?

Brewster scratched his cell number on a wrinkled piece torn from a brown paper bag crumbled near the garbage can at the bus stop. “Here you go Crooked Face, or do I call you Dr. Crooked Face? They both laughed and Matt said, “Only my closest friends know me as Crooked Face”. “OK, call me and hook me up, Matt, I appreciate.

The Kona bus pulled up and Brewster jumped on throwing the shocker hand sign to Matt who returned the shocker wave back. 

The next day around 6am Brewster got a call from Matt. “Hey, Kalani - I was talking to Ellianne the wahine who takes care of all our shoreside activity and she said thereʻs an opening for a First Mate on the “Tatoosh”. I told her that you were perfect for the gig and they want to talk to you this morning if you can get your butt to Kona by 10am this morning. Can you?” Totally stoked Brewster said, “But of course I can Matt. Where do I go and who do I ask for?” Matt totally excited said, “Go down to Paul Allenʻs house in Kona and come aboard the Tatoosh and ask for Ellianne, sheʻll fill you in on all the details. “Great,” said, Brewster. “Do you know if the Tatoosh is sailing any time soon?” “Yea, I think she might be - with all this Coronavirus stuff gong on the Tatoosh is being equipped with some kind of state of the art medical screening device and lab diagnostics equipment. Anyway, talk with Ellianne, dude, sheʻll be waiting for you.

Brewster dragged himself out of bed and made ready for the interview that he knew heʻd have no problem with if Microsoft was looking for a seasoned blue water competent sailor. Brewster knew he cold sell them on his experience if nothing else.

 Promptly at 10:00am Brewster showed up shore side of the Tatoosh giving her the once over staring at her long lines on three decks with a length overall as long as a football field. Yea, she was at least 300ʻ long, comfortably beamy and it was rumored that Paul Allen bought the Tatoosh for some crazy-ass price of $100 Million US. Brewster was full of smiles dreaming of being on her crew as anything, 1st mate sounded great but Brewster would have jumped on that boat as “cabin boy” just to get on. 

“Ah hoy” yelled Brewster to a random deckhand who answered back, “Yes, can I help you?” Somewhat shocked that Brewster didnʻt get an “Ae ae, Mate what up?” instead of the preppy, “can I help you” but hey who cares? As long as I can get on this boat, Iʻll be a happy sailor was Brewsters only single thought.

“Yea, Iʻm looking for Ellianne?” answered Brewster. “Yes, sir come aboard, Do you have an appointment with Ellianne? “Yes, I do at 10am?” “No problem, Iʻll take you to Miss Elli straight away” came the deckhands immediate reply. 

Walking into a stateroom on the port side of the middle quarter-deck, Brewster was greeted by a very attractive local girl who introduced herself as Ellianne Kahanamoku of the infamous Duke Kahanamoku family of famous surfers. “Aloha, you must be Kalani Brewster, Dr. Dillworth gave you a sterling recommendation. Brewster approached this beautiful woman cautiously, looking her over for any discrepancy he could use to his advantage but saw none. “Yes, Ellianne, aloha to you too. Iʻm honored to be aboard.” “Come letʻs have a seat aft and you can tell me about yourself and I can share with you what we are looking for as a crew member on the Tatoosh. Would you like something to drink, coffee, tea, ice or cold?”

Brewster just smiled and said, “No, ma'am Iʻm fine.” Sitting on the custom upholstery on the most comfortable lounge sofa, Kalani had ever seen let alone sat on, he cold readily understand how expensive this boat as if the sofa pillows were this comfortable and exquisite, Yea, this boat is a million dollar baby for sure. 

Ellianne and Brewster settled in on a long conversation about Kalaniʻs background and experience. Ellianne went on to further describe the crew position the Tatoosh was looking for, benefits, vacation time, and pay. About two hours had passed and Ellianne said, well what do you think can you see yourself as a crew member on the Tatoosh?

