"G'day" I said, being friendly like.
"Hello" she said. For a moment she looked at me
and boy were her eyes nice looking, brown and capable. All too often women seem
to look at yours truly either as if I was an idiot or got the plague, but she
seemed to see beneath the Buff exterior.
"You in Palermo for the sailing?" It was what I
asked everyone, as if they said yes we'd be away if they said no I could
explain all about it. Either way the ice was broken.
"Are you a sailor?" she asked.
"Buff Staysail" I said. "Journalist and
writer, you might have caught my show on Queensland Community TV. And
you?"
I was ever hopeful, on many levels.
"Rachel."
"And you? A journo too?" I asked.
She seemed to think over that question. "I follow the
sailing for interest" she said "with my boyfriend, who is late.”
All the nice ones seem to have other halfs.
As if on cue in came this unshaven chap with glasses wearing
a leather jacket, who was typically slimmer, younger and better look than Buff,
who promptly kissed Rachel. I was prepared to dislike the bloke but he was very
friendly and when she explained who I was he offered to buy me a beer.
"I understand you journalists like the odd drink"
he said with a smile.
As I said, he seemed a top cobber, Ali he was called.
Then Rachel and he went off jabbering in some language or
other that I didn't follow. It seemed like a bit of a bummer from what I could
gather from Rachel's expression, but then they started looking at me as I'd
seen the farmers back in Queensland check out the calf to be slaughtered.
"Mr Staysail" began Ali.
"Call me Buff."
"Mr Staysail, would you be interested in a sailing
scoop?"
Does the moon look like cream cheese? Should a rainbow be
the other way up so it's smiling? Should beer be chilled?
"Scoop is my middle name" says I, which isn't true
as really its Frederick or Freddie after my ma's great uncle. "Tell me
all."
"We have a ... project ... that could use coverage and
our contact’s father is very unwell so couldn’t come. We need a replacement,
fast. I can't say more now, our ...sponsor... has an embargo in place."
"No worries" says I. There had been similar
restrictions about this trip.
"Meet us by the entrance to marina F, tomorrow at 4 pm.
Bring an overnight bag."
I was in!
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