The Cathabella Diary | Novella

05.02.22

The party was on the deck and it was scheduled to begin at three after lunch. My morning had been quite steady as I had a good morning tea and spent the whole morning reading some books and articles. I did use the telephone today and called back home. But nobody picked up. I had quite a chin-wag with Alex about the setting and he said it had been going alright and he was excited to welcome me... The Boss, after all, yes.

I am still not sure about anything. I had already been distressed about Aly and I was trying to push it back over my mind. And then I decide to come on this cruise and get nothing but a feeling of queasiness all over. I had been feeling low all morning till the evening came and then, atleast, some agitation was gone.

As for my seasickness... it had reduced to a minimum. I was feeling far better by the time of the party.

After quite a silent day, I arrived at the deck at one. A stage had already been set up, the bar was brimmed with all kind of alcohol and soda and some people were already around – rich, well-suited people – people whom I had seen in casuals or knickers on board earlier. Children were playing around and women were having a good look at the decorations... So was I.

The deck had been all filled up with people by two o' clock. And the excitement was teeming. By three, it was all chaos. No order. Music had started and one could feel the floor rocking under their feet. The weather had been bright today but the sun didn't hurt. People were all around – the sun-deck, the terrace, the forecastle – everywhere.

Thanks to my punctuality and boredom, I was on the deck; though at the farther end – sitting at the bar with Beverly at the other side – the barmaid. I was not fairly keen on being around the stage. It was all a noise for me; a noise which was trying to pin some merriness into my broken heart, not stitching it but cutting it more. I can tell this that I would be looking visibly agitated.

And then came up a man from among the crowd, suited in white. His back was facing the crowd when he got up. All I could see was his perfectly kempt and tied, long, grey hair. And as he turned around, facing us, his audience, I had the glimpse of the man – an old but stout man. For a second, I mistook him to be Donald Sutherland but then I realized he was not. He had a striking similar face though. People started applauding as he faced us and then gesturing the crowd to calm down, he continued –

"Hola! Hola, fellas!". The crowd applauded more. "I hope I'm audible to the very last soul of this evening!", he called out. People behind roared back. "Alright, alright."

He continued, starting with a low voice. "Well, while some of you would be knowing me, I must be a stranger to many of ya. In that case... Hey there, I'm Caleb Taylor, the very owner of this vessel you have been on". The applause started reducing to a murmur. He took a brief pause.

"Well, we know what it has been for the past two years now..." A silence fell. "Cathabella had been on her trip when I got the news of the outbreak for the first time – in Australia, I mean. It had been two days into Singapore and orders came we had to hold back... To hold back. For the first time in its history... a heritage of two decades... Cathabella was asked to hold back! Away from her motherland! Not only was it a sign of jeopardy, it hurt me... It really did hurt me!... You may think, 'What's this old bastard got to care about it? How does it matter?... Anyway? It just had to stay at some foreign harbour for some months. That's it. It must be some money lost for a rich old man; nothing else.

"Cathabella doesn't mean only business to me, it's... it's my life! I started with it when I had no one, nobody, not a single spirit with me. Cathabella was a dream for me and I built it... and I have lived it myself... Me, and only mine!... and there I was, with my only comrade, my dear Cathabella... Resting at the harbour, letting the wind pass through it while being stationary itself. It hurt me, it did.

"And people suffered too, didn't they? I lost a couple of friends of mine and that was really difficult to deal with... have my word if you haven't seen it yourself... But you've got to stay strong alright? Stay together, hands together, fighting the devil. I must take this moment to salute and appreciate the Covid warriors, our doctors, who risked their lives every day to save, support and guide us". He bowed down and some of the people in the crowd raised their glasses in honour.

"And now's finally the occasion Cathabella is back on her trip, on her errand, my darling. And here we are! Here I am! Right before my folks... after whole two years! And I want each and every single one of you to have this beauty as yours. This is the ship of your fantasies. And this is your party. Your and our celebration!". He picked up a bottle of champagne from the table alongside.

"For Cathabella", he said and jarring the bottle, popped the cork open, fizzing and squirting out the champagne. He directed it at the audience and cheered. What followed was a lavish party. Booze and cuisine, lights and amusement all over. Music on a soaring high and people dancing around. The floor shaking under your feet – both with music and the steps. One could smell, see and hear the profligacy in the air.

There I was, still at the bar, having my whisky, drinking like a sloth, glancing sometimes at the people dancing. There was no one around me apart from Beverly who was busy serving and accompanying me. She's a good girl and I can have an impression that she must be a great friend too.

'Caleb's a strong man", Beverly said to me.
"Hm... must be. What's his age though?", I asked her.
"Seventy-six or five or seven, roughly". She shrugged.
"Hey Bev?"
"Yes, sir?"
"How much more can I have... for free?", I asked her.
"As much as you please, sir"

"Hell yeah! Bring it on!"

I had checked back at the telephone but there was no call from home. No call from Alex either. A sense of hysteria was rising in my mind.

Today's diary check-in has been done on 06.02.2022.