Chapter 8: Parts

“Come in Captain! You have my sincere gratitude for once more saving me a pocketful of money. You’re a very valuable man to have around. You demonstrate incredible loyalty! Our knowing each other such a short time and you a recent new employee, I shouldn’t expect such rigor on my behalf, but I rely upon it. So far I’ve not been disappointed. I have other employees with a long history of association with me, not nearly as demonstrative of concern for my interests. You can return to your office, Phillip. You aren’t needed.”

Asshole Phillip looks nauseated, like he just received a kick in the balls. Glares at me with hate and malice, as he stalks away.

“Let me re-introduce you to my wife Janice, Captain. She is recently employed also. Started only today. This is her office next to mine. We decided only moments ago, to create a new division, our Marine Division, and Janice is the Vice President in charge. You report directly and only to her. Janice will provide logistical support and purchase orders for your needs. What she says goes. Her approval is the final approval.

My other executives, managers and I have our hands full already. Requires all our concentration running our continuing day to day business. Delivery of this completed old order business to Africa, is not our concern, except personally, I’ll stay updated on it. I trust my wife and I trust you. I trust the two of you will work harmoniously together. Excuse me, I have other business to attend to now.”

“Congratulations, Mrs. Tynsall.”

“Don’t! My position is temporary just until you set sail, and the problems are bewildering, beyond my current level of expertise. Guide me through the learning curve, Captain. I will ask many stupid sounding questions, I’m sure. And call me Janice, please.”

“Ain’t no such thing as a stupid question, Ma’am. Ask all you want.”

“Okay, I will. Why would you want an old fashioned wringer washer?”

“So we can use diesel fuel to wash overalls and rags.”

“You intend actually using diesel fuel in the washing machine?”

“Do you have blueprints for Speedy here in your office?”

“I’ll get them from George’s office. Be right back.”

She did not promptly return. Cooled my heels fifteen minutes before she arrived, with two employees lugging a wide blueprints filing cabinet, housing multiple shallow drawers. They had to rearrange the office furniture to fit it in. Cramps the space a little.

“I need a bigger office. Maybe George will swap with me, if I ask nice. George says these blueprints are my department’s now. Show me what you intend to show me.”

“These are drawings of the double bottoms. This is a typical bulkhead with a manhole. Headroom is only three feet.”

“Does a manhole indicate it’s for a man to pass through it?”

“Smart lady! Exactly. The Chief and I will be crawling through these double bottoms and inspecting them every month or oftener. We will get very muddy and greasy doing it.”

“Can’t you wear disposable overalls?”

“We will, but our clothes beneath will get filthy despite the overalls. Here is another drawing showing the main engine installation and engine beds. This is a crawl space beneath the engines. Requires frequent cleaning to avoid a fire hazard. Under these engine-room deck-plates are the bilges. Oil and fuel is constantly dripping into the bilges. They have to be frquently cleaned also. A bilge fire is a life threatening catastrophic event. We need the wringer washer to wash greasy clothes so the automatic washer is kept pristine for our bed linens and fine clothes. It is not an expensive appliance. Why the resistance?”

“Phillip was the resistance. If you could have explained your reasons to Phillip as you just did for me, I’m certain you would have overcome his objections. Phillip didn’t give you the opportunity.”

“What is your next question, Ma’am?”

“A BULLSHIT rubber stamp and all these other stamps? Sounds frivolous to me, as it did to Phillip. Convince me these too are necessary.”

“Under maritime law, a ship’s stamp carries more weight than a notary’s seal. This stamp is so valuable, it’s kept locked in a safe.”

“What makes it so valuable?”

“Any document with the ship’s stamp on it is a legal commitment to pay. A mortgage can be secured with the ship’s stamp. The ship can be sold with the ship’s stamp. Equipment, repairs, and provisions purchased with the stamp on thr receipt. I need a safe installed to protect it from theft, since it’s part of the discussion.”

“And these other stamps?”

“A date stamp is obvious. Fire drills, abandon ship drills, and man overboard drills are required to be held every week and within 24 hours whenever leaving port. The drills are logged in red ink. Ared ink pad and stamps make it more official than scribbling with a red pen. The stamps are inexpensive. Another stamp with fill in blanks for latitude, longitude, speed, ETA, fuel on board, and weather conditions, attract the eye to these important log entries. A standard five hundred page hardbound accounting Journal is useful as an excellent annual ship’s log book. Those coloring book log pamphlets sold for yachtsmen to play with are not suitable for commercial vessels. All the other stamps requested, have similar reasoning behind them. Approved, Denied, Canceled, my printed name.