Ahoy, landlubbers, sailors, and RVers. It is me, Karl. I am currently guarding my RV, but I want to tell you more about my time at Green Turtle Cay in the Bahamas, because it was quite an adventure. If you know me, you know everything I do is an adventure. That is just how I am built.
If you recall, Sister Sugar had just completed an unauthorized swim. You don’t know about that? Are you new here? Go read that first. I will wait…..
Good. Now we can proceed.
Back then I was taking pills three times a day to keep the seizures away. A lot of pills. My tummy did not always love this arrangement.
Mom will tell you I have high standards when it comes to food. This is accurate. I eat only the best. And also things I find on the ground. Dog food is for dogs. I am a Shep. Completely different situation.
Mom had decided we would stay at the Green Turtle Marina for a few weeks. When Mom decides something, that is what happens. It was off-season so it was affordable, and this was a fancy place.
The bugs were still conducting nightly raids on the boat, smashing their tiny bodies against our window netting like they had somewhere important to be. And then there were the ferries. Not Tinkerbell fairies. Ferry boats. They roared in several times a day, bringing workers from the big island, sending a giant wave rolling through the docks that rocked our whole boat side to side. Rude. Very rude.
Dad and I did chores every day and went on long walks exploring the island. Mom worked on her computer. I supervised. This is one of my finest skills.
We were docked near the fuel dock, which is basically a gas station on the water. Boats pulled up, engines growled, and I did not appreciate any of it. Scary noises are not okay. I went directly to Dad. He is my person. When things get loud, I find my person. That is the protocol.
Then came the intruders.
I was on the boat with Mom when I noticed a person standing on the dock looking straight down into our house. A giant rich-people boat had docked across from us, and when their people walked by, they just stopped and stared right down into our living room. I jumped up and made my position very clear. GET OUT OF MY HOUSE. Sister lost her mind because I was in full intruder alert, which is contagious. Mom came to investigate. The people moved along, but I was trembling and drooling and the whole situation was unacceptable.
Dad said, want to go to the beach?
I let him think that distracted me. It did distract me, but I let him think it was his idea.
The beach was everything. Sand between my toes, wind in my ears, the kind of smells that make your whole brain light up. I snuck some salt water when Dad wasn’t looking. Top notch. I dunked my face and shook water on Sister and she bit me for it. Best day.
When we got back, Mom was still working. She said something quiet to Dad. He got my Juice. That is what they call one of my medicines. It makes me sleepy and makes the loud things softer. I have learned that when the Juice comes out, something is coming. So I started to pace, which did not help anything but felt necessary. I started whining to make sure everyone knew I was displeased with the situation.
Then it hit. A huge crash of sound.
Dad said, come here buddy. I was already on his lap before he finished the sentence. I was trembling, the scared kind not the epilepsy kind, and I whined to make sure he understood my feelings on the matter.
He took me outside to show me what it was, because he believes showing me monsters makes them less scary. He is usually right, which is annoying. It was a fuel barge, enormous and covered in bright lights, with men working all over it. Loud and kind of magnificent and still very much too loud.
I was interested and terrified at the same time. Dad asked if I wanted to get closer. I declined. We watched from the boat.
After a while one of the workers walked by and looked over at me. Hi buddy, he said. I said hey back. He told Dad I was a good looking German Shepherd. Dad already knew that. Still, it was nice to hear.
We went inside and made dinner. It had been a long day. The big kind of long, where a lot happened and your body and your brain both need to rest.
I was glad to be safe on my boat with my people.
Karl out.