WOODY By Lee Mariner
September 2002
DISCLAIMER: This is a gay story and it will describe sex acts between young men. IF YOU ARE NOT OF LEGAL AGE TO BE READING THIS STORY OR YOU DO NOT APPROVE OF SUCH MATERIAL, PLEASE LEAVE.
The names of the characters have been changed to protect their privacy. Some license has been taken but basically, the events depicted are true.
UNPROTECTED SEX IS DESCRIBED BUT THE TIME PERIOD IS CONSIDERABLY BEFORE THE OUTBREAK OF HIV/AIDS. THE AUTHOR DEPLORES ENGAGING IN UNPROTECTED SEX AS IT CAN LEAD TO LIFE THREATENING CONSEQUENCES AND SHOULD BE AVOIDED.
This story is copyrighted by the author and may not be copied or reproduced in any form without the authors written consent. It is assigned to the Nifty Archives under the provisions of their submission guidelines but it may not be copied or archived on any site without the author's permission.
Copyright: September 2002 - Author: Lee Mariner - All Rights are Reserved.
Mariner23502@hotmail.com
Woody clambered up the ladder and I smacked his cute ass getting a muffled "ouch." The duty engineer, Fredericks, and a couple of the duty dockhands were running down the pier. The dockhands were running but with Fredericks, waddling was more like it. Fredericks must have weighed close to 300lbs or better. It surprised me he could even get around or was still in the Navy.
The Navy's physical fitness program was not yet in full swing but some guys were so obese they were given a chance to get in shape or face medical discharge. Fredericks was facing a medical evaluation board hearing and he was trying but not with much success. He was a damn good engineer; there was not much he did not know about a Sterling Viking Super 8 engine and that was the pathetic part of losing a good engineer because of a weight problem. I liked the guy and his cheerful attitude. He never seemed offended by the good-natured kidding about his girth and always took it in stride.
Woody and I hit the deck just as Fredericks reached for the opening in the deck safety cables where the boats are usually boarded. At low tide it was not difficult to board but at high tide even a man in good shape had a little difficulty, the boats main deck would sometimes be riding almost 4' above the pier. It was ebb tide right then but it was still a pretty good step up to get on board.
Fred reached up and grabbed the cable stanchions in both hands and stepping on the boat bumper he heaved his big body upwards as Woody reached over to help him and I was on the other side just in case he slipped. One of the dockhands hollered out, "Hey Freddy, they better send a crane down here. You want a push up?"
I didn't see who said it but I jerked my head up growling, "knock it off and get on those lines."
"Don't pay any attention too them Steve, I don't" Fred said puffing just a little. "Hi Woodson. You Steve's new deck hand? I heard he had a new one after Zisk was transferred. You got a good boat here, the best skipper of the lot."
"Yes sir, I am and I know." Woody said quietly glancing at me, a sparkle in his eyes.
"Hey, knock of the sir. Call me Freddy or Fred. Did you hear that Steve, sir?" Fred said chuckling softly.
"It's called respect Fred, some kids still have it. How quick can you get her fired up? The 22,000 range is a ways down river."
"Give me 10 minutes but don't throw off the fore and aft spring lines until she's purring and your finished checking the Panish Controls."
"You got it. Woody, get the fore and aft lines but hold the springs. I'll give you a holler."
"Sure things Ste.......Lewis." He said glancing at Fred to see if he had caught his almost slip of the tongue and then padded off barefooted too the boats bow.
Fredericks disappeared down the engine room hatchway. It always amazed me how agile he really was for his size. I went too the pilothouse and flipping a few switches, dials lit up and the compass glowed with a greenish light just in front of and below the wheel. Turning the wheel left and right(port and starboard for landlubbers), the rudder indicator followed like it should if working properly. Switching on the pilothouse radio monitors I waited until the yellow lights flashed on indicating they were warming on and then the red lights would flash on indicating they were operational. It only took a few seconds and everything was operational in the pilothouse except for checking the Panish Controls that operated the engines. I couldn't do that until Fredericks switched controls from the engine room too the pilothouse.
