Chancy by Ed Teja & John Michael Pocock

Author:Ed Teja & John Michael Pocock
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Sea Adventures, Hong Kong Asia, business corporate world golden handcuffs, round the world sailing
Publisher: Float Street Press
Published: 2021-12-30T00:00:00+00:00

A wizened old woman picked me up at the pier in her sampan. Her skin was the same color as the brown water. She knew Trevor’s boat and took me out there, happily chatting at me in Cantonese over the purr of her diesel engine during the run out to the boat. I know about six words of Cantonese; none of them were useful in this context as I was quite certain she wasn’t telling me where the bathroom was or talking about the price of draft beer. But she was pleasant noise and obviously sincerely explaining something she thought I should know. I wondered if there had been a weather alert, an approaching tropical storm or something. But I knew that Trevor would have his watchful eye on that.

When we arrive, the boat was deserted. The sail covers were still wrapped tight, and the hatch locked. The old woman gave me the universal “I told you so,” look and took me back to the pier. For the price of a return ticket she gave me a mini tour of Aberdeen Harbour and a swing by the floating restaurant, complete with what sounded like the entire history of civilization in Aberdeen.

Trevor's absence worried me. Trevor was reliable, even usually getting to work on time; I was sure he wouldn’t oversleep when it came to going sailing. He had made a big deal of the time, as he didn't want to miss the tide, even though I wasn't entirely clear on what that meant. He had been looking forward to the trip as even a little outing like this would help keep him passing for sane in the workplace.

When I got back to shore, I checked my phone for messages, but I’d let the battery run down, allowing it to leave its post as an icon of intrusive society and return to its native state of inert and useless plastic. I have no affection for things like high-tech telephones but have to use them. I certainly wasn’t happy about its timing, letting me down when I needed it.

I caught a cab to the apartment he was sharing with Rose. She wouldn't move onto the boat with him, so he had moved in with her. “I can use some time ashore myself and I’ll need a place to stay when I haul her out," he had explained. "This will do for then.”

"Assuming Rose doesn't kick you out before," I said.

"We get along fine, and I pay the rent," he pointed out reasonably.

“Any idea when you will be moving along next?” I asked, hoping he wasn’t leaving too soon. I’d miss his company.

His eyes rolled back in his head as he considered the matter. There were few weightier matters in Trevor's world. “Well, with the price of bottom paint, the amount of work needed, and the cost of hauling the boat out of the water in the first place to get the work all done," he paused. "I’d say it’ll be quite a while yet.

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