The Doldrums

“Pen it in, it will return.” Captain Ron spoke with authority.

I thought on that statement for a time. It made no sense to me. How can something kept in a pen return. It is confined. It cannot escape and then come back.

Perhaps he spoke in riddles. But then again, perhaps it’s a thought that cannot escape. It will return, again and again. Just like ocean waves, they never stop. They gather out in the deep, then break on the shore.

“What are you thinking about?” Margaret got my attention.

I straightened up from the railing. Water as smooth as glass stretched before us, behind us. We’re in the doldrums, per Captain Ron. No wind to fill the sails.

“The sheer immensity of the ocean. And wondering how we’ll make it out of this mess.”

She came to me, gave me a hug. “We will get out of this. We have to. Captain will keep us safe. He has to.”

“Where is the Captain? And the crew? Have you seen them lately?”

We started walking around the decks. No sign of life. No answer to our calls.

Finally in the Captain’s stateroom we found a letter. It was addressed to us.

“Dear James and Margaret

It is with great despair and sorrow that we had to abandon ship in the night. A vessel should be here within the week to rescue you.

Best wishes and smooth sailing.”

Signed by
‘Captain Ron and crew of the Lucky Horse Latitude’.

“Did you hear them leave? See anything?” I asked Margaret.

“Nothing, I’m as shocked as you are.” Her eyes were filling with tears.

“I guess we just wait. We can try the radio. But that’s it.”

But the radio is dead. So we wait. We’re still waiting.


W/C 296