A sudden whine and then the roar of one Sterling being lit off ripped through the air and then settled down to a deep rumble followed by the other engine. I loved the sound, the roar of power that surged through the boat, 16,000 horses straining to be released. It always sent a thrill though me when I heard that sound. Glancing down at the controls, the blue lights blinked and then gleamed, the control system was mine.
Ducking down and looking under the deck canopy, I could see Woody waiting at the springs and looking up at me. His sandy brown hair shined in the bright dock lights and his eyes gleamed. He was excited at going on the river at night and so was I. I liked night operations.
Flipping the twin engine control knobs forward I felt the boat surge forward straining against the forward spring line and then reversed the engines laying her back on the aft spring. Flipping into neutral I called out, "Let'em go Woody" and it was only a second and I heard his clear response," All clear."
Dropping the controls into reverse, I ducked down again looking aft just as the boat started moving and pulled the air horn cord giving three short blasts warning any one around or astern we were backing down.
Easing the wheel slowly too port(left) I watched out of the window until the bow was clear before flipping the controls too forward and reversing the rudder. I could feel the boat squat when the forward power took effect and I let her glide slowly forward and looked for the lighted buoys that guided us through the channel. Backing out of the slip was always tricky but at night, even trickier. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Woody standing on the pilothouse ladder halfway up from the main deck.
"Watch the stern Woody. We should be clear but keep in eye on it for me."
"Yes sir." He said loudly sliding down the rail onto the deck. I couldn't help grinning at his "yes sir" but what the hell why embarrass him by correcting it but I knew if I didn't say something he was going to take a lot of kidding from the other men on the Yard about it.
Lining up the bow up with the range light in the center of the channel and reaching for the radio, I reported in. " Range Control from 649, underway for 22,000 station."
A clear female voice responded, "Roger 649, keep a lookout for any small craft on your way down range. We're going to be shooting some 16's and we don't need any one out there. Report in when you reach 12,000 and we might be able to handle it from there, it's a pretty clear night."
I didn't notice Frederick standing at the bottom of the ladder when I responded but after I acknowledged he shouted, "Damn Steve, a 16 program. We'll be down range all night." "Life's a real bitch sometimes Fred but it means we get pulled out of line for duty tomorrow." I answered over the rumble of the engines. Sterling's make a lot of noise when open full throttle.
"Yeah, that's you and Woodson, not me. We got the engines of the 648 boat to get back on line and I know Chief Bradford will want me. The Old Man's giving us a fit about it being out of service."
Having a boat out of service was not all that much of a problem, we had 5 assigned too the Yard. The only problem with the 648 being out was it had been down for over 3 months. Something about the Sterling plant in Buffalo not getting the parts out on special as the Supply Dept. had asked.
It was not my problem but my boat was scheduled for a routine maintenance overhaul and I damn sure didn't want to be down that long. The 648 crew had been broken up and a couple had been transferred. That meant a new crew would need to be trained and sometimes the Yard Chief would do the picking and added them on the other boats for training. Bummer was all I could think.
"Steve." Fred called up at me. "Got anything to eat down below?"
"There should be some horsecock(lunchmeat) and cheese in the fridge. I think Woody is making a pot of coffee, check with him."
"I hope so, I'm hungry. Give me a call when you get on station and I'll shut her down unless you want to keep the control in the pilothouse."
"I'll keep it up here Fred, no need for you to be coming up and down that ladder. Go ahead and try and crap out(get some sleep) since you might have to work tomorrow. Woody and I can handle it."
"Man I could kiss you, those damn ladders kill me. Brickson always wants me sitting by the engine room hatch when I've been on his boat, bastard. Call me if you need me." He hollered over his shoulder as he left.
