February 20, 1965

First mate's log:

We had another kid on the island! I don't know if he was here all along or if he just showed up somehow. He didn't speak English and he dressed and acted like a jungle boy, except he was white instead of a native. He was about twelve and all the little kids thought he was great. Greg Brady got the boy to teach him how to swing from vines, but he wasn't very good at it. (It's harder than it looks.)

The jungle boy showed me where there's a helium fountain. The Professor had us make a balloon big enough to carry one of us to civilization. Alice and Mary Ann sewed together all our raincoats for the balloon part. The Skipper and I made the basket.

All the men drew straws for who would go in the balloon. The Skipper "won" but he was too heavy to lift. Then we thought about sending the jungle boy up, but the women were too worried about his safety. So we were going to send a note instead, but I guess the jungle boy overheard us and understood part of it, because he left in the balloon! He made it back to civilization OK, but of course he couldn't talk to anyone and tell them about us.

Oh well, at least I learned to swing from vines a little.


February 20, 1965

Carol Martin's diary:

A young boy of about twelve was living all alone on the island! We have no idea who he was or where he came from, since he didn't speak English, or any other recognizable language. I wanted to adopt him, a big brother for my girls, but of course that wasn't really possible. And now he's gone, having flown off in the helium balloon that was meant to be our chance for rescue. He can't tell anyone where we are and we're just as stuck here as ever.

Now that Cindy is two, I'm starting to want another baby. The girls are all three years apart, and I'm still a young woman really, if not as young as Mary Ann. What if we don't get rescued, or not for a very long time? I'll never see Tim again, never have another child. Even though the jungle boy was almost a teenager, he made me think about what it would be like to have a larger family. I'd like that. I love my girls so much, but I have more love to give. But I have to accept that it just may not be possible.


February 25, 1965

Wow, another visitor! This one can speak English, except that a lot of it is surfing slang. His name is Duke Williams, and the Howells think he's a real duke, you know, like a prince. The Professor figured out that Duke rode on a sue-nommy, which is a huge tidal wave caused by an earthquake. Duke covered 250 miles in five days!

He's going to rest up and then surf back to Hawaii when a reverse sue-nommy comes along soon. Then we'll be rescued!


February 25, 1965

Well, we've got another visitor, a surfer boy rather than a jungle boy. Except that this boy is definitely grown up. He hit on me! Duke Williams is very good-looking. (He reminds me of my high school boyfriend, Tank Gates, blond, muscular, but not too bright.) But I'm a married woman! OK, so it was flattering to be flirted with, even if I didn't understand at first what he meant by calling me "a way out chick." But I would never cheat on Tim. After all, I've been on a deserted island with four eligible bachelors all these months, and I've been completely faithful.

Then Duke asked, "What about the gidget in short-shorts? Is she going steady with anyone?"

"Well, no," I admitted. I still want Mary Ann (who's petite but hardly a girl midget) to get together with Gilligan, but nothing is happening there. And both she and Ginger clearly find Duke attractive. So I didn't stand in his way. He ended up flirting with both girls, who flirted back.

He arrived here on his surfboard, via a tsunami, and the Professor says a reverse tsunami is on its way. Duke is supposed to rest up so he can rescue us, but I'm afraid he's too distracted right now. I can't imagine him wanting to leave any time soon. And Greg, who's only nine, wants surfing lessons! Poor Mike.


February 26, 1965

Wow! I kissed Mary Ann! A bunch of times!

See, it looked like Duke didn't want to leave the island because he was too distracted by the girls. And they seemed to like him, too. I tried lifting weights so I could build up my muscles, but I could never be like him. Well, anyway, the girls liked flirting with him but they want to be rescued.

So Mr. Howell thought if Ginger and Mary Ann seemed like they were interested in other men, he'd want to catch the reverse sue-nommy. Ginger chose the Professor for her pretend boyfriend, and Mary Ann chose me! I was surprised they didn't pick Mr. Brady, because he's handsome and smart like the Professor, but with more of a sense of humor. But I guess since Duke knows that Mr. Brady is mourning his wife, maybe they didn't think Duke would believe it.

Tonight we two "couples" went into the jungle, in separate places, and had pretend dates. I don't know what happened with the Professor and Ginger, but Mary Ann sat in my lap and we kissed until my knees hurt. Then I sat in her lap and we kissed some more. She said she liked my little muscles more than Duke's big muscles. I know it was just an act, but I liked having a girl seem interested in me. And she's a really good kisser.

I did feel funny in front of an audience. We could hear Duke rustling the bushes as he watched. I hope he surfs away tomorrow.


February 27, 1965

Well, Mrs. Howell thought of a scheme (which Mr. Howell took credit for) to make Duke jealous and want to leave the island. I was afraid it would backfire and he'd want to fight Gilligan and the Professor, who pretended to be Mary Ann and Ginger's boyfriends. I suspect that Mrs. Howell may be even more of a matchmaker than I am, and she may've just wanted to nudge the two couples together. Neither girl has confided in me, but they both came back to the camp smiling, so I guess the dates were fun, even if they were fake.

As for Duke, he's surfing back to Hawaii. I hope he makes it. And maybe in a week I'll see Tim again!