Surprise Melody Flintkote. Part Two
Copyright© 2019 by Old Man with a Pen
Chapter 71
Crew is both singular and plural ‘She is crew ... she works as an ordinary maid and line handler’ “Who? Them? They’re crew. They work the boat. Far be it from me to get my hands dirty.”
“Seventy-five ... a season,” Bea said. “But ... I have certificates ... and a degree in Hotel and Hospitality Administration.”
“What does a ‘regular’ crew make?”
“Forty-five, room, board and tips,” she said.
“Tips?” I had a look.
“Generally, a crew doesn’t get tips from an owner. When the owner has guests? Up to five grand, depending.”
“Depending?” I said ... then, “Umh ... never mind, I get it.”
“Yeah ... that,” she said, “Exceptional services rate excellent tips.”
“I suppose I need to set up an account you can draw from?” I suggested.
“Purser’s Account? Probably. Are you going to do much sailing?”
“Does it matter?”
“With a boat this size? If you intend to be on the water, you’ll need a cook and a couple of line handlers.”
“My sibs and I were used to doing all the dirty work ourselves,” I said. “About five years of circumnavigation with a paid Captain and a nanny ... then mom...”
“You’re that Flintkote?”
“Yes,” I said. “One of them anyway. After mom ... we sent ‘the crew’ back to the States. We stayed in New Zealand.”
I was ‘multi-tasking.’ While I was talking to Bea ... and Junior ... and Albert, I was checking out the tipi. It was correct as far as the Laubin’s direction went. But it was typical Boy Scout’s in decor ... sleeping bags, carpet and sorta lawn chairs ... a planed down 2x12 back with a slot cut for a 2x12 seat with an extension through the slot. Two pieces of wood and a little sawing and it’s a seat.
“Nice chairs, Burt.” I was more interested in changing the subject than talking about my family ... where ever they were.
“They were easier than willow wands and sinew,” Burt said.
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