I smiled listening to Fred bitch and almost said he should lose some weight but that wouldn't do any good. He did have a hard time with the ladders between the foul weather pilothouse and the berthing spaces; he just barely fit in the hatch. Besides the thought of being kissed by Fred was not as appealing as Woody and my cock twitched thinking about his soft lips on mine. God but that boy could kiss.
It was a really warm night and I slipped my t-shirt off and hung it on a hook behind me wondering where Woody was, it was taking a long time to make a pot of coffee.
I had the three windows in the pilothouse open and the warm night air created by the speed of the boat cutting through the water flowed over my chest. It felt like soft fluttering wings caressing me and my tits hardened a little. The night sky was inky black with billions of stars blazing and twinkling in the heavens. The river was like glass and I could see the white and glowing phosphorus of the bow wave against the coal blackness of the water.
This was when I really enjoyed being underway on the river. It was quiet except for the rumble of the engines and the soft yellow glow of house lights on the shoreline was like fireflies in the black distance. Sometimes I would think about all of the sex going on in some of the houses getting myself all horny and wind up jerking off after we tied up too a buoy at the station we had been assigned. I had thrown many a handkerchief overboard.
I was lost in my thoughts, enjoying the solitude of the night when Woody slipped up beside me with two cups of coffee and he surprised me saying, "coffee?"
"Yeah, thanks. I was wondering where you were at."
"Helping Fredericks in the bunkroom. He said you told him he could flake out(sleep)." He said quietly and started to set the coffee by the controls.
"Not there, over on the other side. That's to close if it spills. It could cause a short in the system."
He said "sorry" reaching across my chest. His arm brushed over my half hard tits and I sucked air between my teeth looking at him. His eyes reflected the greenish glow of the compass and they glowed like blue/green turquoise.
"Better not look at me like that Woody if you don't want us up on a sandbar? Your eyes are the most beautiful eyes I've ever seen." "My Mom always told me she could tell what I was thinking from the way I talked with my eyes."
"She was right. Did she ever tell you how sexy they are?
"Noooo but I like you telling me. No one has ever told me that before, do you really think so?" Woody said softly blowing in my ear.
"I do but you better stop that before Fred comes up from down below."
"I closed the screen door from the lower pilothouse. We would hear it if its opened. Fredericks said we would be out all night. Will we?"
"Probably, they're shooting a 16 program and that takes a lot of time. This is your first night on patrol but get used to it, it happens more then we like."
"It shouldn't be that often with 5 boats should it Steve?"
"They run night programs about twice a week but sometimes more depending on what guns they are testing or the types of ammo. There are 5 boats Woody but like right now with #648 out of service that leaves 4 and one of those is usually in reserve. The Yard Chief tries to keep us in rotation but it doesn't always work out. You better get your boathook and standby in the bow. We should be seeing the mooring buoy in a minute." I said pulling the engine controls back too half speed. The boat lurched forward a little throwing Woody off balance.
Catching himself from falling he grabbed my bicep and placed his hand on the top of my shoulder before he could straighten up and I felt the bulge of his soft cock pressing against my thigh. He looked at me grinning and asked, "Okay if I take my shirt off Steve?"
"Sure, no one out here to catch us out of uniform but hurry, there's the buoy a little off on the starboard(right) bow. Let's see if you can catch that mooring cable on the first try." I said switching on the overhead spotlight and aiming the beam at the white mooring buoy.
Woody grabbed his boathook from its rack on the side of the lower pilothouse and ran forward. I had the engines at idle and gliding up on the buoy I called out, "Reverse Woody, brace yourself" before putting the engines in reverse and watched him closely as he reached with the hook for the cable and catching it pulled it aboard under the safety cable dropping it over a forward mooring cleat.
Turning and looking aft he waved his arm calling out, "Secure Steve."
