Will ya?” I whined out loud. Then the accompanying thunder clapped so loud that it sounded like a rumbling earth quake and I was the epicenter.
“That’s God trying to get your attention.”
The neighbor said, speaking up to me from my lap.
“I’m all ears.” I replied.
“Are you in any kind of shape to talk?” I gently probed.
“Maybe you could do a slow mental self assessment.”
“I can do that, with some help, if you don’t mind.” He came back.
“Ok, starting with the bump at the back of your head and going on from there, I’ll ask you to feel it and then report. Ready?”
“Yes,” he agreed.
“Do you feel pain in the back of your head? Explain.” I began.
“Actually, no I have no pain on my head, anywhere.”
“How about your neck,” I questioned further?
I felt him turn his head slowly from side to side in my lap.
“That feels alright?” He reported.
“I didn’t get a chance to examine your back, so focus there,” I continued.
There was more movement and twisting from him with no audible winces or moans, so I’m figuring that all was going pretty well.
“Feels like my back is ok.”
I heard him yawn, as he said it.
“Oh my god, you can’t go back to sleep. You may have a concussion and go into a coma.” I said with way too much drama in my voice.
“It’s the rain, rain makes me yawn. I’m awake.” He said.
“Are you very uncomfortable?” He asked.
“Don’t worry about me; you don’t have to move. It will be better if you stay put for a bit. Plus, where can you go?”
I gave him my best ‘brave soldier’ attitude even though I was very much in need of a good stretch. My muscles were cramped and uncomfortable.
Then it dawned on me to ask about his comfort. “How about you? Do you need anything; can I make you any more comfortable?”
“Actually this is fine, but if you were serious, that temple thing you were doing was really good.”
So we co-existed there in silent darkness while I gently stroked his temple and brushed his hair back with my finger tips.
“Don’t fall asleep.”
I chided him every few minutes and would ask him a question that he had to answer before I would leave him alone.
“So, were you trying to break into my stateroom back there?” My first question.
“I panicked for just a second.”
He came back at me a bit defensively.
I smiled to myself and resumed the temple rubbing action as we sank into a comfortable silence again. I made good use of my time as I planned my next question.
“How about another bowl?”
I asked when it seemed like I had waited long enough.
“I did bring it along for medicinal purposes as well. I’m feeling the need to be a bit more mellow, myself”
“I’m game, if I don’t have to move much.”
I impressed my self as the darkness didn’t offer me much of a challenge while I packed the bowl and resumed my position with stranger’s head on my lap. I remembered the lighter in my pocket.
“Oh darn, the lighter might not work.”
“No worries.” He said.
“I have one in my pocket.”
Crap, I’d stolen his lighter.
I cupped my hands and flicked the lighter. A tiny flame caught the shake and I got a hit. As is custom, I handed the whole operation over to him and the lighter barely ignited, while he did his part. I caught sight of his colorful clothes, just a glimpse before the light was gone. I heard him draw on the pipe and then his signature cough; it was all in my hands again. We got our fill of the smoke and set it aside, well the lighter stopped working.
“Don’t you have anymore questions?”
I guess I was pretty stoned because I couldn’t think of any but I tried.
“Wait, give me a minute and I’ll come up with one.”
He waited patiently while I thought.
“Do you take any medication that I should know about?”
That seemed appropriate.
The munchies would hit soon, light or no light. I began to calculate where my snacks were located and then got a mental picture.
“No I don’t take any medicine on a regular basis. I’m fine on that point.”
He answered my hard thought out question and seemed to pause for more from me.
“Oh.” I heard him whisper.
“I was thinking of non-medical questions.”
I felt his head turn in my lap and I thought of a non-medical question.
“Would you like a snack?”
“Thank you, but not just yet; any other questions?”
Frankly I was flummoxed. I didn’t know what I should be asking him. Finally I gave up the ghost.
“Please forgive me my lack of knowledge but I’m uncertain what I should be asking you; do you have any questions of me?”
I felt satisfied that that was a pretty good come-back and question to ask.
“Only about a hundred.”
His voice had humor in it.
“Ok, fire away.”
“What’s your name?” He said simply.
Wow, I thought, this guy must be hurt; I told him my name before he tried to break into my stateroom. I guess he forgot.
“Like I said before, my name is Helen.”
“Where are you from?” He continued. I answered immediately.
“I’m from California.”
“How old are you?”
“29.”
I came back like I always do when someone thinks they’re entitled to have that exact information. There was no way I could keep the sarcasm out of my voice.
Then we had a few minutes of silence and I mulled over his questions. It hit me that I hadn’t been paying attention. He was asking personal questions. What the hell was the matter with me that I didn’t ask any personal questions? I let another minute slip by before I made the proper amends.
Not wanting to exactly imitate his questions, I went in another direction.
“Are you traveling alone? Will there be people worried about you who are on board this ship?” I was thinking of emergency contact people.
“Alone. No one will be looking for me. How about you?” he answered.
“I haven’t given her much thought, but I bet that my sister is getting concerned about our separation during this storm. I’m not as concerned about her because I know that she’s not alone.”
“Where are you from?” I asked.
“Canada.”
He came back with a one word sentence.