"You saying my wife is not beautiful!" Mr. Howell boomed indignantly.
The Skipper sighed. "No Mr. Howell I'm not saying Mrs. Howell is not a beautiful woman. I'm just saying that I happen to believe that Ginger is a beautiful woman as well. Maybe a bit more so." The sea captain said this was satisfaction hoping that it would endear him to Ginger and maybe turn her attention away from someone else.
Mr. Howell shook his head. "Professor." The millionaire addressed. "Tell me…who do you think is more beautiful. Lovey or Ginger?"
The Professor had hoped to not been dragged into this argument. "Mr. Howell I don't think it's fair to say one woman is more beautiful than another." He replied.
"Nonsense!" Thurston declared. "Make a decision….who is more beautiful Lovey or Ginger?"
The Professor was stuck he certainly did not want to answer this question. However he knew that Mr. Howell was not going to let it go. His only solution was to somehow get Gilligan involved and to do that he had to say something he knew that he didn't really think true. "Well…gentleman….what about Mary Ann? Surely you two would believe she to be a beautiful woman. She could easily be considered to be the most beautiful." As he said this he had hoped that Gilligan would jump in and say Yes Mary Ann was beautiful. The most beautiful. And then he could be off the hook by not really giving a direct answer. Unfortunately for him, Gilligan said nothing.
"So Professor you think Mary Ann is the most beautiful?" The Skipper asked with slight glee. Surely Ginger would not like this and cause her to lose interest in the academic. She would stop looking at him in that manner that irritated the captain.
"Now hold on." The Professor explained. "I didn't say that exactly. I just think that it's unfair to exclude the other woman of the island from consideration."
"Sounds like you are backing Mary Ann." The Skipper pressed glancing at Ginger who remained silent.
"I say we put this to a contest!" Mr. Howell suggested.
"A contest?" The Professor said in disbelief.
"Yes a contest." The Wolf of Wall Street smirked. "All three women. Then we will see who is declared most beautiful."
"And who will judge this?" asked Skipper.
"Gilligan can be the judge!"
"Me?" The sailor finally spoke. "Why me?"
"You are the only one who hasn't made a decision." Thurston explained. "You will be the deciding vote. The Skipper here says Ginger. The Professor said Mary Ann. And I say Lovey. You decide who it's going to be."
The Professor could not believe this was happening. His eyes went to the beautiful movie star who said not a word. He had then reluctantly agreed to the contest even though he thought the whole thing ridiculous.
The Next Day
The Skipper was in his hut enthusiastically coaching Ginger for the contest. The movie star had entered wearing her leopard print bathing suit. "Well what do you think?" She asked of him.
"You look great Ginger!' He declared. "Simply stunning!"
Ginger smiled. "You really think so?"
"I do." He said returning her smile. "Just like Aphrodite." He added.
The movie star stood in front a mirror. "You think the Professor will think so?"
The sea captain was confused. "The Professor?"
"Yes. You think he will think I look like the goddess of beauty?" She asked as she looked over her reflection.
"Um Ginger I think you should worry about getting Gilligan's vote. He is the judge."
The redhead waved her hand. "Oh he'll vote for Mary Ann." She remarked nonchalantly. "I don't care if he does. I need to concentrate on changing the Professor's mind. I just hope this will do it."
The Skipper could not believe it. Here he had made a big fuss about her being the most beautiful and she still wanted the Professor! She wanted to change the science man's vote to her. "Ginger he said he was voting for Mary Ann." He reminded her.
The actress turned and smiled. "He said she could be considered. But after he sees me in this number he will have no choice but to declare his vote is going to me. And I have another secret weapon."
"You do?" The Skipper said not really wanting to know.
"There is going to be a talent portion. The Professor always enjoys when I sing "I Want To Be Loved By You." I can see the way he looks at me when I do. I'm going to sing that song. By the time I'm threw he will fall over himself to give me his vote."
The sea captain sat down on a bamboo chair. "I see."
He could not believe this. No matter what he could not turn her eyes away from that science man! Even taking up for her and saying she was the most beautiful didn't do the trick. No. She wanted to work on changing the Professor's vote to hers.
"I know I can." Ginger went on. "Trust me."
The Skipper nodded saying nothing. What was the use? Ginger clearly was enamored with the Professor. Why he hadn't the slightest idea. What on Earth did she see in him?
Ginger left the hut to go retrieve her gown she was going to wear for the evening gown portion of the competition, when she spotted the Professor. Smiling, she walked up to him in her usual manner. "Hello Professor." She said in her breathy voice.
"Ginger." He replied. His eyes went over her wonderful attire.
"You think this bathing suit is nice?" She asked stepping back so he could admire her.
The Professor gulped. "Um…it's uh…It looks…" He stammered.
"I have a special number I'm singing." She said moving closer. Her hands were placed on his shoulders.
"Oh." He said entranced by her.
"Yes. A very special song." She lightly kissed his lips and walked away swaying her hips. The Professor watched and felt sweaty.
Mary Ann had watched the entire scene. She was pleased. Good. Ginger could work on trying to get the Professor to vote for her all she wanted. She did not care. Her job was getting Gilligan to pick her. The farm girl saw the sailor carrying some firewood and she went up to him. "Hi Gilligan." She smiled sweetly.
"Hi Mary Ann." He replied as she set the firewood down.
The brunette placed her hand on his arm. "You know you are so strong…" She said in a seductive voice. "The way you can carry that heavy firewood…"
Gilligan looked confused. "It's not really that heavy."
"It would be too heavy for little ol' me." Mary Ann said with a pout. "I'm not as strong as you are Gilligan."
"Oh uh…" He said turning red.