His chest was like smooth alabaster and gleamed in the glare of the spotlight just before I turned it off. For a minute he looked like a young lean muscled David in the spotlight and he had a smile of triumph on his face. Not many of my other crewmembers caught the cable at night on the first pass and I must admit I was proud of him. Woody had a determination that not many young men his age had.
Picking the mike up, I radioed in "#649 on station at 12,000. The range is clear, didn't spot any small stuff on the way down. There's a low haze down around 17 or 18,000 but it looks clear." I said flipping the switch that turned on the rotating warning light at the top of the mast.
The radio crackled again with the same female voice, "Roger #649, I see your light. Keep an eye down range. We have a mobile spotter over on the Maryland side at 7,500 watching up river. You concentrate on the lower range and I'll advise when we are ready to shoot."
"Will do. Not much activity on the beach right now, looks like most of the bars and clubs are closing but we'll keep a sharp lookout."
"Roger that, standby."
Firing down range at night was dangerous enough with the smaller caliber guns but with 16's we really had to keep a close watch on the river. The Potomac was pretty wide where the firing range was located and that's why it was used for testing guns of all calibers because it was wide. Bigger yachts and ships were easy to see day or night but the little runabouts were different. After drinking on shore some of the idiots would race out not paying attention to the yellow 360 range light like they should and I reached for the toggle switches that would turn off the running lights except for the mooring lights.
Woody bounced up the ladder in his bare feet breathing a little hard.
"Joe, don't run on deck at night especially in bare feet. You might slip and how would I explain either one of us not wearing shoes if you were hurt?"
"I'm sorry Steve, I didn't think. Are those really bars and clubs over there?"
"Yeah and they can be a pain in the ass. More so at night then during the day and that makes it tougher on us. There might be one or two make a run and try crossing the river even though they see the warning light. Bunch of nuts. One of those shells land close or in their laps and we got a lot of explaining to do even though they are wrong. Here take the binoculars and have a look."
Woody took the binoculars, looking at the beach. The pilothouse was dark except for the blue lights shining by the engine controls and the red lights of the radios. His broad shoulders tapering down to his small waist seemed to glow reflecting the soft light. I could see he was still breathing a little hard from the expansion and retraction of his rib cage and my cock moved swelling inside my dungarees. Sucking my gut in, I slid my hand down and moved my stiffening rod upwards over my stomach.
I'd seen lots of good-looking hunky studs since I joined the Navy but none had the charismatic aura that surrounded Woody.
He was 18 years old but he was more man then a lot I had been around and not just because of his equipment. He knew how to handle himself. I knew in my mind that if I wasn't careful, I could fall in love with him and in the Navy that could be career ending not that I had thought about making it a career, not just yet anyway.
Woody lowered the glasses and turning to me he said, "Looks like they are closing down or going too bed. Lots of lights turning off."
"They should be." I said, "Its almost midnight. Let me have the glasses for a look down range. We've been here almost and hour they should be about ready."
Woody stood between my knees and leaned up against the wheel while I checked the river. He was running one hand up and down my thigh and my cock started swelling again but more comfortable then it was before.
Setting the glasses on the shelf to my left I slipped my arm around his waist and pulled him closer. "You're a sexy devil aren't you?"
"Not really Steve, just with someone I like and I like you very much. What were you thinking about while I was looking at the beach? You were awfully quiet."
That was one of the things I liked about him, probing questions and the way he said them, softly with just a hint of innocence. I was sitting on a stool and he was standing between my legs his head almost level with mine. I could feel his eyes looking at me, his fingers slowly stroking my thigh. His smooth muscled chest rose and fell gently as he breathed.
"Do you really want to know what I was thinking?" I said in almost a whisper.
"If you want to tell me Steve, you don't have to if you don't" He said just as softly moving a bit closer until his hip was touching my groin.
"I was thinking about how much I know about you and how much I don't. We made love earlier this evening and it was fantastic, more then I could have wished for but I don't really know anything else about you Joe." I said not quite as soft but quietly.
