Ginger had been glowing all day and five of the castaways were at a loss as to why.
She floated around the island cheerfully singing love songs to herself as she picked flowers and some fruit to store in the food locker.
Mary Ann had tried to pry something out of the movie star when arrived to help her and Mrs. Howell with the sewing but Ginger kept mum. The millionaire's wife grew suspicious wondering if this had to do with one of the men on the island. The Professor in particular. She had seen the two walk off to the jungle after breakfast.
Ginger declined to answer any questions the two women had insisting they needed to keep focused on mending and sewing the clothes.
Lunch time arrived.
The Skipper, noting how he had been admonished by the Professor for not pitching in with the cooking, had prepared the meal for everyone.
Five of them sat at the table. Two were missing. Ginger and the Professor.
Mary Ann went to search for the two missing castaways to find them by the lagoon sitting against a tree.
The Professor had a book on his lap and Ginger was smiling at him commenting on whatever passage he had read out loud to her.
The farm girl approached the pair. "Hello." She greeted.
"Oh Hi Mary Ann." Ginger smiled.
"Whatcha doing?" The brunette asked.
"Oh the Professor was just telling me all these fascinating things about butterflies."
Mary Ann was puzzled. Since when did Ginger find butterflies fascinating?
"I see. Well lunch is ready if you are hungry."
"Thank you Mary Ann but we will eat something later…Go on Professor…tell me more about that monarch butterfly…" Ginger said turning back to her companion.
The Kansas girl shrugged and headed back to camp. What was that all about? She couldn't recall a time when Ginger showed the slightest interest in knowing more about butterflies. This was very odd.
She went back to the table and sat down to eat.
"Did you find them?" The Skipper asked taking a bite of fish.
"Yes..they were by the lagoon. Ginger said they would eat later. The Professor was reading to her a book about butterflies."
"Butterflies?" The Skipper said stunned.
"I know I found it strange myself but Ginger appeared to be very interested." Mary Ann said helping herself to some fruit.
Now the Skipper knew something had to be going on between Ginger and the Professor.
First she hangs all over him that night, then she disappears with him in the jungle and now they are by the lagoon reading a book about butterflies.
"I cannot imagine what would be so interesting about a butterfly." Mrs. Howell remarked.
"Beats me." Mary Ann said.
"I like butterflies." Gilligan said. "I like hunting them. It's fun!"
"Yes dear we know." Mrs. Howell said with a smile.
"I'm going to catch that yellow butterfly yet! It keeps getting away from me." Gilligan said with determination.
Mary Ann smiled. She was certain one day Gilligan would come running out of the jungle declaring victory when he finally caught the yellow insect.
Lagoon
Ginger asked the Professor if he would like to take a walk with her. He agreed and the pair began walking along the beach.
Ginger had her arm linked through his. "You think we will ever be rescued?" She asked.
The Professor sighed. "I don't know. Sometimes I think we will be stuck here forever."
"I know." Ginger said nodding her head. "Everytime it looks like we are…it always falls through."
"I guess all we can do is keep trying." The Professor stated. "No matter how many times we may fail…we have to keep trying."
Ginger smiled. "Kind of like love."
The Professor looked at her. "You equate everything with love?"
"I suppose I do." Ginger said kicking a small pebble with her shoe. "Love is a big part of life you know. It says in the Bible…the greatest of these is love."
"That's true." The Professor said. " Tell me…who was this man who had left you?"
Ginger was silent for a minute and then spoke. "His name was Todd Malcolm. He worked in an investment firm. I met him at a party and I found him to be very charming."
"So what happened?"
"He asked me out for dinner. It seemed to go very well. He told me about his family and his business. I told him about Hollywood. It started to get serious and he had even moved some of his things into my home. Then one day…I came home from a movie shoot and I found a note. All it said was "Sorry". That's it. Just "Sorry". No explanation. Nothing."
"Did you ever try to find him?" The Professor wondered.
Ginger shook her head. "I didn't see the point. He didn't have the courage to face me in person, why should I bother? He would have just given me some lame explanation and sent me on my way."
"What do you think made him leave?"
"I told you. I don't think he really liked the Hollywood scene. Whenever we went to an award show or a party, he would make comments about how fake the people were and how ridiculous it seemed to make such a fuss over people playing make believe. I had shrugged it off at first but…after awhile it got to me. I enjoy acting. I always have. We would fight about it then he would apologize and say he would be more understanding. I suppose I should have seen it coming."
"Ginger he sounds like a fool." The Professor said putting his arm around her. "You are beautiful, intelligent, talented woman. My assumption is that he couldn't handle that and was perhaps a little jealous."
"Jealous? Of me?"
