Bob and I awake the next morning, to the sounds of birds chirping. The Sun is just rising in the East...and a few of its rays are coming in through the porthole, creeping slowly across the foot of the bed.
As I lay there, thinking about all that we need to do today, Bob opens her eyes and smiles sleepily... then scooches her naked body closer to mine...lays her head on my chest and throws one of her legs over both of mine.
She just lays there for a moment, then suddenly raises her head up and says "OH-OH"... presses her index finger to my lips as if to indicate for me to remain silent. Then she arches her back a bit...gives me a wink...and lets loose a fart that even I would be proud of!
It was loud enough that I swear, the birds outside stopped chirping, just to see what was creating such a ruckus!
"Not bad manners, just good Chili" she giggles uncontrollably.
Bob was so overcome by a fit of the giggles that she rolls off me and says "THAT, my good man, is how you know that you are completely comfortable being your true self in front of someone! If you can fart like that and not feel the least bit embarrassed. Then that is as pure and real as any relationship can get!"
I laid there and stared her right in the eyes...then raised one leg and ripped one off that closely matched hers! "Couldn't agree with you more, Darlin' " I say as a fit of childish laughter over-takes both of us!!
"Okay" I finally manage to say " Before one or both of us ends up shitting the bed, we better take care of our morning rituals...and get prepared to get this old girl underway"
"ME FIRST!" Bob calls out, as she jumps off the bed and scampers naked toward the head.
I slip on a pair of gym shorts and a tee shirt....and climb the stairs to open the hatch.
I wanted to inspect the ship to see if the storms of the previous day, had done any damage. I did not find any, but several of the canvas covers had pools of water standing in them...and I managed to get myself soaking wet trying to drain the water off.
As I finish that task...I head back down the stairs to find some dry clothes and meet Bob coming down the hallway looking all fresh and summery in a pink top, tight white shorts, and sandals.
As we pass each other...she pats me on the chest and says "Oh, so we're doing the wet tee-shirt contest now, I thought that was next week!" Then off she went... giving my ass a playful slap as she passes.
I take care of my business, have a quick shower, shave, and put on fresh dry clothes...then head back topside.
Bob has already made sure that things were stowed away...mopped up any stray puddles of water that were still on the deck...and had everything ready to go, by the time I got there.
"Need to find someplace to top off our fuel tanks and restock our cupboards if we can. Before we venture out onto the Mighty Mississippi River."
I fired up the engines and let them warm up while we get ready to cast off the mooring lines. Bob went to work stowing those ropes as I maneuvered the ship back out into the channel and turned the bow east...setting a course for the confluence of both rivers.
We had only traveled a short distance when, just as I had hoped... I spot a dock up ahead, with fuel pumps and what looks like a combination Bait shop and Convenience store located higher up on the riverbank.
We pull the ship alongside the dock...Bob scampering this way and that...throwing bumpers over the side, tying off shorelines. As if she had been doing this for years.
"Wow" I think to myself "I really could not ask for a better deck hand!"
A sign on the pump said "Self-service Please Pay inside"
So, I busied myself...topping off the tanks...and making sure that all the spare fuel cans were as full as I could get them. When done, Bob and I climb the combination ramp and stairs up to the bait shop/C-store and go inside.
We are both shocked and surprised as we walk in, because from the outside, the building really did not look like much. But once inside, we were amazed at how huge the place is! There are aisles and aisles of fishing equipment, artificial baits, aisles of clothing, boating supplies, food, snacks, beer, and other beverages. Looked like pretty much anything we might want...could be found in that store.
Bob was the first to point out that they even have a cafe area....and that it is bustling! That is when we notice that the place is also a truck stop! We had entered through the back...and had not seen the row upon row of Semi's parked out front.
"NOW this business makes sense" I think to myself "Be hard to make a living just selling worms and boat fuel, this way they can cater to all kinds of transportation customers...whether they are traveling on land, or on water!
Bob and I find a row of shopping carts...pull one out and began filling it up with all the things we think we might need. Plus a few things that we just want "need" never really entering the decision!
I pay for the supplies and fuel and the salesperson informs me that we have spent enough, that we have earned free coffee and donuts.
So, we take our purchases and our Free Coffee Coupon and go to the cafe to collect our reward.... settling down in a booth nearby to enjoy it.
.
As we are sit there chatting...sipping our coffee and thoroughly enjoying our delightfully sweet and greasy doughnuts. Bob suddenly puts one hand to her mouth and starts waving the other one frantically.
I thought for all the world that she was choking or had burned her mouth. But she quickly chewed and swallowed the bite of her doughnut and says, "Oh my god, Oh my god, It's them, it's them!"
"Them who" I ask, puzzled.
"TOM" she exclaims... "It's fucking Tom from the other night at Hermann"
"Uber Tom" I ask incredulously
"YES!! Fucking UBER TOM, and the cute blonde girl form the cafe is with him!" She says excitedly "This is fucking unbelievable!"
I am looking around...but still cannot spot them. Bob jumps up and starts franticly waving both her arms. Then over in a booth on the other side of the cafe, I finally see the two familiar faces...and they see us!
Tom and the girl instantly jump up and come to us. He gives Bob a big hug....as the girl stands behind him shyly.