"There isn't a whole lot to know Steve. I'm a mountain boy who joined the Navy to get out of the mountains. My Mom and Dad still live there, probably always will. Dad works in a paper mill as long as he's sober and I have an older brother that works in a restaurant. Mom takes in laundry and ironing for extra money. If she didn't they might not eat, the way my Dad drinks his paycheck up. I joined the Navy almost right after I graduated from high school on a two-year reserve program. After I serve the two years I can convert and finish the remaining 4 years of the contract on active duty or be transferred too the active reserve. I did it that way because I wasn't really sure if I would like the Navy and if my Mom and Dad needed me, I wouldn't be away that long. I'll be 19 in 2 months and that leaves me a year before I have to decide what I want to do."
"Have you thought about what you are going too do?"
"Not really. I know I'm not crazy about sea duty. They sent me right to a ship for duty after boot camp and that sucks, I didn't like it at all. Some career counselor asked me about it when I checked in. He told me I should be thinking about it since 15 months was not that long."
"He is right about that Joe. It won't be long before 15 months is shot after you run up and down this river a few times. Speaking of the river, we better check it out." I said picking up the glasses, his fingers moving, sort of scratching softly, up and down my thigh.
Sweeping the river, Joe leaned forward between my arms so he wouldn't block my view. His warm breath touched my face as he leaned down laying his head on my shoulder. My left bicep caught him across his neck pulling his head closer. His lips felt like soft velvet when he kissed my neck, his tongue flicking out touching me and it felt like the sting of a mosquito pricking me. Holding the glasses with one hand and turning my face too his, our lips met in a soft gentle kiss our tongues just touching. Joe put his arm over my shoulder and around my neck and slipping his other arm under mine he locked his fingers flexing his bicep forcing our lips tighter.
The kiss was more passionate and my cock was rock hard. Dropping my right hand down his soft velvety rib cage to his crotch I felt his hard cock and squeezing it he moaned softly his breathing quickening and I felt him suck is gut in just as the radio crackled in my ear. "Range clear #649?"
Damn I thought as we broke the kiss and I answered, "All clear Control." Just a little to huskily.
"Roger that #649, one on the way. Watch for the plume when it hits and give us a mark."
I could hear the dull thump through the radio and lifted the glasses looking south, Joe's head resting on my shoulder and one hand on my throbbing cock. He didn't say anything, just leaned against me like a little boy, his soft sweet smelling breath floating into my nostrils as I breathed.
I didn't want him too move but there was nothing like a 16" shell passing through the air. "Stand up Joe, listen."
At first it was almost as quiet as a tomb and then a sound like a freight train rushing down the tracks followed by the low rumble of the muzzle blast rolling over the water moving the boat slightly.
The 2-ton shell hit a past the 22,000 range, close too 2,000 yards. Even in the dark the plume or water rising up looked like Old Fashioned in Yellowstone Park. Handing the glasses too Joe I keyed the mike, "it hit the water about 24,000 Control." I reported.
"Roger that #649, we got it. Standby for the next salvo." I always wondered why they asked us for a range report when they had powerful range finding glasses watching everything on the river. I guess it was for a confirmation but more probably to be sure we were awake.
Joe leaned back against me breathing excitedly, "Wow Steve, that was awesome. Did you see that water go up like it did, awesome? You didn't even need the glasses to see it and the sound, Jeez!!!"
"Yep, pretty awesome, you should see one of the wagons shoot at sea, that's awesome. You can see the sound wave moving across the water in a rippling ring and then the blast rolls over you in a deep rumbling roar. The 5 & 8 caliber guns have a sharp crack but not a 16, they roar, sucking the air until its almost like being in a vacuum when it rolls over you and you can't breath for a second or so."
"Yeah!!!" He said excitedly, twisting between my legs, his eyes glistening and almost hitting me with the glasses. "I felt that just a minute ago when the boat moved. Are they going to shoot another one off, when?"
