Parallel Me

Parallel Me Part 26

Twelve on the dot, my friend the Admirals car pulled into the car park, and Sid put my luggage into the boot, and I got in the back with the Admiral, we greeted each other warmly but hardly spoke on the hour drive to Southampton docks. I was due to board the ship by two, so after handshakes from him and Sid, and with a quick check at customs. I boarded the liner at one forty-five and shown my quarters for the voyage, which was a shared cabin. His gear was already in the cabin, but he was not, and he had already picked his bed, by putting his case on it, it made no odds to me, one bed was as good as another I just hoped he didn't snore.

I left the cabin to explore and find my way around, and to see what amenities were onboard. I had been given a plan of the ship's layout when I boarded, and in it were stipulated no-go areas, like the bridge and engine room, crew quarters and workspaces. Of course, if you were not first-class passengers, certain parts of the ship reserved for first-class only were off-limits to the rest of us. When I found the tiny gym, there was someone in there fiddling with a circuit board, who said the gym could only be used, with written permission and then under supervision.

"Do I get permission from the P, T, I or the captain, and does it open twenty-four hours?" I asked and he finally looked up at me, from what he was doing.

"What's a P, T, I?" he asked.

"Oh forget it," I replied and went on exploring, and found the second class dining room, more like a cafeteria than formal dining, where there were people having coffee and chatting. There was a lieutenant there looking very bored indeed, properly from answering the same questions.

"Where do I get permission to use the gym? I do a ten-mile run and an hour's gym in the mornings. Is it open at six am? Can I use the whole of the promenade deck to run?" I bet he hadn't been asked that question before, and he didn't have an answer.

"Err I'll have to check on that one for you sir, can I have your name and cabin number," I gave him it and went for a coffee, and saw him talk to a steward who left. There were young couples and families with small children, talking in groups around the room, I couldn't tell if they all were pairs or singles, but there was a large group talking to one side. I had a mouth full of sausage roll when this lad came up and asked.

"Hi, I'm Gary Yates you travelling alone mate?" he asked and waited for me to answer him.

"Yes, are you in cabin one-twenty on deck three?" I asked, and his eyes went wide as he said.

"Yes, how did you know?" he asked with a puzzled look.

"Just a guess, Joe Lacey is the name we're sharing," I said with a grin.

"Glad to meet you, Joe, I'm Gary Yates, where you going to Perth or Sidney. I'm for Perth myself, got my sister already out there, her husband got a trucking business. I'm going over to drive for him, what do you do, you got a job to go to?" He seemed to be a likeable lad, I bit younger than me it was hard to tell.

"You seem to have it all sewn up Gary, me I'm going out on speck not sure yet," I answered, but then was interrupted by the lieutenant.

"Excuse me, Mr Lacey, if you would follow this steward, you will get your questions answered," he said, indicating the steward I had seen leaving earlier.

"This way sir if you please, sir," he said, and I started to follow him.

"See you later Gary, I've got something to attend to," and followed my guild onto the upper deck, then up to the entrance to the bridge.

"Excuses me, sir, Mr Lacey to see the captain, sir," the steward said to a lieutenant, just inside the bridge area.

"Captain Mr Lacey to see you, as requested sir," the lieutenant said to an officer of about forty-five, sitting in the captain's chair.