Gilligan bit back a sigh as the Skipper piled several pieces of firewood into his arms. "I'm sure you can take those back to camp. Surely you can handle that."
"Yes Skipper," Gilligan said as he turned around.
"And when you're done grab a basket and collect some fruit. Then you can fix that hole in the supply hut. After that…"
Gilligan felt like he was shutting down. Work, work, work. That was all he was good for.
"Gilligan are you listening to me?" The captain demanded annoyed.
"Yes Skipper."
"Repeat what I just said."
Gilligan sighed again. "Take the firewood back to camp, collect fruit, fix the hole in the supply hut, do the laundry because Mary Ann's working in the garden, paint Ginger's stage, build a new shower. I'm missing dinner tonight aren't I?"
It wasn't accusatory or anything but it made the captain frown. "You are allowed to take breaks for meals. No sense in you working so much and not having the strength to do it."
'No sense. Yeah.' Gilligan thought slightly hurt. Not because the Skipper cared about him or anything...only that he can work.
The first mate took the firewood back to camp and set it down in the pile they kept. He then went to get a basket.
"Gilligan, the hole in the side will only get bigger."
Gilligan only nodded. "Yes Professor."
So that's what he spent the next hour doing. Least he had that finished.
Once he was done Mrs Howell put the basket of the Howells laundry in his arms. "Be a Dear and do this now."
The boy only nodded feeling numb. "Yes Mrs Howell."
"Gilligan we need fruit!"
"My stage needs to be repainted before my next performance!"
"Gilligan Mrs Howell and I need our own shower!"
As if to make things worse the captain came. He saw Gilligan and his temper flared. "WHY are you just standing around goofing off?! There's work to be done!"
"Skipper I'm not…!"
"I don't care Gilligan! Get to work!"
"I'M NOT GOOFING OFF! I'VE BEEN WORKING…!"
"DON'T YOU SPEAK TO ME THAT WAY FIRST MATE GILLIGAN!"
The Skipper took a step forward and backed Gilligan up to the table where he loomed like an angry lion. "You WILL do as you're told! You OBEY me! You follow MY orders!"
Gilligan looked around hoping for someone to back him up. Someone to stand in.
Nobody did. They just watched.
"It's so simple even you should be able to handle following orders. You don't have to think. Even a dog knows who his master is and obeys."
Gilligan looked down and shut his eyes to contain his tears. For the first time in his life he could not see a light at the end of this very dark tunnel. There was no end to this. He was nothing more than an animal. A mule for them to work until he physically couldn't any longer. Then they'd just shoot him to put him out of his misery.
"Yes sir." he said quietly as he took the wash to their makeshift washing machine.
"Even a dog knows who his master is and obeys?"
The Skipper turned to the Professor who was glaring at him. "He's always…"
Roy held up a hand in silence. "You can intimidate him but I will not allow you to do the same to me. Gilligan does the most work out of anyone. I can't believe you spoke to him that way."
"He's my employee. I'll speak to him the way he needs to be spoken to!"
Roy's jaw clenched. "What has gotten into you Skipper? The past several days you have been nothing short of a bully to him. You give him endless chores. You speak to him as if he is nothing more to you than a slave."
"Gilligan knows his responsibilities," Skipper said crossing his own arms. "He's a lot stronger than you all think he is. He's not some sensitive little boy that needs to be coddled by his mother."
"Perhaps not but if he becomes overwhelmed he'll forget to take care of himself and that will lead to depression and sickness. I'm warning you Skipper. Depression sets in for him we're all going to learn a hard and permanent lesson."
"He'd never!"
"How do you know?" Roy challenged. "You don't know how a person will react and Gilligan least of all! He hides Skipper! I've seen him do it! He hides behind that smile for our sakes. He is the most selfless person here! Even a dog knows to OBEY his master?! The similarities between GIlligan and a dog are many: he's loyal, hard working, eager to please, and wants to be praised but he won't ask for it. I admit I'm not perfect. I forget that he's only human. He can't do everything at once even though it's expected of him. It's WHY he trips up."
"And just how do you know all of this Professor?" Skipper asked.
"Observation. Talking to him. Getting to know him. Even teaching him a little. Learning from him."
"What have you learned from him Professor?" Ginger asked curiously.
He looked at her. "To think outside of the box and improvise. It's what's lead to most of my inventions. I'm finding out that I can do more with my intelligence than just study. I can be useful and make a difference."
She thought a minute before looking at the Skipper. "Where's the paint? I can paint my own stage."
"Ginger you don't have to…" Skipper started.
"I insist. It might even be fun!" Ginger said smiling.
He nodded smiling in approval. "I'll mix it up and help you with it."
She beamed at him making Roy blush and the others chuckle.
"Dear we don't NEED a shower of our own. The one that's already built that's perfectly fine," Mrs Howell said to her husband.
"Too right Lovey Dear. Well that's two chores down. Hopefully that will help the the Lad."
They all turned to the Skipper. The big man looked from one expectant look to another and had to wonder if this was how Gilligan felt when everyone turned on him! "Erm...guess I'll get the food."
The Professor picked up the basket and put it in the Skipper's hands. "Good man. I believe Gilligan has the rest of the day off now."
"And what do you think he'll do with down time?" Skipper asked.
Roy shrugged. "Not sure. Maybe he should go swimming. Get reaquainted with the sea he loves so much. Whatever he chooses to do is up to him. He can make his own educated decisions." He met the Skipper's eyes. "He has to learn to trust himself sometime."
Something in that sentence seemed to strike a chord with the old sea salt.