"Probably pretty soon, they said standby." I said taking the glasses away from him before he crowned me with them and thinking "yeah, just like a little boy."
Joe stood looking at me, my hands holding him at the waist, his fingers making little circles around my hardening tits.
"You like the Navy don't you Steve?" He said softly, the nails on his fingers sending electric shocks into my groin each time he touched one of my tits.
"Not all of the time but mostly I do but you don't do you?"
"I don't know if I do or not. Sometimes yes like now. I like being with you. I like the way you touch me, the way we kiss. I think I would stay in if we were together Steve but I know that won't happen."
I'm pretty sure that was the moment I really fell in love and I put my hands on either side of his face pulling him too me. My mind was in a whirl as our mouths consumed, devoured each other. Joe moaned softly pressing his hard cock against mine and putting his arms around me squeezed until I thought my ribs would crack but it was a delicious pain, a pain that felt better the longer it lingered.
I was almost breathless when he released me, fumbling with the snap on my dungarees.
"Not here Joey." I heard myself whispering a little to weakly.
"Yes Steve, I want it, you want it, we both want it." He said his hands quivering as he unzipped my fly and gripped my cock. Every muscle in my body tightened with his mouth sliding down over me as fiery waves of passion and lust enveloped me and I leaned back against the wall of the pilothouse.
My gut felt like the inside of a volcano, hot, burning, boiling. He held the base of my cock with one hand and the other laid on my pelvis his fingers scratching thick pubic hairs. His mouth devouring me sucking drawing hot molten lava like sperm from the crucible where the lava boiled waiting to explode, filling the receptacle that demanded it, his mouth. I forgot where we were thinking only of fulfilling his demand. Joe's mouth was like a steady pulsing pump sucking the life from me. The lava rose steadily and waves of fire surged upwards from my loins. A low moan drifted up from my diaphragm and I gripped his head holding him tight on my throbbing surging cock, "Oh Christ, suck it Joey, drain me dry."
I couldn't breath; only gasp as he groaned sucking my cock deeper. My body tightened and my back arched from the intensity of his sucking mouth. The feeling of thick streams gushing filling his mouth and flowing down his throat as he swallowed. Joe was like a sucking pump demanding more and the cream flowed like a river until with a deep groan I felt muscles relaxing and my cock starting to soften the spasms lessening, my hands holding his head.
He didn't release me right then. He lips held me tight and as my cock softened he swallowed more and more of it as it softened until his nose was in my hairy bush his tongue playing, twisting my soft sensitive meat.
Lifting his head off out of my lap and pulling him up with my hands under his armpits, I run my hand over his wet crotch. Joe's head hung just a little and I put my finger under his chin lifting his eyes to mine.
Brushing his lips with mine, I whispered softly, "You're a little too much Joe Woodson but I love you."
His eyes watered a little and opened wider looking at me and he leaned his chest against mine. I could feel the strong steady beat of his heart, his head lying on my shoulder. I guess when you fall in love with someone; you really don't care what happens. Common sense told me that what had just happened was dangerous but he was right, I wanted it as badly as he did.
His broad smoothly muscled back was warm with a light sheen of sweat from the passion of making love and I ran my hands up and down his lateral back muscles feeling the deep valley of muscle meeting at his spine. The warm darkness of the night seemed to surround and envelope us, the stars brighter then I remembered them.
I was in to much of a euphoric fog to even think how this was going to work out or maybe end but I felt and knew one thing, I didn't want to lose this chance at loving Joe and being loved.
For a moment I thought he had dozed off lying on my chest, my arms holding him close. Turning my head I whispered, "Joey."
"Mmmmughhhhh." He murmured softly.
"I thought you had fallen asleep, you were so quiet."
"I could easy the way you're holding me but I was just thinking."
"The same thing I've been thinking Joey?"
