Pirates v. NYPD (working title) :)

1

One bright morning in June, Percy awoke, and chose chaos.

A young boy of eight, he had plenty of things to be grateful for: loving parents, brothers and sisters to play with and make mischief with, a decent education, and free run of the town, which had a 0% crime rate, during his free time. Most children would have been lucky to be Percy, but he wanted none of it.

Percy had in his heart a desire that every child has at some time or another, and in his heart it was so strong that he longed for it every day from the moment he woke up to the moment he fell asleep at night, not counting the times when he was thinking about other things. Percy wanted to be a pirate. 

He tumbled out of bed and put on his favorite outfit (for the moment), a baggy white shirt and brown pants, which he thought made him look the most like a pirate. Then he went downstairs, where his mother had just finished cooking breakfast, and his father was making lunches for Percy and his siblings. 

"Good morning, sweetheart!" said his mother, beginning to set the table. "How did you sleep?"

"Great!" said Percy. "I had a dream that I was a pirate, and I got to sit in the crow's nest and shout 'Land ho!' when we got to where the treasure was buried, and we found a hundred million dollars!"

His parents smiled at him and at each other. The believed that the degree of his interest in pirates was normal and healthy for a boy of his age.

Percy's brothers and sisters came down the stairs, and they all sat around the table and began to eat. Percy's mother was an amazing cook, but he couldn't help but be sad. If he were a pirate, he would get to eat hardtack with weevils in it, and drink old grog with the rest of the crew.

The time came for Percy and the others to go to school. The children liked to walk together until the end of the street, where his siblings went one way to the middle and high school, and Percy, the youngest, went to elementary school. His parents let him walk by himself because there was never crime and they didn't realize that children can still be hit by cars. 

As he left his siblings behind, Percy began to dread his day ahead. They had already finished learning about pirates, and now they were learning about ancient Egypt instead. The subject was so boring, Percy could barely stand it.

Suddenly, he had an idea. On the other side of town was the harbor, where many boats came and went every day. Percy had been there a few times with his family and on school trips, and while there were always big boats that carried only containers, or little boats that carried rich people, sometimes, there was an old wooden ship, with sails and ropes, just like pirates used. Percy wondered if he went there now, would he find the ship? Maybe he could get on board and look around and climb the mast and hoist the sails like real pirates did! It certainly beat learning about mummies and Egypt. Happily, he turned in the direction of the docks. 

When he reached his destination, Percy didn't find the ship he was looking for. He felt disheartened, and was turning around to go back to school, when out of the corner of his eye, he saw something else. 

On the far side of the marina, there was a ship Percy had never seen before. It looked like his favorite ship: wooden, three masts, canvas sails, a carved wooden figurehead at the prow, but something about it was different. It looked older and more weathered, as if it sailed more often. 

Curious, Percy walked over. As he got closer, he saw that on the ship were real pirates! He could tell because they wore loose white shirts and baggy pants like pirates, carried wooden barrels and crates on and off the ship using a gangway, and climbed around the ship, making repairs and cleaning.

One of the men was sitting on the dock, looking around and not seeming to be doing anything in particular. Suddenly, he caught sight of Percy, and got up with a start and came over. 

"Well, hello, young lad," said the pirate in a British accent. "You seem to have taken an interest in this here ship."

Percy nodded. "What is she called?"

"Her name is the Scurvy Mayflower," said the pirate, a touch of distaste in his voice. Percy looked at the figurehead and saw that it looked like the Pilgrim women they had learned about in school.

"That's a good name for a pirate ship," Percy nodded, a bit in awe.

"Pirate ship?" The man looked around nervously. "Who said anything about it being a pirate ship?"

"Well," said Percy, "what other kind of ship would be named the Scurvy Mayflower?"

The man brightened. "Well, aren't you a clever young lad! Say, is there any chance you're looking for a job? Our last cabin boy ran away at the last port, and we're looking for a replacement."

Percy's jaw nearly dropped. He had a chance to become a pirate!

"Oh yes!" he exclaimed. "I would love to!"

"Excellent!" said the pirate, clapping his hands together. "Of course, you'll have to speak to Captain Maggots, first."

"Captain Maggots?" It was a very good pirate name, Percy thought, but he was a little afraid of how the captain might have gotten it. 

"Yes," said the man, "He'll have to ask you some questions to see if you're qualified for the job. Standard stuff, really. Have you never interviewed for a job before?"

"No," said Percy. "I'm eight."

"Hmm," said the pirate. "Getting a bit of a late start, aren't we? Well, I'll give you some tips for how to impress the captain. Firstly, address the captain as Sir. Secondly, when he asks you a question, tell the truth, but not the whole truth. Thirdly, use a nice, firm grip when you shake hands. Got all that?"

"Yes," said Percy, trying to remember all of it.

"Good. Let's go aboard."

He led Percy up the gangplank, across the deck, and down a hall at the back of the ship.. At the end was a door, upon which the man knocked. 

"Who be it?" cam a rough voice from within.

"Bryan," replied Percy's guide, "and a boy inquiring about the open position."

There was a pause. "Come ye in."

Bryan opened the door and led Percy inside. In the room was a messy bed in the corner, a map of the ocean hung on the wall, and a table with one chair, at which Captain Maggots sat.

He looked exactly as a pirate captain should. His beard was long and grizzled, his eyes were squinty and suspicious, and under the table, Percy could see that he had a peg leg. He wore a dirty red suit like Percy had seen in Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl, and on top of his three-cornered hat perched a green parrot. There was no trace of maggots about him.

Captain Maggots looked up from the table, where he had been writing on a map with a feather quill. He squinted at Percy. "Be ye the boy?"

Thinking quickly, Percy realized that the captain was speaking in Pirate Talk, so he switched from English accordingly. "Aye, Sir," he responded. "I be he."

Captain Maggots squinted harder at Percy, with more suspicion.

"Can ye swab the deck?"

"Aye, Sir."

"And 'elp the cook?"

"Aye, Sir."

"And keep down grog so ye don' get scurvy?"

Percy had never tried grog before, but just then he remembered what Bryan had said about not telling the whole truth. "Aye, Sir!"

Captain Maggots squinted even harder at Percy. The parrot squinted, too. He stuck his arm across the table. "Shake me hand, boy."

Percy stepped forward and did, trying his best to keep the handshake nice and firm.

Captain Maggots leaned back in his chair, looking impressed. "Well, truth be told, ye've convinced me. But Polly here makes all final decisions about hirin'. What says ye, bird?"

"Polly wants a cracker," screeched the bird.

Captain Maggots grinned. "It be settled then. Ye be 'hired!"

Percy almost couldn't contain his excitement. "Thank you, Captain!"

"We set sail immediately!"