2024-11-28 - Sittin' At The Dock

It is late afternoon, early evening and Theo is walking fast to try and catch the ferry so he's not late for work. Looking to see who is available. He's dressed as if he's a caterer. Black and white. That is not how he will end up because he's got a dressing bag over one arm to look about his surroundings. Sunglasses to protect his eyes and a headband to try and tame his curls so they do not fall in his eyes.

It's an odd time of the afternoon, and there's not a lot of traffic heading from the residential areas on Crescent Island out to the actual park right now. Even so, the ferry service must run! The ferry has been idling at the dock for a few minutes now, and Captain Auggie is keeping a close eye on his watch. Not that he's a fiend about timings - he runs a pretty laid-back ship - but even so, it's good to at least attempt to be on time, right? He reaches up and gives two pulls on the ferry's horn, letting anyone know this is pretty much their last chance to scramble aboard if they want to catch the ferry to Castle Island!

Auggie is on the bridge of the ferry, looking pretty relaxed in a lightweight chambray shirt with the top few buttons undone, giving a flash of a silver chain bearing a pendant. He wears it untucked, along with a pair of navy blue shorts and a pair of well-worn boat shoes to complete the "uniform" such as it is. His captain's hat is worn atop his head, containing most of the mess of his blond curls, and a pair of polarised sunglasses perch on the bridge of his nose, preventing any glare off of the surface of the water. A watch on one wrist and a couple of hemp bracelets on the other complete the relaxed, surfer-boy kind of look.

Whew! He did not miss the boat. After hearing that horn Theo practically runs and almost trips over his feet but somehow he has kept his balance. This is a good thing! It would be terrible if he looked all scuffed up for tonight's performance.

"Hey man. Thanks for waiting!" This is Theo's greeting to Auggie as he says that. Maybe they had small exchanges before but in reality this is likely the first time that Theo actually spoke to the Captain because he probably just gave a nod when he would board the boat. "How's it going today? Much issues?" Moving to where he can find a seat and where he can lay his bag down and hope for not too many wrinkles. But also so he can keep in conversation with the other man.

He asks, "Do you ever get cold?" He noticed the shorts and he knows Michigan can get cold from time to time. "Oh, I'm Theo. Maybe you caught one of my performances on Castle Island? Yeah, that's where I am going." As if Auggie does not know that. He is the driver and Theo is now in his capable hands.

Auggie spots Theo running along the dock and reaches out to give him a hand up, making sure he makes it safely up and onto the deck before pulling up the gangplank behind him. "No worries, dude!" Auggie beams, flashing white teeth in a bright smile. He's one of those types that it doesn't seem to matter if you're meeting him for the first or the hundredth time; he will chat to you like you were old friends.

"Get in a fight with your alarm clock?" he asks, laughing a little as he lifts a curious eyebrow. He's obviously not being serious, though, and he bursts into a laugh a moment later, nodding once or twice. "I know that routine, dude, trust me," he agrees, looking up and down the dock to make sure the ropes have been cast off before heading back to the bridge and sending the engine sputtering to life. He has to concentrate for a minute or two until they're away from the dock, and then he's looking right back at Theo. "All good here, man. It's easy street out on the water!" he beams.

As to the question of whether he ever gets cold, this is Auggie dressed for the cold! In the summer, he is one of those guys who makes people ask, "Does he own a shirt?" But in late November, it's getting a little chilly even for him, hence the concession to a shirt. "No way, dude," he shakes his head, sending curls bouncing around. "Since I got to the islands here, I stopped really feeling the cold too much, you know?" he shrugs. They're away from the dock now, though the ferries tend to move at a gentle kind of putter, and it will be a while until they make it to their destination.

Auggie reaches for the Mic to speak over the ship's PA system, though in truth,h it's fairly empty. "Ahoy, ye scallywags! Welcome aboard Ol’ Betsy, taking you to Castle Island! We’re just pulling away from the dock, so find your sea legs and get comfortable! ETA is...like twenty minutes, so relax and vibe for a bit!"

A smile is aimed at Auggie when Theo is told not to worry and he looks relieved for it. Theo does go quiet so that Auggie can work on what he needs to, to get the boat started out.

A grin when he hears about the alarm clock comment. "I guess you can tell that I sleep as long as I can. These performances sometimes can take its toll on a body. Well, on me." He's lean and he looks like he knows what he is doing but working five-six days a week can be tiring. Sleep is a sacred thing.

"Really? You are not cold?" Frowning when he hears that. "It's the opposite for me." When Theo speaks he has a drawl. If one is good with linguistics its a North Carolina one. As if Theo is in no hurry to speak even if getting on the ferry spoke of something else.