She gazed into his blue eyes. "You know Gilligan I have a special dress I'm planning on wearing for the contest."
"You…you do?"
"I do. Very special." She gently kissed his lips and walked away.
She entered the hut and found Ginger there with her hands on her hips. "You trying to influence the judge?" She asked of the farm girl.
"Oh like you weren't trying to influence the Professor?" Mary Ann came back with.
"He is going to pick me anyway." Ginger said confidently. "I know he thinks I'm more beautiful than you."
"He can pick you all he wants. I happen to know that Gilligan thinks I'm more beautiful than you."
Ginger thought a minute and then sat on her bed. "Mary Ann, I don't really want to do this contest."
The farm girl was surprised. "You don't?"
The redhead shook her head. "You know that Mrs. Howell is not going to win. I'm not saying she's not a beautiful woman. She is. You and I both know she is. But the men, they aren't going to pick her. They will pick one of us. And you also know that if Gilligan voted for me you would be angry. The Professor voting for you makes me angry. I don't want to be angry. I just want my man to think I'm beautiful. And I don't want Mrs. Howell feeling bad."
Mary Ann sat on her bed. "You're right. It's true. All of it."
"There is only one way to solve this."
"How's that?"
"We need to make sure Mrs. Howell wins."
The brunette nodded. "And how do we do that?"
"We need to get the Skipper to vote for her. I can get the Professor to vote for me. You can get Gilligan to vote for you. We will be happy having their votes. We need to turn the Skipper's vote to Mrs. Howell."
Later that night
It was time for the pageant.
Ginger was up first in the talent portion. She nodded to the Skipper who started the music. Walking up the stage her eyes locked on the Professor's as she began her number. The academic could not look away from her. She was captivating. Her sexy voice went right through him. The look in her eyes. That seductive smoky look. As if she meant that she truly wanted him to be the only one to love her. Her song came to an end and the Professor stood up applauding saying how wonderful Ginger was. The movie star smiled at him and sauntered back up the stage. The Skipper was less then pleased.
After the talent portion, it was time for the evening gowns. Mary Ann walked out wearing a short red dress showing off her legs. She paused in front of Gilligan who looked her over with appreciation. The farm girl turned and walked back up the stage with Gilligan's eyes following her. When she turned around once more, Gilligan stood up and applauded. The Professor did not pay much mind. He was still thinking of Ginger's performance.
Mrs. Howell then walked out wearing a beautiful purple gown. Her blonde hair adorned with matching ribbons. She smiled at her husband as she walked out. She turned and gave a wink at the Skipper who was taken aback. He had blushed a little as she then walked back up the stage and turned again smiling at Thurston. She turned her head again slightly to the Skipper giving him another wink. The sea captain was pleased by this.
The contest came to a close and it was time to give the votes.
"Okay." Gilligan said. "It's time to decide the winner."
"Wait Gilligan." The Professor said walking over to where the three ladies were seated. "I have something to say. I decided that my vote will be for Ginger." His hand gently touched her chin and she smiled at him. "She clearly is the most beautiful."
"So two votes for Ginger." Gilligan wrote down.
"No." The Skipper said. "One vote. I decided that I'm going with the lovely Mrs. Howell." He said smiling at the older woman.
"How wonderful." Mrs. Howell said.
"Well Gilligan." Mr Howell said. "What do you think?"
Gilligan looked over at the three. His eyes going to the brunette. "Mary Ann. I'm voting for Mary Ann."
Mr. Howell jumped up. "That means Lovey wins!'
"Oh Thurston how wonderful!" She said hugging her husband.
The other two women clapped for the older woman who gave a wink to them.
They had explained to her secretly how they wished for her to win. She agreed the whole contest was silly and took their advice on how to get the Skipper to vote for her.
"I told you Lovey was the most beautiful!" Mr. Howell boasted. "No one is more beautiful.
The Professor shook his head. "That's what you think." He walked over to Ginger pulling her into his arms. "This woman is the most beautiful." Ginger smiled and placed a kiss on his lips.
"No Mary Ann." Gilligan insisted. "Mary Ann is the most beautiful ever." He said taking a hold of her.
"Gilligan. You are so sweet." She said kissing him.
The celebrated Mrs. Howells' victory with a party. The Skipper watched Ginger dancing with the Professor. He could not help but smile. That woman simply loved the man of science. There was no question about it. He had never had a chance at winning her over and he knew it. Time and time again she had made it clear who she wanted. He was told he made a pass at her when he was suffering from amnesia. She had been horrified at this and called out to the Professor. He had heard Ginger telling Mary Ann about when the Professor had come to her hut to sniff her perfume on her neck. Ginger was enthralled by this. He could only conclude the only one who could ever get away with doing something like that was in fact the Professor. At least he made her happy. That was important. He could live with it as long as she was happy.
Just like he knew his little buddy was happy. The Skipper knew that Gilligan was in love with Mary Ann. He never told him but he had known. The sea captain could always tell by the way the young sailor acted around the farm girl. He knew Gilligan very well. There wasn't anything he could hide from him.
The Skipper realized that it would never work out with Ginger. Sure she was beautiful but he knew that she did not care for the things he enjoyed. He loved the sea. Now Ginger did enjoy being on the Minnow but that was pretty much it. She had no real interest in the sea or things related to the sea. The movie star would never understand the joy he got from being out on the water. The Professor just had something that captured her heart. Whatever it was, he was science man was a lucky guy. That was for certain.
All the men on the island were lucky to have women who cared about all of them.
He had a feeling that the two other women put Mrs. Howell up to the winking.
The sailor did not mind. He knew they were trying to get the two younger men's attention. One day he would get off this island and find a terrific woman. He was sure of it.
The End!