Captivation

17: Reputation

Reputation (noun): a widespread belief that someone or something has a particular habit or characteristic.

“Why Felticion?” I ask Bradley the second day of our trip from Trenton to Felticion.

“Henry visits his family once a year, and we’ve reached that time of the year.” Bradley is moving some crates around, though I don’t know why or what for.

I remember Henry telling me that he visited his family once a year. “Oh.” I say as I watch the water. I see a dolphin jump out of the water in the distance and I smile and point at it.

“Look,” I reach my hand out.

Bradley stops moving and follows my gaze. “Huh,” He pauses. “Dolphins.”

We stand and watch them, if I’m counting correctly there is a group  of about three or four all jumping in and out of the water at different times. “They are beautiful.” I decide.

Bradley nods. “Nature always is.” And then he turns around and picks up another crate carrying it off to the left upper deck.

I am in a good mood this evening. I’m not sure why but I want to revel in it. I walk up to the right upper deck where the wheel of the ship is. I find Henry at the wheel, watching the waves, he looks serene. I look out to see what he sees and I feel myself calm. The water has been turned the color of a midnight sky, the sky a contrasting orange. The dolphins are still jumping, adding more to what was already perfect.

“Hi.” Henry tells me.

“Hello.” I say, both of us are still looking out at the water. “I could get used to this.” I say after a pause.

“I still haven’t.” Henry smiles.

I smile, and sneak a glance at Henry. His hair is blowing back slightly in the wind, and the smile on his face almost reminds me of a little kids. He looks euphoric.

I walk a little closer to him and put my hand on the wheel. “Teach me?” I ask him.

He looks down at me, and then nods his head. “It’s not complicated.”

“What’s this?” I pick up a gold…thing…it has an arch and a looking glass.

“That’s the complicated that you don’t need to worry about.” Henry tells me smiling.

“Who worries about it?” I ask.

“Me, or Kieran, Jamison sometimes.” Henry tells me.

“What is it?” I ask, Henry takes it from my hands.

“A sextant. It gives the distance from the horizon, which is good at keeping the ship on a particular path. Although many other things are involved.” Henry looks through the sextant thing.

“What are the ‘many other things’?” I look up at him as he looks through the magnified glass.

“It would confuse you more than the sextant does.” Henry puts the sextant down. “Now,” He tells me, “Put your hands on the wheel.”

I put my hands on it.

“Spread apart more.”

I move my hands further apart.

“Too much.”

I sigh and adjust my position once again.

“Good.” Henry tells me. “Turn to the left slightly.”

I move the wheel and it resists more than I thought it would, but I force it to the left anyway.

“Do you have to man the wheel at all times?” I ask him.