After the little speech is done Theo settles in his seat some and looks out over the water. He then turns his attention again on the Captain, "How long have you been here? Have you always wanted to man a boat?" Yes, questions. Theo likes to know who his co workers are and how long they have been around. "I have been here a year and a half now?" Likely part of the crew that got hired in the second or third wave.

Stood at the helm, Auggie seems to be pretty skilled at his work, however laid-back his attitude might be. This probably comes as no surprise to anyone who has spent any time at the park, as he's one of those people you tend to run into repeatedly as you go about your daily business and move between the islands. It's not long before they're well away from the dock and chuntering steadily across the water. Looking back at Theo, he offers another winning smile and reaches out a hand, gesturing for him to come forward and onto the bridge if they're going to keep chatting.

Providing he does, Auggie nods his head and grins out a quiet "Nice" as he clearly seems pleased to have some company for the trip. Not that he was completely alone. Stepping onto the bridge, one will spot a small cardboard box filled with blankets and towels where an otter and a turtle are currently curled up together. There's an electrical heater pointed right at them, and they're enjoying a snooze. "Cold? Me? Never!" Auggie protests with a laugh, pointing out a couple of good spots where Theo can make himself comfortable if he wants.

Once they're settled and the questions start, Auggie chuckles, leaning against the helm. There's not a lot to do right now save keeping the boat safely on course. "I got here pretty early," Auggie explains, responding to Theo's question. My mom works in corporate, so we were some of the first to move over. I finished up High School here," he explains, gesturing back over his shoulder towards Crescent Island. "Before we moved here, I grew up in a place called Carmel, in California, so I was always out on the water," he chats easily, seemingly happy to share his story. "So it wasn't too bad of a transition moving here. It's not quite the same surfing on a lake, but you still get some pretty decent waves," he nods.

"How about you man, what kind of performances do you do?" he asks, turning the question back towards Theo and watching expectantly for his answer.

When Auggie makes the offer for Theo to join him he looks back at the dressing bag and looks around to see who is all on this boat.He decides it is safe to move out of his seat and to join Auggie there on the bridge. It is a different viewpoint from here and he's taking a moment to appreciate what it is he is seeing. He spies the otter and the turtle and crouches to get on their level and then he's back to looking at the Captain. "Your familiar's or pets?" He's seen some people with familiars. He also has seen people turn into animals and he does not want to assume anything. Smiling as he takes note of them but makes no attempt to touch them. He straightens and finds a spot where he can be comfortable and continue talking.

"Oh wow. High school here?" Taking another look at Auggie, "If I may be so bold to ask but how old are you?" They may be close in age but he does not want to assume.

"Oh wow, Carmel, California." Yes, he's going to repeat. "That is fantastic." His words sincere as he says that. "I think the water is pretty but I haven't really been in it because I've been busy. Maybe on an off day you and I can go surfing or something? It has been a while for me." He admits.

"Oh me?" He laughs poking fun at himself. "I guess you can call me the singing storyteller. I do a show right before the fireworks go off at night." Probably why he's having such a late start to his day.

Auggie looks down at the critters curled up in the box together and grins when Theo draws attention to them. "That's Bubbles..." he points out the otter "...and Muddy," the turtle. "If you lean over the side, you'll probably spot Echo circling around overhead, too," he laughs, giving his head a little shake. "People call them familiars though they're really just my buds," he shrugs, not wanting to put too formal of a name on it.

"Twenty-one," he answers as to his age and then grins brightly when Theo seems to know Carmel. "God's own country!" he laughs a little ironically, though it's clear to see from his expression when he talks about it that he's got a lot of love for the place. "My dad still lives out there, so I go visit sometimes," he explains. Auggie is blasting his passengers with a sailing-themed playlist as they chug their way across the lake, starting with "Sitting on the Dock of the Bay" by Otis Redding.

The offer to go surfing produces a broad smile. "Duuude, that would be so sick," he grins. Theo has surely made an instant friend for life if he enjoys hanging out by the water. "Do you have a wetsuit? I probably got one about your size if not..." Auggie speculates, sizing Theo up bit more. Theo is slightly taller than Auggie, though Auggie is probably the more athletically built of the two, at first glance. "Even if there's no waves, I can show you how to paddleboard. It'll be rad," he enthuses.

"Bubbles, Muddy...." Theo starts reciting the names when Auggie shares them but he's back to looking and he asks, "Who's Echo?" Only to realize that Auggie met outside of the little crate that the two smaller creatures are in. He looks around and overhead. "Oh!" Finally spying the creature. "I'm just amazed." He obviously has no familiars on him. But he can appreciate those that do.

"I'll be twenty-one soon. My birthday is next month." Close enough in age that they should be able to understand each other and maybe even like the same things. "Oh yeah, do you regret not living there and being here instead?" His gaze follows Auggie as he speaks. "I never thought I'd leave North Carolina but here I am to something bigger and better."

