Jack
14
The sun rose and every thing fell, including Alex’s mood: it was day one of the cruise he’d be on with his grandparents for the next week. They were headed to Alaska.
That morning, as his grandparents slept, Alex was free to wander the ship. The Super Fun Kidz Klub was super empty. In the center of the ship was a casino, but all Alex could see through the large glass doors was swirling cigar smoke. It was nine o’clock in the morning.
Alex went up a level and found the cruise ship’s morning TV show being taped. He sat down in the audience and observed the show’s host yelling at a much larger man. “I’m out of here,” the big guy said.
“Oh really now. Bring it on bow-wow!” shouted the host, fists raised.
Soon, security guards appeared to drag the host away. “No need for concern ladies and gentleman, Jonas here seems to be suffering from cabin fever.”
This ship drives people crazy, Alex thought.
The rest of the day he slept, drained from yesterday’s long plane ride. When Grandma woke him up, it was time for dinner. Because they were just a trio, Alex and his grandparents shared a table with two other small families. One family was composed of three Canadians. Grandpa Bob was delighted by this because he considered hockey one of his many areas of expertise. The other family was an elderly black couple from Atlanta.
Grandpa Bob was first to break the ice as he asked the Atlanta couple, “So, are you from the South?” When they confirmed his suspicions, Grandpa Bob explained, “I could tell by your accents.” The couple introduced themselves as James and Beronica, and Grandpa Bob patted the man on the back saying, “James, I just wanted to let you know that I very involved in the civil rights movement in the 60’s.”
“Good to hear,” James responded, as Grandpa Bob assured him, “No need to thank me, I just did what was right.”
A period of silence ensued as everyone looked into their water glasses.
“So James, do you play any sports?” Grandpa Bob inquired.
“I swim laps at the YMCA from time to time,” James said.
“I bet you’re a big basketball fan,” said Grandpa Bob.
“Not really, although I do coach my three-year-old grandson’s team.”
“Did you hear that, Alex? A pro basketball coach right at our table!” Grandpa Bob said gleefully. “How about you give Alex some pointers tomorrow?”
.
“I guess I could try that,” James responded.
The rest of dinner was filled with inconsequential chit-chat. The mustachioed patriarch of the Canadian family bragged that he had been able to convince Buckingham palace security that his hand gun was a medically prescribed “comfort object” to combat stress.
Later that evening, Alex walked back to the cabin by himself. When passing through the photo gallery, Alex spotted a few pictures from dinner with James, Beronica, and the Canadians. He found it disconcerting that other people could buy photos of him. As he stood alone, gazing at one portrait of his dinner group, he didn’t know how he’d survive six more dinners like it. Then he felt a hand cup his shoulder, and Grandpa Bob gestured toward a photo, saying, “I kind of look like Brad Pitt in this one, don’t you think?”
This question was likely triggered by a group in line for dinner who had mistaken Grandpa Bob for the lead actor in an overplayed diabetes commercial. One woman had even started singing the jingle, “Whatcha gonna do if you don't like needles? Sniff it! Whatcha gonna do if you don't like ladles? Drink it!” This jingle was so universally loathed that a group of Japanese tourists joined in the mocking chorus. One man asked Grandpa Bob to pose with him for a selfie.
The next morning Alex woke up to Grandpa Bob saying, “Wake up, brutha! Maybe today you’ll get to ball James so hard!” After a quick breakfast, Alex made his way to the sports deck.
It was overcast and cold up at the basketball court, where Alex found Grandpa Bob, in a t-shirt with neon orange lettering that spelled out BASKETBALL! sitting next to James. “Nice shirt,” Alex commented. Grandpa Bob grinned, “Thanks, I can get one for you if you want.” Alex smiled politely at this offer. Grandpa Bob continued, “I got one for James too, but he decided that he didn't want to get it sweaty so that he could wear it to dinner.”
James nodded.
“So, are we gonna play, or what?” Grandpa Bob asked excitedly.
“I thought James was going to give me some pointers,” Alex said. “I figured we could both give you some pointers,” Grandpa Bob assured Alex.
Alex thought back to the last time he had played basketball with Grandpa Bob. When Alex was six years old, the 5’ 9” Grandpa Bob had blocked each of his shots and yelled, “Not in my house!”
Alex’s attention was brought back to the present when he stepped on the court and Grandpa Bob forcefully passed the ball to him. “Caught you sleeping there,” he jawed. Alex took a shot from far beyond the three point line and banked it in. “Nice shot,” Grandpa Bob said begrudgingly, scowling at James.
“My bad, I thought this was a warm up,” James replied.
The rest of the game went much the same way with Grandpa Bob’s chatter and James’s general confusion. When the game ended, Grandpa Bob patted Alex on the back and said, “I’m really glad I was able to teach you a thing or two, you really improved as the game went on.”
“Sorry about my grandpa,” Alex said quietly to James once his grandfather was out of ear shot.
“Oh, Bob? He’s a hoot. It’s rare you make friends on trips like this.”
As Alex walked back to his cabin, he tried to understand what James liked about Grandpa Bob. Whether this was luck or just something he didn’t understand about old men and friendship, Alex did not know. He walked and walked, past the Kidz Klub, past the casino, through the photo gallery, until he finally reached his room. Alex stared at the door handle and slowly turned the knob.