"Of your success. It takes a lot of hard work to make it in Hollywood I'm sure. The fact that you did, it may make him feel resentful. Maybe he hadn't reached the aspirations he had in life and you did."
"I suppose that could be true." Ginger said. "I guess it's like my parents."
"Your parents?"
Ginger nodded. "My father was in showbiz. He was a wonderful jazz musician. Played the saxophone. He was in a band called the The Tuxedos. They traveled around the country playing at different clubs and weddings. My mother hated it. She wanted him to settle down and get a steady job but.."
Ginger found a log and sat down on it continuing on. "Dad refused. He said he loved what he did. My mother…she was very obstinate that he give up the jazz thing. I found out later after she had died, my mother had tried a career as a jazz singer but never made it work. It must have hurt her to see Dad so successful."
"Is your father still alive?"
Ginger looked down. "I'm not sure. He..He wasn't the same after Mom died. He…well he drank a lot. Yes they fought about his jazz playing but he loved her a great deal. She was everything to him. After she died, he gave it up. Saying his heart wasn't in it. He would hang out at bars, get drunk…I would end up having to bail him out of jail…I'm sorry….I shouldn't burden you with all this."
"No please go on." The Professor insisted. "You can tell me."
"Well like I said." Ginger continued. "I would have to bail him out of jail…sober him up. He swore he wouldn't do it again but he would. He fell behind on his bills. I had to pay them off for him. Eventually I had moved him into an apartment. I even hired a care taker for him. But he would disappear from time to time…ending up lord knows where…I got busy with my career, I couldn't keep an eye on him."
"I'm sorry Ginger." The Professor said holding her to him and kissing the top of her head.
Ginger managed a smile resting her head against him. "What about your parents?" She asked.
"Divorced. When I was 14."
"How horrible. What happened?"
"Mom cheated on Dad." He explained.
Ginger looked up. "That's why…that's why you think love is…it wasn't just because of what that Marcia did….it is because of your parents."
The Professor nodded. "It's a part of it. Although with Marcia, I had convinced myself that it wouldn't happen to me…that I could give it a chance…well you know how that turned out."
"Do you still see your parents?"
"Mom lives with her new husband in Europe. Dad passed away a few years ago."
"This new man your mother is with? Have you met him?"
"Yes and I can say I don't care for him. I…I just see him as the reason my parents split. He was always nice to me and yes he does treat my mother well…but I could never for the life of me figure out why she left my father. Their marriage seemed solid to me."
"Did you ever ask her?"
The Professor shook his head. "No."
"You should. If we ever get off this island, you should find out. It may help you get closure."
Roy Hinkley moved Ginger onto his lap and kissed her lips. "You are a very wise woman Ginger."
She smiled and returned his kiss.
The two sat there for a few more minutes before deciding to head back to camp.
Ginger decided she was in fact hungry as did the Professor.
The others had left some fish for them, so Ginger quickly heated it over a fire and they sat down to eat.
The two began talking about other things. Ginger told him about her first movie role and how nervous she had been.
The Professor told her about how he got into science and his first time teaching. He said he was certain the students were probably bored but Ginger insisted he could never be boring.
Mr. Howell walked by with his bamboo and clam shell golf club and noticed the pair.
They were smiling and laughing as if they were the only two people in the world.
Mrs. Howell followed him carrying the little golf ball that Mr. Howell would put around the island.
She looked at her husband. "Dear what is so interesting?"
"Those two." Mr. Howell said gesturing to the Professor and Ginger. "Look at them."
Mrs. Howell smiled. "Why they do make a delightful pair. She being so beautiful and he being handsome."
"I must agree with you Lovey." The millionaire smiled. "Come on…I'm going to tackle that green today!' He declared.
The two hurried off forgetting the pair sitting at the table.
The Skipper then walked by noticing the two. He was more convinced then ever there was something going on.
The way Ginger was looking at the Professor and the way the Professor looked at her. The sailor walked on carrying his load of firewood.
Ginger and the Professor finished their lunch and cleaned up the dishes.
"It's such a lovely day." Ginger said. "I think I'll go take a swim in the lagoon."
She headed off to her hut to change into her bathing suit.
The Professor stood there feeling hot. He knew exactly what bathing suit she was going to return in. That leopard print number. The one she looked so…
A few minutes later, Ginger emerged wearing that very bathing suit and the Professor's heart rate accelerated.
"Want to join me?" She asked of him.
"I'm afraid I don't have a bathing suit." He replied.
"Who says you need one?" She purred in his ear.
He swallowed hard and Ginger laughed. "I just meant that you could just roll up your pants and wade in the water."
"Oh yeah." He said.
Ginger laughed taking his hand and leading him to the lagoon.
Mary Ann and Gilligan had been picking coconuts had witnessed the scene and like the Skipper were convinced something was happening.