We met at the rendezvous point at sharp eight today. I like to be punctual whenever its possible, and so does Brian. But before meeting up, it had all been quite the same... the morning. Honestly, I don't like to be alone anymore. Rather than an errand trip these last two days have been quite like a holiday trip for me. All thanks to Brian else these eight days would have seen me lingering around.

And now there was this charming old man, with all but allure and appeal. You just couldn't help but love him. His voice had not got old yet – like of a seventy-year-old one himself. It was still in its forties – soft and sharp rather than thin or rock hard or rather feeble. And when we reached the old man, he was sitting on a deck chair right there by the pool, sipping his pineapple juice with a newspaper in his other hand. Legs outstretched, one over another... and no official or secretary around. He was in his blue shorts and Miami cotton shirt which richly flaunted his ragged skin.

He removed his sunglasses when he saw us coming and keeping the newspaper down on his lap, waved at us. He had already arranged two deck chairs, forming a triangle of chairs. As we greeted each other and sat down, he asked if we needed something to drink to which Brian asked for a mild mocktail and I asked for soda. As the drinks arrived, we engaged in a healthy conversation. Firstly, it centred around our occupation and aim of the trip.

"So what brings you here, Mr. Brown?", Caleb asked me at the end. Brian looked at me in anticipation. He wanted to know the answer himself. How badly we want to know about other's lives, I thought to myself but replied, "Uh, it's my grandfather".

"What happened? Is he alright?", Brian rises a little and asks me immediately.

"No no... He's dead for a long time now". He leaned back in his chair. "Oh", he said.

"Yes... he was a navy man in his young days. He was in the Royal Australian Navy".

"Wow", said Caleb. "The Royal Australian Navy... My cousin was in a troop of theirs. I wish I were in navy but never got the chance. Now, I am running the navy of passengers for passengers".

"How many relatives you have around the world, sir?", Brian asked him. The three of us chuckled. "Please, call me Caleb. I cannot do anything about it if my family is big and productive". We laughed.

"Yeah, so Mr. Brown... George... You were telling something". I nodded.

"He loved the sea you know. A man always in his own utopian world. And utopia to him was blue – the blue water under the vast blue sky".

"Beautiful!", remarked Caleb. "A man after war, hm"

"The biggest pleasure in his life. Even old age couldn't take it out of him... When my grandma forced him to move Tennessee, I bet he lost his charm. Before that they used to live in Newark.

"Things have been happening to me... And I have been really insecure about it. I just couldn't doze on the bed of my home anymore, nor could I fly and catch up without taking some time off. Truth is – when grandpa would tell me his stories, it would immerse me. Like once, he said, they were at the Celebes Sea when they were hit by a storm. All of them—all forty of them on board... they fought it together. He was the Second Mate there. They were on an aircraft carrier that was headed to Japan. Nature reminding man of its aptitude. Testing the men, wanting them to show their might. Three of them were injured with some broken bones but when the sky cleared the next morning, all of them gathered up on the deck, kneeling together and thanking the sea for saving them. 'When you are on the ocean, it's not you in command. It's the ocean', he would tell me then. 'You've always got to respect those who give you your means of life or the peace you seek. The waters gave me both'".

"And just see where we are and with whom", Brian said raising his mocktail, smiling at me.

"It's right where we are, Brian... On the Cathabella of this gentleman right here". I knew Brian meant that to me but Caleb was the host.

"Oh yes. Mr. Taylor, what's the story of Cathabella. You seem to love her like you made its anchor yourself". The old man stopped sipping at his drink abruptly and put it down on the wooden lamp stand nearby which had a small flower pot over it. He gave out a long sigh and said, "I love Cathabella. She is my life. But... the only thing I am unsure of is—''. He looked down at his hands and then back up at us. "Which Cathabella I like more?". Both me and Brian looked at him questioningly.

"What do you mean by that, Caleb?", asked Brian.

"Cathabella was my wife, folks". We stared at him simultaneously. "She died back in 1978. When we were young and together."

