Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
The sail back couldn't be quick enough. The claws were coming out. I scolded her for burn-
ing a hole in my cockpit cushion. Her eyes flashed contempt for me, as she drew heavily on
yet another cigarette. “Ya, well at least I not a drunk like you and your drinking friends,”
she stated self-righteously.
“I am not a drunk!” I wheeled about on her defensively. “You are oversensitive about alco-
hol. I think you had an unhappy childhood, and you are taking it out on everyone around
you.”
“Rubbish! You Engleesh people all same. You so high and mighty, always drinking and
shouting you so clever; you nothing without your drink!” she flung back at me.
We sailed in silence for a long time. We had reached a point in the sail where I had to start
tacking back and forth up a channel. After the third time I had to ask her to move, she flung
her book down and yelled at me, “Why your boat no sail in straight line like other boat?
Why you go one way and then backwards? Hey? You try to make me angry, yes? You fuck
with me, why you not sail straight down water like other boats?” she said, looking at a
large elegant white motor launch gliding straight down the channel. That was a lot more
her style, I thought.
I tried to explain the theory of tacking to her. I smirked at her mounting fury; she was a
hotheaded, little wildcat for sure. I was almost aroused by her angry outburst. She furiously
lit another cigarette after several failed attempts during which her matches broke or blew
out in the wind.
“You better hurry! This my last cigarette, why your boat so slow? Why you go backwards
now again?” She spat at me when I came about once again. I do believe I was grinning.
She was getting madder and madder.
“You fuckin' jerk!” she said, dripping with poison and Hungarian accent.
“Yes I may be, but you are a cute, little redheaded cigarette addict!” I countered, enjoying
myself in a sadistic way.
Then she started getting personal.
“I so glad I not sail with you to Hawaii!”
“Believe me Helena when I confess to you that the feeling is perfectly mutual!” I replied,
grinning at her furious, white face. Angry, red spots flushed her pretty cheeks. I felt nothing
for this selfish, little vixen, and the Opua docks were drawing mercifully closer.
