make for a long day.
“Whatever you need, Mr. Christian. Just remember, I have school in
the morning.”
“That’s my girl.”
He smiled. “Come on. I’ll show you ‘round the shop.” I
followed him as he led me out into the small warehouse that shelved
equipment, hoses, air compressors and jet pumps.
“Your dad’s dive
hat is in the locker. Everyone is responsible for their own, so make
sure you check it before going out. I’ll put you in boat
inspections since that is least time-consuming, as you’d put it.”
He winked at me.
“Boat inspections?
Why would I need gear for that?” Christian would have to know that
I didn’t know as much as my dad probably let on when he convinced
him to hire me.
He laughed, drawing his
smile up so much his eyes were only slits. “You have to go
underwater to do the inspection. It’s cheaper to hire a diver than
to dry dock the boat. That’s where we come in.”
Metal clanked together
in the distance followed by the sound of muffled curses.
I looked at Christian
alarmed. “What was that?” Mysteries were no longer my thing.
“Zack, get in here!”
Christian called to the other side of the warehouse.
A boy jogged over and
slowed as he reached us. “Yeah, dad?” He was annoyed, clutching
his right hand in pain.
“Dropped a compressor
again? Where are you manners? You remember Adriana, right?”
Zack was in the same
grade as I was but he looked younger. Maybe I just felt older. I had
seen him a few times at random get-togethers with family. Zack gave
me a once-over. “No, sorry don’t think I do.” He had a boyish,
all-American look though his mouth was anything but.
“Oh stop. Y’all
used to love to play together when you were younger. I remember
when…”
“Dad,” Zack whined.
“Okay. But really,
she’ll be taking over some of her dad’s shifts. Why don’t you
show her around and then Adriana, get suited. You have to be out on
the docks by 1600.”
1600? What time
was that again? I swallowed and managed to nod as I took in the array
of new information. This is not what I agreed to, Dad played
in my mind.
“That’s five
o’clock.” Zack said to me as Christian walked back toward the
office. “You should have what you need in your dad’s locker.
Umbilicals are over there.” His hand dropped before I could see the
direction he pointed in. “See ya.” Zack walked back to where he
came from. Something told me he either wasn’t too happy to see me
or wasn’t too happy to be interrupted.
“Oh and Annie?”
“It’s Ana…”
“We go by military
time here so you better learn it.”
“Thanks for the
advice!” I yelled back. Geez, what was I, a magnet for jerks?
Typical teenage boy. And he was always so nice around my family.
Although I'd hoped for a little more direction on what to do, I
couldn’t blame him for not wanting to train me. I knew exactly what
it felt like to have to work for your father. In his case he was
really working for his father, I was just working in place of my
father.
I nervously went
through all the inspections on my equipment before putting on my wet
suit. It felt like years since I'd last dived, not months. I hoped I
wouldn’t screw up too badly. After I was suited, I stood around
looking like an idiot until Zack came and got me and dragged me out
into the chilly Mississippi. I didn’t know what he expected me to
do, and I was ready to tell Mr. Christian that I couldn’t do this
and my dad would have to find someone else. That was until my head
submerged underwater as I lowered myself deeper into the river. I had
almost forgotten the serene feeling of being weightless underwater
and it was exactly what I needed right then. I was lost in thought
with nothing but the sound of my breathing and the vision of cloudy
water when Zack tapped me out of my reverie. I tried to read his eyes
but they showed neither disappointment nor annoyance as he signaled
me to follow him and watch what he was doing. My fears of
“Whatever you need, Mr. Christian. Just remember, I have school in
the morning.”
“That’s my girl.”
He smiled. “Come on. I’ll show you ‘round the shop.” I
followed him as he led me out into the small warehouse that shelved
equipment, hoses, air compressors and jet pumps.
“Your dad’s dive
hat is in the locker. Everyone is responsible for their own, so make
sure you check it before going out. I’ll put you in boat
inspections since that is least time-consuming, as you’d put it.”
He winked at me.
“Boat inspections?
Why would I need gear for that?” Christian would have to know that
I didn’t know as much as my dad probably let on when he convinced
him to hire me.
He laughed, drawing his
smile up so much his eyes were only slits. “You have to go
underwater to do the inspection. It’s cheaper to hire a diver than
to dry dock the boat. That’s where we come in.”
Metal clanked together
in the distance followed by the sound of muffled curses.
I looked at Christian
alarmed. “What was that?” Mysteries were no longer my thing.
“Zack, get in here!”
Christian called to the other side of the warehouse.
A boy jogged over and
slowed as he reached us. “Yeah, dad?” He was annoyed, clutching
his right hand in pain.
“Dropped a compressor
again? Where are you manners? You remember Adriana, right?”
Zack was in the same
grade as I was but he looked younger. Maybe I just felt older. I had
seen him a few times at random get-togethers with family. Zack gave
me a once-over. “No, sorry don’t think I do.” He had a boyish,
all-American look though his mouth was anything but.
“Oh stop. Y’all
used to love to play together when you were younger. I remember
when…”
“Dad,” Zack whined.
“Okay. But really,
she’ll be taking over some of her dad’s shifts. Why don’t you
show her around and then Adriana, get suited. You have to be out on
the docks by 1600.”
1600? What time
was that again? I swallowed and managed to nod as I took in the array
of new information. This is not what I agreed to, Dad played
in my mind.
“That’s five
o’clock.” Zack said to me as Christian walked back toward the
office. “You should have what you need in your dad’s locker.
Umbilicals are over there.” His hand dropped before I could see the
direction he pointed in. “See ya.” Zack walked back to where he
came from. Something told me he either wasn’t too happy to see me
or wasn’t too happy to be interrupted.
“Oh and Annie?”
“It’s Ana…”
“We go by military
time here so you better learn it.”
“Thanks for the
advice!” I yelled back. Geez, what was I, a magnet for jerks?
Typical teenage boy. And he was always so nice around my family.
Although I'd hoped for a little more direction on what to do, I
couldn’t blame him for not wanting to train me. I knew exactly what
it felt like to have to work for your father. In his case he was
really working for his father, I was just working in place of my
father.
I nervously went
through all the inspections on my equipment before putting on my wet
suit. It felt like years since I'd last dived, not months. I hoped I
wouldn’t screw up too badly. After I was suited, I stood around
looking like an idiot until Zack came and got me and dragged me out
into the chilly Mississippi. I didn’t know what he expected me to
do, and I was ready to tell Mr. Christian that I couldn’t do this
and my dad would have to find someone else. That was until my head
submerged underwater as I lowered myself deeper into the river. I had
almost forgotten the serene feeling of being weightless underwater
and it was exactly what I needed right then. I was lost in thought
with nothing but the sound of my breathing and the vision of cloudy
water when Zack tapped me out of my reverie. I tried to read his eyes
but they showed neither disappointment nor annoyance as he signaled
me to follow him and watch what he was doing. My fears of
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