"We are sorry, Caleb", I said to him. I had already put down my glass. Brian was doing that slowly.

"No, don't be. She was an honourable woman. A woman with dignity who died with dignity. I loved her to death, George. And I had two kids to look after. She would never want me to be sorry for her. She would want me to be there for my kids". We nodded.

"She had a bad fall actually... From the stairs. Doctors said she could be saved had we taken her in time and had her head not collided on the edge of the flight badly. She got skull fracture and a bad haemorrhage".

"Was nobody there when this happened?", asked Brian. He was wincing.

"She died in my arms. I reached when she was about to die". Caleb seemed faraway. He pulled out the handkerchief out of his shorts pocket, pressed them over his eyes and continued. "When we were on our way to the hospital, you could see the swelling of her face... She told me to take care of myself, the children. She told me that the chicken she had put on the stove must have burned". He laughed. "It was then I realized the burning smell. The gas must have finished too. All the while I had her in my arms. Somewhere I knew I was going to lose her. I was reluctant to part from her in her last moments. She was pronounced 'brought dead' when we reached the hospital".

All of us were silent for a while after Caleb removed the handkerchief. "Yes, there was nobody there when this happened. My children used to live in hostel while I used to be at work all the time. All the fucking time!"

"Damn, we are really sorry now. We had not come here to make you sad, Caleb... Mr. Taylor.", Brian said to comfort him.

"Gentlemen... Don't worry for your pal here. She has been gone for what?... forty-four years now. And I have mourned and settled in my life good after her. I just wish I was there with her. Actually, I could be. But you know, we belong to the working class. I had started my shipping company newly back then with the help of two partners. I was the head nonetheless. And I had to work for hours. Extra hours... We all do for our family, isn't it? We work harder and make sacrifices of the time with our family so that they can get a better living. I just didn't know it will work against me that day. I had arranged an extra meeting that day and it went on long. Had I not done that, she could be here with me now, talking to you fellas.

"And yes, I was dejected after she died. I got the children back home. The biggest thing I did was – I left my major shares of the company and became the third in row. I wanted to be with my children and raise them well. And it was not like we were not rich back then. What are the basic amenities of life? Food, clothing and a house. We had that. We had that in adequate amount. I had already raised enough property for us. Just losing some more money wouldn't affect me. I was happier for the rest of my life. It was like some solemn vow I had taken when she died – that I will always be happy and I will always keep the people around me happy".

"Hats off to you man!", Brian exclaimed and we bowed together while Brian applauded. He thanked us.

"It was in the 90's my fortune worked, my children grew up and married and I settled down well... On my own. It was when as a homage to my wife, I decided to make this cruise. The Cathabella. For her, my darling... It's not that I don't miss her. I miss her when I am alone – the reason why I always try to keep myself busy. We loved each other the same all throughout from youth to her death. It was me who got ignorant. But now I still love her the same. My same old Cathabella. Whenever I miss her a lot, I walk over to my quarter, lay down on my bed and look out at the sky from the window, talking to her... It is this ship which kept her memories alive and me. My second wife of the same name". We laughed. "I love her too".

The day went on like that and we kept talking for another three hours. There was no stopping us. We had a lot of topics we discussed and we really had a merry time. At the end of the meeting, we were all smiles and happy. Away from all the stress of the world. It was me though who still feels sad for what's gonna come in a matter of some days. Only the thought of that makes my heart sink – sends a chill through my body. All the smiles over the day disappear and get replaced by horror.

But it's Caleb I am thinking of mostly now. I have got to admire him so much. He lost his wife and had to reduce his enterprises and still here he was – with all his gaudy luxury line and a smile on his face with a gift of hospitality. He was not bent down by life. He fought it with all responsibility and determination. There is so much to learn from this man. But I am still unable to make out how to deal with what's coming.

Anyways, we have another party to attend tomorrow, on the main deck. The last night of the voyage of Cathabella's first trip after two years.