NoV: This is my first ever Gilligan's Island fanfic! I am very obsessed with the show and bought all three seasons on DVD. I hope this story is enjoyable!
This fic is dedicated to the memory of a great friend I had growing up. We'll miss you, Bob Denver.
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Well, recruitment was upon the navy again. And, for Captain Jonas Grumby, that meant another handful of softy kids for him to chisel out in his image. A bunch of momma's boys who, under his expertise and guidance, would become men.
After fighting for his country in World War II, he soon rose through the ranks and captained his own battleship. Now, in 1960, he had been a captain on the S.S. Gillis for five years, training new recruits for possible war.
This June was no different…….at first.
How proud he was when he got to stroll toward the "fresh Joe's" every year. How he put on an act, scowling and glaring at those frightened kids! It was a joy.
"All right, men!" he barked. A few of the new trainees jumped in surprise. The captain smiled inwardly. "Answer when I call your name." He flipped to the second page on his clipboard. "Abernathy, Jonathan."
"Here, sir!" the lad hollered from way down at the end of the line.
The captain nodded at him in approval. "Coleman, Scott."
"Aye, sir!" Coleman replied.
The process of role-call was going smoothly and quickly, until he got to the G's.
"Garret, Nathan."
"Aye, aye, sir!"
"Gilligan, William," the captain said. Receiving no reply, he looked up from his clipboard and scanned the group. Then, bellowed, "Gilligan!"
A pale, skinny boy who was looking at his socks in amusement, jumped a foot into the air. Looking into the scowling eye of the captain, he squeaked, "Present!"
The captain shook his head in annoyance and continued the roll call.
When he was finished, he put the clipboard back on the deck chair. The salty air filled his senses to the brim with scents and chilly winds. This was the only place he ever wanted to be. "All right, men," he commanded, picking out individual groups for his tasks, "you three start swabbing the decks. You, you and you go about hoisting the sails. You five are on coal duty. The rest of you can return to your bunks. I'll call on you for the night shift." Before he could leave, the captain grabbed Gilligan by the collar. "Except for you. I have a special mandate for you to fill."
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"My first day and I'm peelin' potatoes!" Gilligan grumbled, sitting in a dark closet scraping the skin off of what seemed to be hundreds of potatoes. "I could have done this without joinin' the navy!"
"And I don't want to hear any complaints, sailor!" the captain yelled through the tiny porthole that led into the room.
Gilligan folded his arms across his chest in exasperation. This navy business was just a big mistake!
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NoV: So, what do you think so far? This is just the prologue. The real story has a lot more to it, and if anyone likes it, I'll post some more!