Kalani was floored wonder if Ellianne was offering him the job or was she just toying with him to get a reaction or commitment form which she would try to get him to commit to lesser pay, grade or title. “Specifically, Ellianne, what position are we talking about”. “The Fist Mates position, are you interested in it, the pay is $75k a year with full benefits and 10-day shore side vacation anywhere of your choice?” Brewster was tongue-tied and could barely answer but managed to squeak out a meager “Yeeees I do, I am, I am very interested in being a crew member here in Hawaii on the Tatoosh” Ellianne laughed and said, “Fine, youʻre hired. Your stateroom is aft of the quarter-deck starboard. Youʻll see a room door tag titled “First Mate”. That would be you Kalani” “Oh my God, thank you so much Ellianne - mahalo piha tita. I mean Ms. Ellianne.” Fine, Iʻll have one of the hands show you to your quarters.

Later that night Brewster called Matt and told him the good news. “Yea, Kalani thereʻs some stuff going down that you need to be aware of with this Coronavirus and the mission of the Tatoosh for the Pacific. One of the company's main dudes will be becoming to Kona to brief everyone so as much as you can research and read up on the COVID-19 thing the better-informed youʻll be. Even as a clinician, said Matt, “Iʻm still amazed at all that is going down - so do your homework” “No prob Matt, Iʻm on it!”

Brewster downloaded everything he could read and re-read everything so heʻd have a basic sense of what was current with this COVID-19 pandemic which he found incredibly interesting and just as scary. 

Kalani had come across an interesting article written by Dr. Dolores Cahill of University College Dublin, the Chairwoman of the Irish Freedom Party who takes a very strong position on arguing against any form of vaccination for the people of Ireland relative to this COVID-19 pandemic. Another interesting find by the second group of physicians led by the infamous Robert Kennedy Jr. along with Del Bigtree and Russian naturopath, Katia Txi, discussing the global vaccine debate, how it got to this point, and what they plan on doing about it boosted Brewsters self-tutorial to a new high level of awareness in the controversy over vaccines for COVID-19 and wether, not these vaccines are more dangerous to our health than good, stymied Brewster in his plight to understand this convoluted controversy.

Getting settled aboard the Tatoosh, Brewster, felt he had finally found his calling in life, to sail and be on the ocean in an environment that he had yearned for all his life. To be free on the sea, far from the maddening crowds of overpopulated cities and crazy landlubbers.

Since Kalani had been hired two weeks flew by getting acquainted with the Tatoosh and her seaworthiness that made even more assured he had made the right decision to come aboard the Tatoosh as its 1st Mate. By the end of the month, he was certain he found his place on the boat and position in life. Brewster was a happy camper.

Around the end of May, Matt called Kalani to tell him that a very important corporate person was coming to Kona and that he should ensure that he was very familiar with the Tatoosh, in the event the skipper couldnʻt be on board when this mucky-muck came to Kona, Kalani would be able to skipper the Tatoosh for whatever this Microsoft executive might need.

Brewster assured Matt he was competent and seaworthy with the Tatoosh, plus he was reasonably current on all the popular thesis and lecturers on COVID-19 taking the lay position that he personally did not support the notion of vaccinations because of all the controversy and potential negative adverse events with a high probability because of the lack of certainty and insufficient time for a qualifying clinical trial to prove its net-worth as being safe. Matt was duly impressed with Brewster's research and applauded his laymanʻs stoic efforts being able to speak to the controversy of the COVID-19 issue intelligently and not from an emotional rant.

The Tatoosh was set to sail that last weekend in May both Matt and Brewster would be onboard only with this big shot from Microsoft. That last day in May finally came and Brewster had the Tatoosh strack and seaworthy. All stores were on board and the crew was set to sail, they were just waiting for the Microsoft fellow who finally pulled up in an all-black Cadillac SUV. 

The SUV pulled right alongside the Tatoosh and the first person out of the Cadi was Ellianne, the second person was Matt following Matt was a skinny somewhat disheveled older guy. They came aboard, fist shaking hand with the captain then Ellianne introduced me to the old guy saying, “Kalani, this is Bill Gates”