wriggle room to worm my way out from under him. I gently lowered him to the deck and blocked the rain from getting to his face.
“Damn it, where did I put that lighter?”
I lost my fabulous high and had to do some deep breathing to gain control of myself.
Putting my hands on his head I explored for any damage. In the very middle of the back of his head was a large bump that felt as though it were still swelling. ‘I’ll get some ice from the cooler for that’, I thought. But I didn’t stop exploring his body: down his neck to his shoulders and arms; down his front torso (ok, yes this felt a bit unnecessary because he hit the window and possibly the metal jam from behind, but you never know) feeling for any open wounds and bleeding or any protrusions; skipping the groin (wouldn’t you, at first?) I explored down each of his hips and thighs; reaching under him to access his backside; continuing down the inside of each of his legs and back again to explore the outside of his legs. I felt something in his pocket that would prove interesting. I took the liberty to reach my hand into his pocket and retrieved my lighter. ‘He’s probably a nice guy but he was also a lighter thief’, I thought.
Unable to get the lighter to ignite I slipped it into my pocket and moved on my knees to the cooler for some ice. I made an ice pack using a sandwich baggy wrapped in my beach towel. ‘Oh yeah, that’s me - Nurse MacGyver’.
As an after thought, I put my head on his chest to hear his heart beat. It hadn’t occurred to me that he might be dead until that moment. My CPR instructor would instantly recall my certification. The rain was still loud and I had to cup my hand over my other ear so that I could hear his heart beat. Absolute joy surged through me when I caught the sound of his beating heart. Thank you God, I get to keep my certificate.
Placing a barricade of lounge chairs between us and the falling rain took some doing in the dark but offered some relief and I was grateful for it. I sat there, huddled up with his head on my lap; it give him warmth and it gave me some in return. For what seemed like a very long time, I held the ice compress to the back of his head. I had my hand over his chest to feel his heart and to offer him more comfort and warmth.
As I sat there I thought about what it meant that there were no lights on the ship. Ok I got a bit worried that other ships wouldn’t see us in the darkness and plow into us. I thought of aliens and the darkness. I thought about the Bermuda Triangle; maybe the Pacific had its equivalent.
I heard something in the distance and focused to make it clear.
“I’m going to ride forever. You can’t keep horsemen in a cage… should the angels call.”
The CD player was still going. Remarkably, I found myself singing along. Weirdness.
When the CD player stopped, I sat there cradling the voice, stranger, neighbor in my lap. Gently stroking his temple and forehead and arms with my finger tips, I realized how very comforting it was to have that other live body next to me. Together we presented a force against that all consuming blackness.
Another bolt of lightning streaked across the sky and reminded me how much I needed more light than that. “Oh come on, shit or get off the pot. Will ya?” I whined out loud. Then the accompanying thunder clapped so loud that it sounded like a rumbling earth quake and I was the epicenter.
“That’s God trying to get your attention.”
The neighbor said, speaking up to me from my lap.
“I’m all ears.” I replied.
“Are you in any kind of shape to talk?” I gently probed.
“Maybe you could do a slow mental self assessment.”
“I can do that, with some help, if you don’t mind.” He came back.
“Ok, starting with the bump at the back of your head and going on from there, I’ll ask you to feel it and then report. Ready?”
“Yes,” he agreed.
“Do you feel pain in the back of your head? Explain.” I began.
“Actually, no I have no pain on my head, anywhere.”
“How about your neck,” I questioned further?
I felt him turn his head slowly from side to side in my lap.
“That feels alright?” He reported.
“I didn’t get a chance to examine your back, so focus there,” I continued.
There was more movement and twisting from him with no audible winces or moans, so I’m figuring that all was going pretty well.
“Feels like my back is ok.”
I heard him yawn, as he said it.
“Oh my god, you can’t go back to sleep. You may have a concussion and go into a coma.” I said with way too much drama in my voice.
“It’s the rain, rain makes me yawn. I’m awake.” He said.
“Are you very uncomfortable?” He asked.
“Don’t worry about me; you don’t have to move. It will be better if you stay put for a bit. Plus, where can you go?”
I gave him my best ‘brave soldier’ attitude even though I was very much in need of a good stretch. My muscles were cramped and uncomfortable.
Then it dawned on me to ask about his comfort. “How about you? Do you need anything; can I make you any more comfortable?”
“Actually this is fine, but if you were serious, that temple thing you were doing was really good.”
So we co-existed there in silent darkness while I gently stroked his temple and brushed his hair back with my finger tips.
“Don’t fall asleep.”
I chided him every few minutes and would ask him a question that he had to answer before I would leave him alone.
“So, were you trying to break into my stateroom back there?” My first question.
“I panicked for just a second.”
He came back at me a bit defensively.
I smiled to myself and resumed the temple rubbing action as we sank into a comfortable silence again. I made good use of my time as I planned my next question.
“How about another bowl?”
I asked when it seemed like I had waited long enough.
“I did bring it along for medicinal purposes as well. I’m feeling the need to be a bit more mellow, myself”
“I’m game, if I don’t have to move much.”
I impressed my self as the darkness didn’t offer me much of a challenge while I packed the bowl and resumed my position with stranger’s head on my lap. I remembered the lighter in my pocket.
“Oh darn, the lighter might not work.”
“No