Meanwhile, Gilligan had finished the laundry and was hanging it up. His thoughts were dark and full of self loathing.
"Hi Gilligan!"
He blinked out of his thoughts before looking over and smiling a truly genuine smile. "Hi Mary Ann!"
Mary Ann grinned at him. "Want some help?"
"You've been working in the garden all day…" To his amusement she rolled her eyes before setting down her vegetables and helping put the laundry up.
"Skipper got you doing chores all day again?" she asked.
"Course he does. He doesn't trust me with anything but work."
The farm girl frowned in concern. That didn't sound like her sunny friend. "Are you ok?"
The look in his eyes worried her even though he smiled. "I'm fine Mary Ann."
One finished she studied him for a moment and stopped him when he started to leave. "Would you mind coming to the lagoon with me?"
"I can't. Skipper said that even a dog knows when to obey his master."
"WHAT?! He said that to you?! Oh how dare he!"
Gilligan blinked! "Mary Ann…"
She turned on her heel. "I'm gonna give him a piece of my mind!"
The sailor quickly got in front of her! "Mary Ann he could hurt you! When he's angry…"
"He can try! I've faced down bulls on the farm I'm not afraid of an angry teddy bear!"
Gilligan bit back a grin as the darkness began to lift somewhat. He followed her wanting to see her chew someone else out...for a change!
"What's Skipper's full name?"
"Jonas Grumby," Gilligan readily supplied.
They caught up with the Skipper in the jungle as he was collecting bananas. He saw the angry Mary Ann and knew she was about to let him have it! "Hi Mary Ann…!"
"Don't you "Hi Mary Ann" ME! Jonas Grumby!" Mary Ann said as she put a hand on her hip and pointed at him. "How dare you call yourself Gilligan's best friend after what you said to him! Oh I have half a mind to…!"
As she ranted the Skipper glanced at Gilligan noticing the nervousness. Did he think that he'd hurt her?
"...He has done nothing but work work work for the past two weeks! He's skipped meals! I have to hunt him down to make sure he eats! This has gone on far enough!..."
She took a step forward and Gilligan was amazed that sweet, little Mary Ann, was backing the Skipper until his back hit a tree as she continued to rant and lecture him. Half of him felt sorry for the Skipper...the other half cheered her on!
The Skipper kept quiet as he got a taste of his own medicine.
She then crossed her arms. "Now...here is how the rest of this afternoon is going to go! I'm going to pack a picnic lunch for JUST me and GIlligan. Then we are going to go butterfly hunting! YOU are going to do the things that you CAN do yourself and not treat YOUR BEST FRIEND like he's nothing more than your servant!"
"Yes ma'am" Skipper said meekly. Although inwardly he hid a smile glad to see her stand up for Gilligan again.
Mary Ann nodded satisfied as she went back over to Gilligan and linked arms with him before leading him away.
The others grinned as hours later they found the youngest castaways cuddled in a meadow fast asleep. Gilligan had his arms around her shoulders as she had her head on his chest. Both were breathing evenly and peaceful.
Upon hearing them Mary Ann looked up before putting a finger to her mouth telling them to keep quiet.
They nodded as the Professor gathered the already eaten picnic and they left.
After they were gone Mary Ann looked up at Gilligan and smiled as she watched him sleep wondering if he was having another one of his wild dreams. She laid her head back down content right where she was.
That evening they returned to find the table set and the Skipper grilling lobsters. They looked amused as the Professor and Ginger came back to camp covered in paint and looking tremendously happy.
After everyone cleaned up they sat down to eat. Mr Howell had everyone laughing as he recounted another story about his two eccentric uncles Egbert and Magoo.
All in all it was a wonderful dinner and the two youngest washed the dishes. Well they were supposed to until Mary Ann flicked water in Gilligan's face. He scowled playfully and flicked it back at her starting a water fight!
After several minutes they finally finished and Gilligan walked her back to the girl's hut. He blushed and in a moment of chivalry he kissed her hand. "Thanks for this afternoon Mary Ann. I needed it."
She blushed with a smile. "You're welcome Gilligan." She stood on her tiptoes and kissed his cheek grinning at the blush that came to his cheeks making his dark blue eyes stand out. She then winked at him before going into her hut.
Gilligan smiled goofily as he touched his cheek and made his way back to his own hut. He crashed back down to earth when he saw the Skipper standing there with crossed arms.
"You didn't have to sic Mary Ann on me,," Skipper said with a small smirk. "I got a taste of what you go through today. I'm sorry Little Buddy. I never meant to hurt you."
"You didn't Skipper. I'll be up early tomorrow…"
The captain shook his head. "Take tomorrow off. Tomorrow night all seven of us are going to sit down and rehash those chores. It's not fair to you to have to do everything." He went over and put his hands on his first mate's shoulders. "I'm sorry for what I said about you being a dog. I'm going to try to stop talking down to you and there's something I do want you to do. If I'm going too far I want you to walk away from me."
Gilligan's eyebrows shot up into his hairline. "Oh yeah that will work out REAL well."
Skipper frowned but nodded. "Ok I see your point." He thought a moment. "When did you give me the power to make you feel so horrible? What happened to young man I hired that wasn't afraid to speak his mind to me? I realized today that we don't banter anymore. You don't fight back."
"I can't," Gilligan said. "I can't fight because the others back you up and I'm by myself most of the time."
The Skipper gently squeezed his shoulders. "Somehow I think that's ended. Get some sleep Little Buddy and don't worry about anything alright?"
"Yes sir. Thanks Skipper."
The two sailors climbed into their hammocks.
Tomorrow would be better.