The Journal

Chapter Two

"Uhhhhhh..." Adam heaved, holding his hand over his mouth, trying to keep at least a portion of his partially digested breakfast down as his stomach churned more violently than the frigid, ice-laden waters of the Weddell Sea off the Antarctic Peninsula.

"Come one, Adam. My cooking isn't that bad!" Grace joked in an attempt to lift his spirits.

"Oh no, it wasn't you, I promise!" Adam replied, gripping the trash can with one hand and talking through the fingers of his other hand. Adam choked through another wave of his gastrointestinal battle against the continually rocking vessel. His face was not only flushed from dry heaving but also from the reaction he got every time he talked with Grace.

"Did you lose your breakfast yet, Adam?" This time, another joke was asked by Adam's chemistry teacher, Professor Collins, as he walked into the small kitchen and dining area of the research boat named Serenidad. The name meant serenity in Spanish, the official language of Chile where the boat had originated.

"Only part of it!" Grace giggled, bobbing back and forth, matching the turbulent, frigid waves as she washed dishes from the breakfast she had prepared.

"Grace, what are you doing?" Professor Collins asked, trying to hide the amusement in his voice.

"Uh, I'm washing the dishes, duh!" Grace replied, facing the sink and vigorously scrubbing at a pan that she had used to make French toast.

"Well, I don't know where you were born, but where I come from, the cook doesn't clean!" Mr. Collins chuckled, laughing at his own joke. "I'll ask one of the crew to clean it up."

"I don't want them to have to clean up my mess! I went and cooked this big breakfast for everyone, and I like to clean up after myself." Grace retorted, spinning around to face the Professor while still matching the boat's uneven rocking.

"That's gracious of you." Mr. Collins began with a slight giggle, amused by his pun pertaining to Grace. "Especially after going out of your way by cooking for everyone, but that's their job. That's what the school is paying them for, plus, I need you to plot out the final site where we'll drill the last ice cores today. Remember, just north of where we were yesterday. These will be the ones you get to keep on the boat to study on the return trip! The rest we'll have to have to package and prepare for the plane that's coming in soon." The Professor directed toward his student.

"Fine," Grace said, tossing the old, battered cotton dish towel onto the small wooden table situated next to the minuscule sink, which appeared full with only a few bowls and cups left to clean.

"And I'll do my job of taking out the trash!" Adam's voice echoed, his head stuck halfway in the trash can, his right hand extended with a thumb up, his left hand was utilized to hold the trash can up to his face.

"That's not exactly your job either, Adam, but I'm certain the crew will accept your sacrifice, mostly because of the contents!" Collins replied in his usual, deep yet chipper tone.

"Speaking of places you were born," Grace started, "Weren't you born near Land Between the Lakes, Adam? You should have the most seaworthy stomach here!"

"Yeah, I was, but my stomach is apparently only lake worthy, I guess. Whereas you being born in a sweltering, desolate desert, act like you've lived at sea your whole life! Go figure!" Adam joked back, tying up the plastic bag that held the regurgitated parts of his breakfast. He was still flushed from talking with Grace, even more so now. He couldn't believe she remembered where he was born. It was just an offhand comment he added to his embarrassing rendition of the classic 'tell me about yourself' speech all the students had to give at the beginning of the year.