overslept again ! These constant bloody naps! I’ll be right out! Don’t go anywhere! I just have to put my teeth in!”
The voice had a hint of an Irish accent, and sounded quite panicked.
“Get in there you damn things! Oh what a travesty this is! Look at them! They don’t fit right! I look like a damned fool, all smile and no brains! Pathetic is what I am!”
Adele took a moment to look around, wondering if anyone else could hear the loud complaints that echoed all about the area surrounding Slip 22.
“Oh, where is my hat? Where is it? Damn it! Damn it! Damn it! Ah, there she is. Come here, then. Lovely thing. Yes, that’s better. I look almost human now. Welcome back to the world of the living, Delroy!”
Adele placed her right hand over her mouth, trying very hard to stifle a laugh.
The sailboat’s door swung open and a thin, mad-eyed man wearing a light blue fedora with a rainbow-colored ribbon, a simple white dress shirt with the sleeves rolled up, and a pair of blue-and-white-striped cargo shorts, erupted from the boat’s bowels. He had a thin, gray beard that didn’t quite conceal a set of deeply sunken cheeks that lent him a decidedly emaciated aura as he moved about on shockingly thin, bird-like legs. The ends of his exposed feet were ensconced in a pair of deeply scuffed, leather sandals.
“Ah, you must be Adele!”
Despite his thin, sunken-chest frame, Delroy Hicks had one of the most powerful voices Adele had ever heard.
While remaining on the boat, Delroy reached out with a thin-fingered right hand toward Adele.
“Hello, Adele, I am Professor Delroy Hicks. If you haven’t yet noticed, I’m dying.”
Adele’s mouth fell open as she found herself shaking Delroy’s paper-skin hand while silently questioning if the odd little man was being literal or figurative in explaining his health to a woman he had just met. Delroy then withdrew his hand and used it to remove his hat which exposed a full head of surprisingly thick, gray hair, and with an intentionally dramatic flourish, leaned over at the waist and bowed before his newly arrived guest.
“Welcome to the No Regrets !”
Adele knew she was unable to hide the confusion that had fixed itself upon her face. Delroy returned his hat to the top of his head and pointed toward the boat’s transom where Adele saw the name No Regrets painted in bold red letters.
“That’s her name, and she’s all mine! Been living here in this very slip, off and on, for over forty years. Do you know John Wayne was once my guest here? It’s true! I cooked him a steak. The man loved steak! He ate two twelve-ounce rib eyes, drank an entire bottle of my best wine, and told stories of his days in old Hollywood. It was a glorious affair! He came here somewhat regularly during the summer season on that old World War II ship of his, The Wild Goose . He had read my first book on the native tribes of the Pacific Northwest and was a fan. Imagine that, he was a fan of me ! The man truly gave meaning to the phrase, ‘bigger than life.’ Even when immersed in his twilight, he was a powerful personality, a fine human being without a hint of Hollywood arrogance. He stood where you are standing now. What do you think of that ?”
Adele was reeling from information overload and had no idea how to respond. Delroy was either unaware of her confusion, or simply didn’t care. He just continued with whatever thought sprang forth from his mind.
“Suze tells me you’re the one who was allowed to interview Decklan. Is that so?”
Adele nodded with her mouth still half open.
Delroy Hicks lifted his head upward and let out a loud, barking laugh.
“Hah, the hermit has finally grown tired of his self-imposed banishment has he? Well, about bloody time, I’d say. I can’t imagine someone with his talent sitting around silently watching the world move by him without single a word on a page to mark its passing. He’s an ungrateful prick is what he is and I love him dearly. So
The voice had a hint of an Irish accent, and sounded quite panicked.
“Get in there you damn things! Oh what a travesty this is! Look at them! They don’t fit right! I look like a damned fool, all smile and no brains! Pathetic is what I am!”
Adele took a moment to look around, wondering if anyone else could hear the loud complaints that echoed all about the area surrounding Slip 22.
“Oh, where is my hat? Where is it? Damn it! Damn it! Damn it! Ah, there she is. Come here, then. Lovely thing. Yes, that’s better. I look almost human now. Welcome back to the world of the living, Delroy!”
Adele placed her right hand over her mouth, trying very hard to stifle a laugh.
The sailboat’s door swung open and a thin, mad-eyed man wearing a light blue fedora with a rainbow-colored ribbon, a simple white dress shirt with the sleeves rolled up, and a pair of blue-and-white-striped cargo shorts, erupted from the boat’s bowels. He had a thin, gray beard that didn’t quite conceal a set of deeply sunken cheeks that lent him a decidedly emaciated aura as he moved about on shockingly thin, bird-like legs. The ends of his exposed feet were ensconced in a pair of deeply scuffed, leather sandals.
“Ah, you must be Adele!”
Despite his thin, sunken-chest frame, Delroy Hicks had one of the most powerful voices Adele had ever heard.
While remaining on the boat, Delroy reached out with a thin-fingered right hand toward Adele.
“Hello, Adele, I am Professor Delroy Hicks. If you haven’t yet noticed, I’m dying.”
Adele’s mouth fell open as she found herself shaking Delroy’s paper-skin hand while silently questioning if the odd little man was being literal or figurative in explaining his health to a woman he had just met. Delroy then withdrew his hand and used it to remove his hat which exposed a full head of surprisingly thick, gray hair, and with an intentionally dramatic flourish, leaned over at the waist and bowed before his newly arrived guest.
“Welcome to the No Regrets !”
Adele knew she was unable to hide the confusion that had fixed itself upon her face. Delroy returned his hat to the top of his head and pointed toward the boat’s transom where Adele saw the name No Regrets painted in bold red letters.
“That’s her name, and she’s all mine! Been living here in this very slip, off and on, for over forty years. Do you know John Wayne was once my guest here? It’s true! I cooked him a steak. The man loved steak! He ate two twelve-ounce rib eyes, drank an entire bottle of my best wine, and told stories of his days in old Hollywood. It was a glorious affair! He came here somewhat regularly during the summer season on that old World War II ship of his, The Wild Goose . He had read my first book on the native tribes of the Pacific Northwest and was a fan. Imagine that, he was a fan of me ! The man truly gave meaning to the phrase, ‘bigger than life.’ Even when immersed in his twilight, he was a powerful personality, a fine human being without a hint of Hollywood arrogance. He stood where you are standing now. What do you think of that ?”
Adele was reeling from information overload and had no idea how to respond. Delroy was either unaware of her confusion, or simply didn’t care. He just continued with whatever thought sprang forth from his mind.
“Suze tells me you’re the one who was allowed to interview Decklan. Is that so?”
Adele nodded with her mouth still half open.
Delroy Hicks lifted his head upward and let out a loud, barking laugh.
“Hah, the hermit has finally grown tired of his self-imposed banishment has he? Well, about bloody time, I’d say. I can’t imagine someone with his talent sitting around silently watching the world move by him without single a word on a page to mark its passing. He’s an ungrateful prick is what he is and I love him dearly. So
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