Rich Man's Coffin Read Online Free Page B
Author: K Martin Gardner
a hurrah and scrambled for their bed racks belowdecks.
The First Mate inspected every man and every bunk and gave the all clear. He instructed the men to queue at the gangway for their liberty pay. Standing behind the strongbox, he dispensed each man with a sum and a salute, and they were away. Being his first time, Arthur had queued last wanting personal instruction from the First Mate on how to liberty and spend money. When the last man had barreled onshore, Arthur stepped forward and eagerly eyed the First Mate.
"Yes?"
"I'se like ta get my money, now, Sah."
"You what?"
"I need ta get my money, so's I can go to liberty."
The First Mate began to laugh, and then abruptly forced a stern look onto his face. He said, "Arthur, you'll be lucky to see topside for the next two days. Now go see what the Captain needs. He's preparing to visit his family here."
"But Sah..."
"But nothing, Arthur. Do your job! Didn't you read your contract? By the way, you are Duty Cook all day as well, so get moving on those midday rations!"
III
Colored paper flowers and confetti streamed past him on a rippling black current highlighted by white rays trailing back to a converging source: The reflection of the lanterns carried by the parade dancing past the pier. The festival had continued all day. As night thickened, all Arthur could do was watch from his post onboard the ship. A dubious honor, the Topside Watch was nothing more than a glorified doorman, some poor soul who had been selected to stay tied to the ship. He was also expected to feign a sense of eager duty to his floating ball and chain as the other prisoners rioted in the street.
Arthur watched the carnival from the deserted, dark, deck of the ship, as a child experiencing one of his parents' parties from a distant cracked door down a dim hallway. People whooped, hollered, laughed, gibbered, drank and sang; all to a raunchy, raucous, rhythm that flowed down the street. Arthur enjoyed the unrehearsed production, yet he was unsure if he would have joined the procession even if he were freed to do so.
Occasionally members of his crew would stumble out of the crowd, either alone or in noisy gangs, and stomp across the gangway. Depending on their level of drunkenness, the reaction to Arthur's face ranged from sympathy to outright mockery.
One sailor said, "It's a good time, Arthur. Don't worry, though, you're not missing much. Just got to get some things from my rack. See you in the morning! Cheers!"
The leader of another group of sailors who had stampeded all the way across the clattering gangway before recognizing the Cabin Boy, said, "Arthur! You sorry son-of-a-bitch, you're missing all the fun. By the way, you're unsatisfactory!" The revelers guffawed at the man’s formal term for Arthur’s dress, before setting out again into the throbbing mass.
Several more came and went until Midnight, when a lone sailor came strolling up sober and straight as an arrow, and said, "I'm here to relieve you. I have word from the First Mate that you are to have breakfast ready for the crew at oh six hundred, and you need to prepare the Captain's quarters for departure. Anything I need to know?"
Arthur had not expected a relief. He was happy that the man did not come at one of the times when Arthur had sneaked away from his post and fetched a cup of coffee from the galley. He was overjoyed to parrot the words that he had been taught for his first land watch. "No Sah, all conditions normal. Aft draft is high and dry and the tide is drawing nigh. I stand relieved."
IV
Warm, soft lamplight flowed over the Captain's desk and flickered across
The First Mate inspected every man and every bunk and gave the all clear. He instructed the men to queue at the gangway for their liberty pay. Standing behind the strongbox, he dispensed each man with a sum and a salute, and they were away. Being his first time, Arthur had queued last wanting personal instruction from the First Mate on how to liberty and spend money. When the last man had barreled onshore, Arthur stepped forward and eagerly eyed the First Mate.
"Yes?"
"I'se like ta get my money, now, Sah."
"You what?"
"I need ta get my money, so's I can go to liberty."
The First Mate began to laugh, and then abruptly forced a stern look onto his face. He said, "Arthur, you'll be lucky to see topside for the next two days. Now go see what the Captain needs. He's preparing to visit his family here."
"But Sah..."
"But nothing, Arthur. Do your job! Didn't you read your contract? By the way, you are Duty Cook all day as well, so get moving on those midday rations!"
III
Colored paper flowers and confetti streamed past him on a rippling black current highlighted by white rays trailing back to a converging source: The reflection of the lanterns carried by the parade dancing past the pier. The festival had continued all day. As night thickened, all Arthur could do was watch from his post onboard the ship. A dubious honor, the Topside Watch was nothing more than a glorified doorman, some poor soul who had been selected to stay tied to the ship. He was also expected to feign a sense of eager duty to his floating ball and chain as the other prisoners rioted in the street.
Arthur watched the carnival from the deserted, dark, deck of the ship, as a child experiencing one of his parents' parties from a distant cracked door down a dim hallway. People whooped, hollered, laughed, gibbered, drank and sang; all to a raunchy, raucous, rhythm that flowed down the street. Arthur enjoyed the unrehearsed production, yet he was unsure if he would have joined the procession even if he were freed to do so.
Occasionally members of his crew would stumble out of the crowd, either alone or in noisy gangs, and stomp across the gangway. Depending on their level of drunkenness, the reaction to Arthur's face ranged from sympathy to outright mockery.
One sailor said, "It's a good time, Arthur. Don't worry, though, you're not missing much. Just got to get some things from my rack. See you in the morning! Cheers!"
The leader of another group of sailors who had stampeded all the way across the clattering gangway before recognizing the Cabin Boy, said, "Arthur! You sorry son-of-a-bitch, you're missing all the fun. By the way, you're unsatisfactory!" The revelers guffawed at the man’s formal term for Arthur’s dress, before setting out again into the throbbing mass.
Several more came and went until Midnight, when a lone sailor came strolling up sober and straight as an arrow, and said, "I'm here to relieve you. I have word from the First Mate that you are to have breakfast ready for the crew at oh six hundred, and you need to prepare the Captain's quarters for departure. Anything I need to know?"
Arthur had not expected a relief. He was happy that the man did not come at one of the times when Arthur had sneaked away from his post and fetched a cup of coffee from the galley. He was overjoyed to parrot the words that he had been taught for his first land watch. "No Sah, all conditions normal. Aft draft is high and dry and the tide is drawing nigh. I stand relieved."
IV
Warm, soft lamplight flowed over the Captain's desk and flickered across