"Maybe Steve, I guess. I think I fell in love with you the first time I saw you Steve and now I know I do but it scares me. Maybe I tried to make you fall in love with me, showing myself off like I've been doing but hearing you say it is more then I thought would happen and it scares me."
Just as I was going to answer him, the damn radio blared in my ear, "Control too #649." Taking the mike out of its wall clip I acknowledged the call.
"We're having a problem with this program #649, looks like we will have to cancel tonight and try again later. You can return to the Yard, we'll notify the Commander when ready for a re-try."
"Roger that Control, #649 returning."
Woody moved from between my legs, hearing the radio, his eyes still a little shiny from his tears. He hadn't really cried but they shined from the moisture but he was grinning looking down at his crotch, "got a mess but I'll get the cable. Want me to wake Fredericks?"
"Nah, let him sleep. We can wake him at the turn buoy at the back channel." I said, pushing the engine start button. The engines roar too life and then settled down to a deep throated rumble. Snapping on the spotlight I watched Woody, barefooted, trot too the bow and release the mooring cable.
He waved his arm in the all clear and I let the river current float the boat clear and give him time to get amidships before kicking the engines into gear. Joe disappeared beneath the superstructure and I searched for the mooring buoy with the spotlight spotting it about 10 yards off too port and I flipped the controls forward too half speed spinning the wheel too the right. I felt the props bite the water and the boat squatted down at the stern and gathered speed. Lining the bow up with the inner channel range light I glanced over my should for Joe and then heard Fredericks hollering, "Steve, we headed in? I thought I heard something on the monitor about canceling the program?"
Checking the boats heading, I stepped out on the on the ladder platform. "Joey, where are you? Tell Fred what's going on and come on back up to the pilothouse."
"Be right there Steve, I'll tell him. I was just washing the mud and gook off."
"Mud and gook." I thought, a little perplexed. There wouldn't be any of that on the bow we didn't anchor.
The evening breeze had freshened some and there were small whitecaps on the river from the wind blowing from the NE(Northeast) and a few clouds were scudding across the night sky where it had been crystal clear when we came down. There was the light smell of rain on the breeze. The shoreline was almost totally black except for an occasionally light. Looking at my watch in the compass light, it was 0125(1:25AM). Locating my t-shirt, I slipped it over my head and closed the forward windows just as Woody stepped inside.
"Fredericks didn't seem all that happy even though we're going back early. Where did I put my t-shirt, it's getting cool?"
"On the hook behind me. Don't worry about Fred, he always grumbles on a night operation. What was that stuff about washing the bow off? There was any mud on the cable."
"Fred doesn't know that, I washed my dungarees off. I didn't think it would be a good idea putting them in the laundry like they were." He said grinning at me his eyes sparkling.
I felt his dungarees while he slipped his t-shirt on, they were soaked.
"Damn Joey. Don't you have another pair down below? You could have put them on." "Not with Fred down there, he would have seen the front and me without skivvies on. When he gets up topside, I'll go down and change."
"Make sure you do. I don't want you getting sick."
"Me neither, the Chief might take me off of your boat. Why did you start calling me Joey? I like it."
"It just sort of popped in my head when you were laying against me earlier. Just sort of natural like. It's just between you and me when we are alone though."
"Oh, I know that. Don't worry. I wonder what happened that they cancelled out. I like being on the river at night. It's a little like back home, quiet with millions and millions of stars shining when there aren't any clouds. Even then I enjoyed camping out by myself. Did you ever camp out Steve before you joined the Navy?"
"When I was a boy scout but that's a long time ago."
"It can't be that long ago, you aren't that old. I bet you are that much older then I am."
"I guess not that much, I turned 24 this past June. That makes it about 5 years if you will be 19 soon."
Joey was leaning against the back wall and I could see his reflection in the front window glass. People look different in the dark but in the dim light Joey looked calm and serene. In the muted light from the compass, his dark blue eyes were almost black but I could see blue highlights. He was quiet and I could tell he was thinking and just as I was going to ask him what he was thinking, he moved forward and slipped his arms around my chest, laying his head against the back of my neck. His arms around me felt good and I could feel his chest expanding and falling as he breathed along with the dampness of his dungarees.
