Nautical Nascents

"Ah, the smell of the open sea, it has been too long...what has kept me from you so long this stop? - a beyond friendly family of eccentric generous strangers encounter - beurre blanc cognac shrimp - Kobe beef - decadent, divine wine - Vieux Carre cocktails, gypsy magic - a lustful rendezvous with French maidens...

La Rochelle, France: 5/12 - 5/15 2017 dice roll: (3)"

As Jako arrives at the family run farm (3rd generation now) almost smack dab in the center of Malta, dawn has barely broken and the sky is riddled with heavy cloud cover. The latest weather forecast had sunshine possible later in the day. He is in a rush. He has set out far earlier than normal on this Saturday morning workday. Before last night's slumber, his wife Maja, had informed him of a new friend she had deep concern for. He was here for a special treat to brighten their day. This particular farm purveys in the freshest all natural products: traditional Maltese cheese, ricotta cannoli, gin/fig/olive spreads and various sheep milk products (they even let you feed and milk the sheep!). Jako is here for the ice cream. The delicious ice cream. He will double back and drop it off for Maja to find as a surprise later. She will not be at the drop off location until 11:30 AM, some five and a half hours from now. Then he will be off to work on double time. Safely on double time of course. He commands all of his machines safely and well. He is a captain after all... There shall be enough ice cream for her, her new friend and an appreciative crowd (Jako stole just one spoonful, he feels no guilt, well maybe just a little).

"World class Japanese sushi on the Douro River, its mouth being the Spanish owned shores of the Atlantic - secret signal stories about a weather vane rooster on a historic Medieval church - town square rides amidst medieval statues in a 1920s Rolls Royce owned by Al Capone (probably true?) - bacchanal style dinner party became curiously nerve racking: occult fetish vibe, exotic animals (many, many owls: some alive, some not - some very bizarre taxidermy) - roaring bonfire, artistic devilish nudity flair, Scotch aged 55 years!

Porto / Via Nova de Gaia, Portugal: 5/18 2017 dice roll: (7)"

The ice cream was well received at drop off. Jako snuck one more spoonful before it was handed over (he now indeed felt guilty). The La Rochelle, France log entry from the black book Jako happened upon, was the third such entry. A log of nautical travels. All more thorough than summarised so far. Beautiful sunsets were noted. Names of people, restaurants, streets, times of day and phone numbers were logged. Polaroid pictures neatly tucked into a flap on the back of each page. The previous three log entries had no "dice roll" and were not so lively or unique. Jako surmises the eccentric family encounter had something to do with all that...

Jako can only imagine such decadent, lustful and eccentric rendezvous. French maidens? Who is this man? What luck has been his fortune? The smell of the open sea has become nothing but everyday tedium to Jako. Sure, he comes across some interesting people on the ferry. Most are just nondescript and all too normal, certainly not eccentric or lustful French maidens. At least not from what he can simply observe...

"Authentic Spanish paella, beyond brilliant red wine, the Rock of Gibraltar in view: pure bliss - a coastal/mountain trek for dessert: down a very narrow hidden staircase built into a wine shelf, blossom honey crema catalana, very expensive extravagant port wine, odd eccentric religious art, Spanish Playboy bunnies (French maidens almost forgotten...almost), wild exorcism stories (seemed serious or it was the cocaine?) - spirited sea shanties sung loudly

Gibraltar, Spain: 5/19 2017 dice roll (snake eyes)"

Another mid-afternoon sail from Malta to Gozo finds itself at the halfway point three quarters into his workday on the Mediterranean Sea. As Jako captains the ferry, he finds this workday less tedious than most. How can he not? Thoughts of merry musings in France have engrossed him. Despite the sunless day, no sullen mood is to be had. He wonders where this man is off to next? Perhaps back to La Rochelle? He certainly thinks that course of sail would not be an unwise decision in any perceivable way! Why did this man ever leave? Jako wonders if he should, this very moment, set course for French ports... Ah, indeed, a fool's mission, as fuel would run out long before any French ports were reached and what of the people on the ferry looking for much less distant ports? With us all halfway there, meaning only 2.5 miles remaining. As well, Jako does believe he would lose his job. Ha, all but certain! No French ports today...

Enough of this he thought, back to the mundane of his daily routine. He has pressing matters to refocus on. He has a baby on the way. His first. He is excited. He is nervous. He waited until his early thirties to have a child as he wanted to be 100% sure, find the absolute right woman and be financially secure enough. Jako believes all of these had been met. He is far from rich. He makes enough to offer a simple good life for three. Unfortunately, recent months have found Jako in worry of his employer possibly being bought-out and new management not being able to guarantee current employment status to anyone.

If he maintains his current job, he is properly ready for this. His days of French maidens are now over anyways, well, never to have even begun... Has he even met a French person? He chuckles as this thought washes over him. The sound of the waves washing up against the ferry as they make slow but steady time, now has him once again at full ferry captain attention. The sea was calm, the ride was smooth and he saw some sun now on the horizon. Alas, he felt no guilt for his wandering mind.