Without realizing he's doing it Theo starts to sing along to the song that he hears. Sittin' in the mornin' sun I'll be sittin' when the evenin' come Watching the ships roll in And then I watch 'em roll away again, yeah.

A little lost when he gets lost in the lyrics that he might not have caught Auggie's reaction the first go around. But he does when he turns to look at the other man. "I do. I think. If so its in my closet. I could go look for it and let you know?" He pulls his phone out and hands it to Auggie, "You got a number that I could text you at?" Grinning at the mention of paddleboard. "I am clay and you can be the artist." Already feeling that Auggie's skills will outweigh whatever he might have when it comes to water.

Echo is not too difficult to spot. The Great Blue Heron flies in wide circles around the boat as it crosses the lake, occasionally swooping down to perch on the handrail before taking off again. He's pretty big, and his wingbeats manage to get a cry of startlement from some nearby passengers. "Pretty sweet, huh?" Auggie grins when Theo expresses his amazement at the little menagerie that follows him around. "I definitely missed Carmel at first," Auggie nods. "But, this is a pretty sick place too. Loads of cool people...animal buddies. What's not to like, right?" he shrugs.

Auggie grins even wider - if that's even possible - when Theo mentions he'll be twenty-one next month. "Sweet! Dude, that's awesome!" Auggie lifts a hand to offer Theo a high-five for his birthday. "You gotta look me up and we'll take you out for your first adult beverage at Lucky's right?" Auggie's eyes glitter with amusement, and he pokes his tongue out slightly, making a playful face. When Theo starts singing, Auggie is his biggest superfan, giving him a hoot of approval and a loud round of applause. The next song up on Auggie's boating playlist, if Theo wants to continue his private concert, is "Come Sail Away" by Styx.

If he wasn't enjoying himself already, smiling and chatting away, Auggie might be even more pleased when Theo seems game to hang out at the beach. "Awesome!" Auggie smiles, taking Theo's phone and tapping in his number before attaching a selfie of him, poking out his tongue and making a peace sign with his free hand. Perfect to remember his new acquaintance by. "If you can surf, paddleboarding's a peace of cake. You're gonna love it man" Auggie bounces his head along with the music.

"Man I could see why you have so many animal buddies." Theo's hazel gaze looks up at the skies again to track where Echo is going. "That heron has style." He then drops his gaze back to Auggie. "You seem cool. Who wouldn't want to hang out with you? Animal and human alike."

At the talk of Carmel he is nodding. "At least you still live by water." Gesturing with a hand at what is before them. "I have been mostly working so I haven't really paid attention to what else is outside of the park. Are there beaches or anything like that in the mainland? I might need some guidance."

Theo sees the high five that comes and he exchanges it with the man. His grin planted firmly on his face. "I am totally going to take you up on your offer about Lucky's. I hope they have a good drink for a first timer. Or I'll be looking at you for a suggestion." His own tongue comes out and he blows a raspberry at his new friend. He's hoping they will be friends. This is a good start, right? Time will tell and he is here for it.

The performer doesn’t hesitate when the next song cues up. With a mock-serious expression, he places his hand over his heart and belts out the opening of Come Sail Away with dramatic flair, complete with exaggerated gestures. His voice isn’t half-bad, and he owns it, hamming it up for the small audience on the boat. He throws Auggie a wink mid-chorus.

"Beach day is gunna be killer!" His enthusiasm shining through." When his phone is handed back and he sees Auggie's selfie he laughs. He is quick to send the Captain a text message. He makes a silly expression but no match of Auggie's and he's attempting to put bunny ears behind his head in the selfie he sends. In other words, he looks downright ridiculous.

Finally, he puts his phone back in his pocket. "I have never tried paddleboarding. But I am up for it. If I wipe out don't laugh to hard." He's grinning as that comment is met to be taken lighthearted. Bouncing slightly to the beat of the music.

"You know it bro" Auggie smiles, as he hands the phone back still bobbing his head with the music as the boat pootles across the way. There's a brief dramatic lull in the conversation as Theo pauses to singt the intro to the next song, getting another hoot of approval from Auggie, who taps his foot along with the beat as they go. "Paddleboarding is super easy an, if you can surf you're gonna love it!" he reaffirms, only to then agree "Beach days are always awesome".

Castle Island is just starting to come into view in the distance now, though they're still a good few minutes away from the end of their trip. At the declaration that he is pretty cool, he looks across at Theo and offers a small wink. He places his right hand over his chest and swears, "Friend to all people and creatures, bro!" in the style of a solemn oath.