Joey, you gotta get those changed."
"I will." He said softly. "Steve? You said a little while ago that you didn't know anything about me, I don't know anything about you either."
He was right about that. We had been talking about him and nothing about me. We didn't have anytime right at that moment though, the range light buoy was coming up pretty fast and I needed Fredericks in the engine room.
"I'll tell you all about me later Joe, get Fred from below and after he leaves change your dungarees."
Joe didn't say anything as he left to get Fred and change. Pulling back on the controls I reduced speed to slow ahead and when I felt the wake pass under us increased speed too half ahead. Too much wake in the Yard basin rocked boats at their moorings and usually resulted in a report on boat skipper's records for those that did it.
The screen door creaked and then slammed as Fred came on deck and went too the engine room hatch disappearing below. He wouldn't do much until I shut the engines down but he was required to standby the engines in case we had a failure between the remote pilothouse controls and the engine room. It had never happened too me but it was not impossible. One boat had a failure and hit the boat slip seawall tearing about 6' of his bow out and damaging the wall. Him and his engineer were court-martialed and transferred.
We didn't have that problem. The duty watchman was on the pier and he handed the stern spring line too Woody as we glided in dropping it over the cleat. With a quick flick of the controls I stopped her on the spot just putting a strain on the line. Woody jumped on the pier with the forward spring and dropped it over a bollard. With the watches help he had us secured and pushing the button sent the signal to Fred and the engines died. It always sounded like an instant quiet settled over everything when you didn't hear the exhausts rumbling.
Fred come up from the engine room puffing and switched the lights off. Woody with help snapped the shore power line in its socket and hooked up the water line. I heard him and the other seaman talking.
"Guess your glad that's over Woody. Gets kind of scary out there at night."
"Not really Pearson, I kind of liked it. Not as hectic as it is during the day. Besides we won't have to go down tomorrow and we can sleep in." "I don't think so Woody. The #651 skipper, Nicholson, went on emergency leave and there's no replacement for him. Yard Chief said your boat would have to fill in. There's a memo for Lewis up in the Yard Office. The Chief told the #647 boat to bring your rations down tomorrow."
"What about Mr. Cox Pearson?" I called out hearing him.
"He won't be in Lewis, the 51' boat engineer will be going with you. You and Woody better sack out, they have an 0800 call for three boats and your one of them."
Pearson had become a little too cocky since they had made him a striker(leading seaman) and he wasn't fond of me since I chewed him out for being late when Zisk went on leave and he was assigned as his temporary replacement.
I didn't doubt Pearson but it pissed me off that the Chief didn't call me on the secondary FM radio instead of leaving a note. Jumping off the boat I growled, "Where's that note Pearson?"
"In the office Lewis, I wasn't bullshitting you."
"I didn't say you were but I want to see the note. Standby Woodson, I'll be right back." I hollered heading for the office. Fred was puffing along behind, at least he wouldn't be my engineer.
I knew Pearson was right, he wouldn't make something like that up, but it still pissed me off and I was burning up with anger reading the note.
"Tell your relief to wake us at 0700 Pearson." I growled spinning on my heel.
"Sure Lewis, will do."
Woody was waiting on deck for me. When I got too the boat he asked if we were going out again in the morning.
"Looks like we are Joey. I told Pearson to have his relief wake us at 0700, that'll give us about 5 hours sack time."
"It won't be that bad Steve." He said reaching out his hand to help me aboard.
"It won't, I've done it before. It's just that damn Parker from the 51', he talks and talks about nothing. Come on lets go below. Is there any coffee left? I need a cup."
"Yeah but it'll be a little strong. I made it on the way down."
"That's okay, lets go. 0700 comes early."
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