My Private Offering

I am, again, reflecting on this eleven day experience
Not quite half over

Have talked to many sailors and their “Tiger Cruise” families

These sailors are young!
Average age aboard ship is twenty years old

Everyone one of them I see consciously emits pride –
Their posture, their attitude, the tone of their voices,
the words they chose
Professional, vastly more mature than their chronological ages

Ask a question, and you will see!
The polite crisp answer shows it all
The skill and knowledge they possess
Many in complex technical jobs

They make me think about our service men and women
no longer with us…and I grieve their loss
I hurt for them and their families

I want to express my deep felt appreciation
(To those here and now, a hand shake and a
“thank you for your service” seems so inadequate)

Again on the fantail
The powerful sound of churning water rushing
from the massive screws
The salt mist

For some reason, unplanned, spontaneous
I reach into my wallet, take out one of my clown business cards
I write “Thank You” on its face, kiss it
and toss it into the ship’s screaming wake

It takes flight
Flips over and over for a second
Flutters into the boiling sea behind us

It is all I can think to do