Auggie's eyes widen just a bit when Theo asks where there's a beach. "The islands are full of beaches!" he explains, gesturing around. "There's one....and another one right there!" he exclaims, lifting his hand to point out two points on the still quite distant Castle Island. Auggie sure seems to have some sharp eyesight. "You gotta stop working so hard and chill a bit more if you haven't even found beach yet!" he laughs, reaching over and giving Theo a friendly clap on the shoulder.

"Paddleboarding. I think I am going to have to look at TikTok or something. I have an idea what it entails." Theo grins at August. "I have Beach Boys running in my head now, Surfin' USA Beach Boys can be beach music right? "

Theo looks out towards the water as he spies Castle Island soon in view. The conversation with Auggie has made the time fly faster for him more than usual. He's actually caught by surprise to see that island.

Grinning wide when the other man does that solemn oath. "Yeah, I think you are. I'd agree with that."

Now, Theo looks embarrassed when August explains how there are beaches around them. Duh. Islands. "Sorry, sorry. Just been keeping my head down and you are right I should take a day off here and there but there's just something magical to me about performing." A small shrug when he admits that. "I think I'm gonna have to find beach worthy friends like you to actually go and investigate one. Find balance. As they say all work makes for a dull boy. Or something like that." He laughs at his words pretty certain he got the phrase wrong.

"You know it, dude!" Auggie agrees enthusiastically with the idea that the Beach Boys can indeed be beach music. "I mean, the clue's kind of in the name, but anything can be beach music if you really try!" he laughs. They're coming up closer on Castle Island now, the dock coming into view, and Auggie turns the wheel just slightly to angle them towards it as the end of the journey comes into sight.

Auggie catches the look of embarrassment on Theo's face and reaches over to set a friendly hand on his shoulder. "No need to feel bad, man." he shakes his head before adding, "But like, you're only ever going to be living in a...magical dream palace basically...like once ever, right? These days aren't gonna come again. Don't waste them *all with work, right??" Auggie offers sagely.

A grin for Auggie when he agrees with Theo that Beach Boys is beach music. Win. Win. "This is true. You and I will have to share a play list or something." Listening to what is playing next as the journey to Castle Island is nearing. "I mean do you play with your personal Spotify or something else? How do you come up with the music you play here?" He's curious and he's going to ask questions.

"Yeah once, ever. This place is still very strange to me but I have been enjoying my experiences so far." He admits because it is the truth. "I got to meet a friendly Captain today so that is bonus." He asks, "What about you? Do you ever take any time off of this?" Gesturing with a hand at what Auggie is driving and towards the water. "I guess you do. I mean we talked about paddleboarding and you buying me my first drink." Well maybe not in those exact words but that is how Theo took it. "You totally should come and see my show if you are off one night. Stay for the fireworks after. I don't think you'll be disappointed."

"Oh yeah!" Auggie beams his very proudest of grins when Theo asks about the music. "I figured out pretty quick how to hook my phone into the PA system here, and then it's super easy just to blast whatever songs I want through the speakers, it's pretty sweet and it keeps the ferry way lively!" Auggie nods enthusiastically, though something about the exchange reminds him, and he reaches for his mic once again.

"Avast ye salty sea dogs, sea lasses and sea non-binary chums! We're just about to make land at Yon Castle Island! Please be sure ye be taking all yer booty ashore with ye, and don't be leaving any trash on me seats or I'll keelhaul ye!" he delivers in his best (not very good) piratical accent. "It's been a pleasure and I look forward to having ye come up my gangplank again!" he manages to get out before snorting a laugh at his own kind of dirty joke.

Looking back at Theo, Auggie nods his head a few times now his duty is done, maneuvering the ferry to bring it neatly up alongside the dock as he does. "I take as much time off as I can get!" he enthuses. "That way you get to hit the beach, surf, or go to the Boo'edwalk and get an ice cream or like..." he gestures around. "Dude, there is so much to do. Don't spoil your time by working too much!" he beams.

"I am quite impressed." Theo applauds when he hears Auggie give the little speech that he does. "You sure you are not part of the pirate show here ?" He winks at Auggie. He does move to where his seat was originally to go pick up that dress garment bag since he will be departing soon after that speech. Grinning even to the last bit of it when he catches that August is snorting a laugh at the words he has been using.

"I imagine you would get bored if you just played the traditional elevator music you'd hear in the grocery store or in the elevator at a hospital or something. The worse is when you are put on hold and they torture you with music that way and most of the time it isn't even good. I like your style, man."

His hand is extended in Auggie's direction if he decides to take it and shakes it. "Thank you for the ride and thank you for the conversation. I look forward to getting into something with you when we both have the same day off or something. Paddleboarding for sure!"

He lets others go before him in case Auggie has anything else to say. Otherwise, he will embark off the boat and start to make steps towards the Lamplight Amphitheater.