"Sisters" Looking After One Another on a Cruise
Why was I feeling down? I'd just made a sale, the commission on which would cover my basic salary for the next two months, yet I was not feeling the excitement that I should.
I was just 4 weeks into my first contract as a manager for the specialised jewelry concession on a medium-sized cruise ship based out of the UK. This was my first time at sea and was a step into the unknown. I had wanted to travel, ever since I was a little girl growing up in Norway. I suppose it was the Viking blood in me that wanted to explore. I also had an artistic side to me with a passion for jewelry. So after qualifying in gems and jewelry, then working in various shops and auction houses for 5 years, I had taken the plunge. I had applied, with success, for the job I had seen advertised in a trade paper.
Of course, it would mean I would be away from Mike, my live-in boyfriend of three years, but our relationship was strong enough, or so we both hoped, that it would survive the extended periods of separation that would come with my new job. At least when we docked in the UK he could come down and see me, and there were options for him to join a cruise if he wanted.
This was the chance of a lifetime, and I had decided that I should commit to at least two contracts to see if it was right for me. After that, we would see. Each contract though was for nine months.
All the staff and crew were very friendly, and welcoming to the newcomer, and God, how they all worked hard. With long hours, little sleep and a pittance for pay, I suppose for some of them, it was better than no job at all.
How they managed to keep a smile on their faces, and cater to the whims of the passengers was beyond me. Although the majority of the guests were no trouble at all. Many of them seemed to know and treat the crew as friends or even family. It was just the occasional one who was obnoxious or unthinking.
Working in the retail area and as an independent, I wasn't expected to wear the company uniform, so I had a nice array of clothes with me. But I still worked long hours, sometimes from 10:00 am till 10:00 pm. Oh yeah, there were breaks in that, but sea days were long and could be boring, especially if the weather was rough and business was slow. Fortunately, I was a good sailor and didn't suffer from seasickness, unlike a lot of others. You'd be surprised how many of the crew admitted to that, and took various remedies to get them through the day. Sea-bands were one of the most popular and effective, I'm told.
I was in the buffet restaurant which catered to both passengers and some of the crew, such as the entertainment staff, myself and a few of the senior customer-facing service crew. I'd just decided what to eat for my meal after closing the shop at 10:00 pm when Pauline, who worked on the customer services desk, came and joined me.
"Hi Ingrid, you're look a bit glum, everything okay?"
"Oh, hi. I suppose so, just a bit down. I shouldn't be as I've just made a great sale."
"I know. I saw the sale register on the ship's accounts system. Some lucky girl has got herself a present."
"Yeah, an older couple were just browsing, and he suddenly looked at that big diamond necklace and decided to buy it for his wife. It's their wedding anniversary in a couple of days, and of course, the earrings had to complete the set. So, yeah, it was a good sale for me. And I didn't have to work too hard for it."
"Why so glum then?"
"Don't know, I'm just a bit low at the moment."
Pauline waited for a moment before she replied. "This is your first cruise, isn't it?"
"Yeah."
"Missing home? Your boyfriend?"
I nodded my head, suddenly unable to speak, tears filling my eyes.
Pauline's soft hand took hold of mine and held it gently, fingers softly caressing with a tenderness that I hadn't expected.
"Feeling lonely?"
"Yeah, and horny if I'm honest, but I'm not into cheating."
Pauline's hand continued to hold mine as her thumb stroked it gently.
"You don't need to be lonely, or horny. There are ways to look after that and without cheating."
Her words suddenly made this simplest of friendly human contact so much more intimate than it could ever be. And with a totally different meaning than simple kindness.
"There's a way we girls have of looking after our sisters if you ever want to join us."
I looked at her, not sure I was interpreting her words correctly.
"Do you mean what I think you mean?" I asked incredulously. A soft sweet smile confirmed my suspicions, and the pursing of full ruby red lips and a pink tongue moving from side to side, licking them suggestively.
"Of course I do. The boys all know who is that way. I mean, all you have to do is watch them mincing about all over the place. It's almost bloody expected of them. But we girls are a little bit more discrete, and as I say, we know how to help a girl out if she has a need."
"But I'm not gay, and I have a boyfriend," I protested.