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ould be revisited。
…E。Suzuki; Belief and Behavior
Naples; Florida
PREQUILT: SATURDAY; 9:03 A。M。 EST
The Entrepreneur was a thirty…five…foot fiberglass deep…water sailboat; rigged for the open sea。 The original production hull had been modified with a three…foot cabin extension; bowsprit and pulpit; and webbing of double lifelines。 The mast was forty…five feet of extruded aluminum supported by one…quarter…inch stainless steel shrouds。 A gleaming white; slim hulled beauty with a fin keel; the Entrepreneur was everything Ron Tubman always wanted in a yacht; and more; and it was finally his。
Carmen and her daughter were aboard; stowing gear for the voyage。 Ron still thought of Rosa as Carmen's daughter; though they had been a blended family; or at least mixed; for eighteen months now。 Everyone was consciously trying to blend; and Chris had surprised him; warming up to Carmen as quickly as Ron had。 He remembered joking with Carmen about her close relationship with her new son; suggesting a reconsideration of Freud's theory about Oedipal conflicts。
Rosa was a different story; however; with no sign of an Electra plex toward Ron。 She was cordial with her new brother Chris; even affectionate at times。 Brother and sister roles were new to both of them; and they had quickly formed a bond。 Even before the marriage; Rosa had gone out of her way to do things with Chris…just as she went out of her way to avoid Ron。 Maybe; Ron thought; it was the age difference between Rosa and Chris that made it easy for them to be friends。 Rosa was six years older than Chris; and they had different interests and roles in the family。 The spliced siblings had never peted for affection from their parents。 But Rosa remained deliberately distant; cool and aloof to Ron。 She visited her father every other weekend and made it clear she didn't need another。 Ron didn't know if Rosa had harbored fantasies about her parents reuniting after their divorce; but Carmen's remarriage would have abruptly ended such a dream。
Still; Rosa had shown feint glimmerings of interest in the sailboat; and that tiny spark was more than Ron had seen in eighteen months。 Now he was hoping that the time at sea; away from the distractions of school; television; and boys; would help him form a bond with Rosa。 If not; at least he'd have the pleasures of sailing。
Ron shouted down the dock at Chris; who was leaning over the bow swishing a piece of line in the water。
〃Hey; Chris! Permission to e aboard?〃
Chris looked confused for a minute and then stood erect; brought his hand to his forehead in a salute; and said; 〃Permission granted。〃 Ron returned his salute and then climbed over the double railing。 For perhaps the hundredth time; Ron saw that Chris was a miniature version of himself; with sandy blond hair; blue eyes; and fair…now sunburned…skin。 It looked like Chris would someday reach at least his father's five foot ten inches。 Both were dressed in nautical white T…shirts; shorts; and deck shoes; and Ron admitted to himself that father…and son outfits made him feel a little silly。
〃Ready to sail; First Mate?〃
〃I've been ready for an hour。 。。。I mean; everything's shipshape; sir。〃
〃I'm going to check on the stores。〃
Chris ran back to whatever he was doing on the bow while Ron stepped down into the cabin。 With only eighty…five square feet of living space; it was tightly packed with necessities and forts。 A propane stove; a refrigerator; and a sink with foot…pump faucets; one for freshwater; and one for saltwater; made up the Entrepreneur's galley。 The table in the center of the cabin was actually the cover for the two…cylinder diesel engine。 The berths doubled as storage space; and the head was forward in the bow。 A small chart table folded down from the wall; and the Entrepreneur's speedometer; chronometer; dinometer; and pass were mounted on the wall above the folding chart table。 The radio direction finder; depth finder; and the short' wave radio were mounted below it。
Carmen and Rosa were sitting on the opposing bunks talking when Ron stepped down into the cabin; but stopped as soon as he came in。 Rosa and Carmen were nearly as similar as Ron and Chris; sharing short brown hair; brown eyes; and thin arms and legs。 But while Carmen was filled out; teenage Rosa still looked gangly。
〃Are you ladies ready to go?〃
Rosa looked down; folding her hands into her lap; and Carmen gave Ron a 〃don't make a big deal out of this〃 look。
〃Rosa doesn't want to go。〃
〃But it's all set; and it's only overnight。〃
〃No; I mean she doesn't want to make the sail to Bermuda。 A month on the ocean is a long time to be away from your friends。〃
〃It's not just my friends;〃 Rosa said。 She raised her head and stared defiantly at Ron。 〃It's my dad; my real dad。 I don't want to be away from him that long。 I mean; Mom; you have Ron; and even Chris; but Dad's got no one but me。 If I'm gone he'll have no one。〃
Out of the er of his eye; Ron saw Carmen bite her lip。 Given the history of Rosa's father; Ron doubted the man would be lonely。 Ron knew Carmen's marriage had broken up because of her husband's repeated affairs。 He also knew Carmen had hidden that from Rosa。
〃You'll be together;〃 Rosa continued; 〃but he'll be alone for a month。 I just can't do that to him。〃
Ron wanted to protest that it wasn't a month at sea; only a week。 Well; he reflected; a week each way; with a two…week layover…but he heeded Carmen's warning look。
This trip was meant to be a trial run for the Bermuda voyage。 They were to sail out from Naples; Florida; spend the night; and then sail back。 The kids could get their sea legs; and Ron could prove to the kids; and Carmen; that he could navigate。 He even planned to do it without the RDF system。 This was supposed to be a warm…up for the big event; and he wasn't ready to give up the voyage to Bermuda yet。
〃Well; I think we can talk about this;〃 Carmen said。 〃Can't we; Ron?〃
Ron nodded; but hoped that after a couple of days at sea Rosa would fall in love with deep…water sailing; just as he had;
〃Let's talk about it at sea;〃 he suggested。 〃I think so much more clearly when there is nothing to see but blue sky above and blue sea below。 Rosa; loose the stern lines。 Carmen; help Chris with the bow lines。 We sail!〃
〃Don't you give me orders; Captain Bligh;〃 Carmen warned playfully。
〃Please?〃
Carmen smiled; wrapped her arms around Ron in a brief hug; and then climbed up on deck。 His good feelings restored; Ron thought of gliding across the sea using the stars to guide his way in the calming emptiness of the ocean。 Then he thought of Rosa。 〃Please love sailing; Rosa;〃 Ron whispered to himself; 〃please。〃 Then he climbed to the deck and started the engine。
3。 GUN IN THE DARK
At that time a great wonder occurred。 The forests were ignited and o multitude of abominable vermin appeared。
…The Shu King; the Canon of Yao
Oregon Caves
PREQUILT: SATURDAY; 10:25 A。M。 PST
Dr。 Terry Roberts was watching his wife feed Wheat Thins to the chipmunks。 Ellen was making a trail using little pieces of the crackers; trying to entice the chipmunks closer and closer。 The chipmunks were resisting; though; as if t