Watching a charter fishing boat head out to sea this morning prompted me to remember a visit from Hannah a few years back. She had been living on Fiji with a native family. The man of the house had lost his life so they all had to struggle for the small amount of protein they were able to add to their diet. Mostly trash fish.
All of her travels had been impactful but this one a bit closer to the bone as she experienced hunger and poverty up close, while surrounded by incredible beauty.. Anyway, she was headed back to the States, a rest stop on her path to somewhere else, and we were eager for the visit.
Always the fearless adventurer, on her own since she was 15, I greatly admired her indomitable spirit and zest for the winds of life, eager for them to blow strong, daring them to knock her down.
She and I decided to go out on a group charter, you know, spend some time together, catching fish and too much sun. She landed a nasty Barracuda. No surprise there. Holding it up, it was unclear which of the two was the most dangerous and likely to draw blood.
Late in the day, sunburned and relaxing topside, I wondered where Hannah was when she didn’t return from a run to the lady’s room. I looked all over the boat, top deck, main galley, along the rails, everywhere. No Hannah. With all kinds of crazy scenarios running through my head, I did my best to remain calm, looking for a logical outcome as I headed up to the Captain’s Wheelhouse. About to knock on his door, I paused, peering through the salt crusted window of his door. Hannah was at the wheel, standing tall, steering us back home with the captain standing alongside of her, telling her what and how.
Apparently on her return from the head, she had seen the captain doing his thing, knocked and said “Let me steer!” Incredulous at being faced with this mermaid who had come on board and was standing there giving him orders, he wasn't eager to turn away a pretty girl with such charming chutzpah. He broke the rules and allowed her in, showing her how to bring the boat into port.
Although she was grateful for his willingness to give her the opportunity, I believe she mostly wanted him to sit down and be quiet. She would have been happier to try to do it on her own.
That’s was her way at age four and it is unchanged to this day.
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