On the Southeastern end of Malta, at Marsascala Parish Church, Maja found herself quite tired this Saturday afternoon. Quite. Noon soup kitchen lunch service was over. It went well and was busy. Her pregnancy has been a difficult one and today was no respite. She nonetheless was not at the point where she would not offer her help for the poor and downtrodden of Malta. She herself grew-up poor. As an adult she does well enough to get by decently (she has never strived or needed more than that: the simple pleasures content her soul). Unfortunately she has just been laid-off from her job. This happened Friday, just two days ago. She has not told Jako as of yet.

Such awful timing Maja thought. Her and Jako combined were making just enough to live a decent life and have a child on the way... They properly planned for this birth and now money worries weighing heavy on both of their ends. Maja had been helping the poor on weekends whenever possible for decades. Now laid-off, she immediately offered her help on any day she is needed. If only the work she does with the poor did not pay entirely in gratitude and personal satisfaction...

In order for all to receive the ice cream treat, they needed to do half scoops with a simple vanilla cake (made for just this purpose as fruit was planned). The special treat was much appreciated. Her new friend, Alessia, received two full scoops. No cake. So Maja did not feel guilty (and she herself took no cake or ice cream). She did feel bad for any customers stopping at the farm shop who wanted ice cream, as Jako must have snatched most of it off their shelves! She also knows he would not have had special treats on his mind had he known about her new financial situation. Maja also grew-up in a violent and broken home. Alessia is in the midst of a similar upbringing and Maja fears her soul is being crushed and may not bounce back like hers was able to. Maja plans to tend to this girl as much as needed...

As Maja exits the church, she sees the sun breaking to the northwest and she smiles, "I knew the forecast would be true this day." The rays of sunshine headed her way add a pep to her step. Later that night, the clouds had somewhat lifted and the sunset was of decent color. Night falls. Maja has some bad news to share the next day...

Haines Rowthorn has arrived in Monaco. When he set-off alone from his home in Plymouth, UK he knew it would be quite the adventure indeed. An unforgettable trip. The happenstance encounter with the eccentric family made it the damn dog's bollocks! What an off the wall and decadent ride it has been! Shambolic in the best of ways. He is fully knackered yet fully spry. Monaco was always his final destination and any other ports of call were up in the air. The ultra wealthy and ultra connected Oxley family ensured a most fascinating and titillating itinerary. The strings they pulled along the way were amazing in both the grandness and the ease. Oh, and the encounter with the Tunisian pirates! That was fraught enough without the loss of his log book coming of it. He wants the dice roll numbers! Were they 5/8/2/9? He needs those bloody damn numbers! He thoroughly desires his black book back...

Maja has shared the bad news. They shall press on best they can. Jako has just now shared the lost log book with Maja. He had just finished it the night before. He was looking to lighten the mood... The owner has included his name and cell number in case of such a loss...

Jako proceeds to dial, "Hello, is this Haines Rowthorn?"

"Yes, it is...would you have my black book?"

"Yes I do."

"I need the numbers. Fine sir, I need the dice roll numbers! Quickly. Please. It is almost time to place all bets! Please do hurry. Wait...sir...do you have some dice?"

"I...I think so, yes."

"As you read me back the numbers, go fetch them, quickly now..."

"Okay. Three... Seven... Snake eyes, so, two... Lastly, nine."

"A Spanish Playboy bunny rolled those snake eyes. Fine sir?"

"Yes?"

"Can I have your name?"

"Jako."

"Jako...please, roll the dice!"

Through further discussion with Haines Rowthorn, Jako was made aware of what the purpose of the dice rolls were. Haines was on his way to Monaco to watch the 2017 Grand Prix race. The Oxley family, informed of his plans, offered him a $20,000 bet to placed on one of these four lines:

> Race Winner

> Fastest Lap

> Podium Finish

> Points Finish

Three random strangers met along the way were also offered to have a bet placed for them: a French waiter, a Spanish Playboy bunny and a Portuguese painter. They were asked to roll dice and that tally would be their car # to be placed as a bet at the Casino de Monte-Carlo. Haines rolled the nine. He remembered the snake eyes roll, but not the other two tallies logged. Haines (whom Jako later came to find out was a wealthy man, not Oxley wealthy, but wealthy) in a quick moment of gratitude, decided to instead let Jako take his betting spot. Jako rolled a (5), his betting line was: Race Winner - $20,000 placed on car #5.

Two months have passed. Jako and Maja's baby girl, Marcheta, is healthy and cute as a damn button. The 2017 Monaco Grand Prix was won by Sebastian Vettel from Germany. He drove a Ferrari - car #5 - paying odds of 17:1. Plenty of delicious ice cream to be had for all... As the Malta sun sets, the sky is perfectly cloudless and the colors are tremendous.