Sixteen-year-old Jack Sparrow walked through the dim-lit corridor of his father's small house into the living room to see his father, Grant Sparrow, passed out in a small chair with his faded gray hat over his face and a rum bottle in his hand.
"Someone's had too much to drink," He spoke softly as he approached a lantern to blow it out.
"Wash your mouth out, Jack-o. The words 'too' 'much' 'to' 'drink' are three words that should never be used in one sentence," Grant Sparrow said as he set the bottle of rum down and lifted his hat revealing a face with shining eyes and a sly grin.
"I pray to Davy Jones that one day you'll… you'll know what's good for ya when it comes to beverages" He coughed as he slowly got up, rubbing Jack's neck length shaggy hair.
"And I pray to Davy Jones that you'll learn how to count. 'Too much to drink' is four words, Dad." Jack joked back.
"I see your keeping up in your studies. Namely math. That's good. Maybe you can be a captain like me someday"
"Of a merchant vessel? I'd rather be a captain of a navy boat."
"Never call ships a boat. It's an insult. Would you be callin' the Wicked Wench a boat? It's the smoothest ship I've ever been captain of. I feel free when I run my fingers against the finely carved wood of the wheel, and when I get the crew to sing. It's indescribable. Wouldn't you like to be the captain of the Wench?" Grant said, taking a swig of rum.
"Are you joking? The Wench is the fastest ship in the Caribbean. I'd love to be captain of it."
"Play your cards right and talk to the right people and kiss the right women, it could happen."
Jack chuckled and asked, "Are you going to bed?"
"Nope. I got work to do."
"Who would want to buy things at this hour?"
"My good friends in Tortuga."
……………………………………………………………………….
That was the same routine every night. Jack would wake up his father, and say something that his father would consider an insult to ships or sailors or life at sea in general, by accident and his father, at least making an attempt to be a caring father, lectured him about what Jack said or did wrong. Sometimes it's even the same lecture but Grant was too drunk to remember. Then he'd make up some excuse to go to Tortuga to drink more rum and try to recruit a crew for his "merchant vessel" and other unmoral things. It was all practically rehearsed and scripted for Jack. Grant lies to Jack by claming to be a captain of a merchant vessel, but Jack knew that the Wicked Wench was no merchant vessel because it was painted black and once he looked there and there wasn't any British flag or anything valuable to sell. Jack knew he was a pirate and he was bitter towards his father because of it. Jack wanted to be in the Navy but Grant let on hints that he wanted Jack to be the captain and follow his father's mistake and go down the dark path of Piracy. Jack blamed the rum for his father's actions but somewhere he knew even if he was sober, nothing could draw him away from Piracy. Worst of all, Jack felt responsible for the way his father was.
The next day, Jack woke up in a cold sweat to nightmares of his father being hung as a pirate. He got up and got dressed, putting on nice, clean clothes and he brushed his hair back. Today was his first day as an apprentice to Cutler Beckett, a high ranked military official whose loyalties lie with the East India Company instead of the Crown. Jack didn't approve of that, but he wanted to become a military official like him, so he took the apprenticeship he was offered.
He stood on the dock for five minutes waiting for Beckett. Soon, a young man in a blue uniform approached Jack and asked, "Are you Sparrow?"
"Yes, sir" Jack said extending a hand. Beckett merely looked at it and walked past him, which made Jack have an almost instant disliking of him.
"You have excelled in all of your studies. Your knowledge of French, Caribbean natives, Spanish, and Japanese language and culture is admirable. Quite admirable indeed." Beckett told him looking out to the sea
"Thank you, sir." Jack replied walking next to him
"Did I grant you permission to speak, Sparrow?"
"No, but you never granted me permission not to talk, Beckett" Jack spoke without thinking and immediately regretted it.
Cutler Beckett seemed neither angry nor impressed and he continued, "Attitude like that won't get you far in life. But I'm taking to under my wing and with my guidance I can bring you to the top."
"If your guidance is so great, then why aren't you king right now?" Jack smirked again not thinking.
Beckett smirked and said "You have a lot to learn, Sparrow"
