Bob scurries around the dock, untying shorelines and flipping them expertly back onboard the ship. When I signal that I am ready, she unties the last two, tosses them onboard, then hops back on board herself. Pulling in the bumpers that have protected the sides of the ship.
I maneuver the old ship out of the way of other boat traffic. Drop anchor and let the engines idle while we wait for the others to leave their docks as well.
Once Bob has finished all of her tasks and has everything stowed away. She comes to the wheelhouse to sit with me while we wait.
We have been sitting there maybe five minutes, chit chatting about this and that. When she suddenly cries out "Oh My God! You went ahead and bought it!" when she finally noticed the little sea gull statue that I had purchased for her; sitting on the countertop in front of her.
"You have no idea, what this means to me!" she said with tears welling up in her eyes.
"I saw how much you liked it, and just wanted you to have it"
"Thank You Rick, you are the kindest and sweetest man I have ever met. You took in a complete stranger and have treated me like a true friend...like an equal. You genuinely appreciate me, simply for being me, and not as something to use up and throw away."
She was silent for a moment, then said:
"I have found myself in the worst kinds of relationships far more times that you can imagine!" she said with an incredibly sad, serious look in her eyes.
"There is a connection between you and I, that is so vastly different than anything I have ever experienced... and it's not just about the sex! Which is fucking awesome, I might add!"
"It is something that goes much deeper than that. We are Kindred Spirits, I guess you could say. We are like that Chinese symbol, the Yin and Yang thing. Total opposites in some ways but so alike in others!"
"Damn! Guess I woke up in a philosophical mood this morning" she said with a grin.
"What I am trying to say is that; Rick you are a good and decent man. Which is something that I have not experienced much of in my life." She says seriously "I have had men in my life that have TOLD me that they love me, TOLD me how much they needed me in their life. But every single time, all that they proved to me, was that everything that they told me, was all a lie!"
"Remember how I told you that my father is a preacher, and that I left home when I was 21 because of an argument with my parents...and have never gone back."
I simply nodded my head "Yes"
"What I didn't tell you, was why!" She said while wiping her eyes.
"My father used me, his own daughter, his own flesh and blood... in order to better himself in the church."
"One of the church elders promised him that he could get him promoted to a prominent position within the church Association, the main ruling body of the church. A position that would pay a lot of money and give my father a lot of power! Only thing that he had to do, was offer up a "sacrifice to the lord" to prove his "Faith and Worthiness" ... Turned out, I was to be that sacrifice!"
"I was never allowed to be around any boys, I was forced to quit regular school and was home schooled by my parents, so that I would not be "tempted" by boys." I was preached to constantly about how I must "stay pure" in the sight of the lord. In order to be worthy of God's love"
"A few days after I turned 18, my parents took me to this elder's house, stripped my clothes off and held me down on a table, while that vile bastard took my virginity!"
"That fucker did not care how much I screamed or cried, all he cared about was ramming his foul-smelling prick into me, over and over until he came inside me."
"Then he told my father that he had to fuck me too...and he did it! He fucked his own daughter, and my mother stood right there and helped hold me down while he did it, and never said a fucking word!"
"I begged and pleaded for him not to do it, but he just kept doing it anyway! Fucked my raw and bloody pussy ...as if I were just some whore that he had picked up off the streets!
"Long story short, I got pregnant that night and to avoid a scandal for the church. I was forced to have an abortion...which was botched, and I ended up with a terrible infection. Landing me in the hospital where they gave me a hysterectomy to save my life"
"Once I got out of the hospital and got healed up, I told my parents that they could rot in hell for all I cared, packed my shit and left! On my fucking 21st birthday! What a wonderful celebration THAT was! I Haven't been back since....and do not intend to ever go back."
Which has turned out to be a good thing! I am now free to go where I want to go. Do what I want to do, fuck whoever I want whenever and wherever I want...as you have had the privilege to experience!" she said with a halfway grin.
So, you see THAT is why this fucking little statue of a sea gull, carved out of a stinking rock...given to me by a man that I have SO much respect for and that I genuinely love...and yes, I just said the dreaded "L" word! Why this means so much to me!"
"It shows me that you really care about me... as a person, as a real living breathing person. Not just some bitch you are fucking on the side....and not some bitch you are using to help you get this ancient boat and your wrinkled old ass around this big fucking loop!"
"You actually took notice of something that I thought was exceptionally beautiful...and you bought it and gave it to me... just because you wanted me to have it! That makes me feel so good inside, makes me feel beautiful and appreciated!"