First mate's log:
November 6, 1967
The Halloween party last week was fun but today I was struck by lightning and now I'm magnetic! That might sound like fun, but I've got a metal bowling ball stuck to my hand and I keep giving everyone electric shocks. Ginger has to wear gloves to feed me.
November 7, 1967
It's very hard to teach the children science when things like this happen. Yesterday Gilligan was struck by lightning and turned magnetic! (The Professor claiming that the lightning "crystallized the metallic elements in Gilligan's body" doesn't help.) And today he was struck again and turned invisible! I would think I was going mad if we didn't all, well, not see him with our own eyes.
Then the Professor wrapped strips of cloth dipped in lead ore around him, to "absorb the electrical charge." Alice was babysitting when she saw him dressed as a mummy and let out a terrific scream. The children had fun being scared, especially so soon after Halloween. But Gilligan is very upset and, yes, has left for his favorite cave on the other side of the island.
The magnetism seems to have ended with the second strike, and I'm sure the invisibility will wear off soon, hopefully without Gilligan having to be hit a third time. That poor boy. As he says, everything seems to happen to him.
November 8, 1967
Well, I got hit by lightning again! It cured my magnetic personality but it made me invisible! That wore off when I snuck back into camp from my cave to get some food. (Hey, if Duke "Tongo" Williams and all those other visitors could, I could.) So everything's back to normal, again.
November 19, 1967
Yes, Gilligan is visible again. And we have another opportunity to be rescued, not by a visitor but by NASA! A manned space capsule is going to pass over the island three times, so we need to get its attention. Our first attempt was a transmitter powered by Gilligan, the Skipper, Ginger, and Mary Ann on bicycles, but the signal was too weak. (Yes, Greg and Marcia have claimed two of the bicycles, since they're tall enough.)
The capsule will pass over again tomorrow, so the Professor wants to have us spell out an "SOS" with burning logs, even though Mike pointed out that you can't even see the Great Wall of China from space. The Professor hopes that the capsule will pass low enough at the time that the message will be visible.
November 20, 1967
We might be rescued by NASA! Well, if we can get the attention of the astronauts on a space capsule that keeps going over the island. The first two times didn't work, but only one of these was my fault. (I accidentally set myself on fire and turned "SOS" into "SOL," which NASA thought was a greeting to astronaut Sol Tobias. No, I'm not burned too bad.) We have one more chance tomorrow, and I'll try not to blow it.
November 21, 1967
No, NASA isn't going to rescue us. The first two attempts failed and then today the manned capsule dropped a smaller unmanned capsule onto the beach by the lagoon. The Howells, Ginger, and Mary Ann tried to stow away in it, but the Skipper and Gilligan found them inside. Then the capsule floated into the lagoon, while the Professor was scolding the stowaways, and it exploded! It's a good thing no one was killed, or even hurt. Well, other than Gilligan's minor burns from setting himself on fire.
Alice and I haven't let this distract us from our Thanksgiving plans and we'll go ahead with the feast on Thursday.
December 8, 1967
Well, I may not be a vampire or Hyde, but it turns out I'm part head-hunter! The Skipper and I found a totem pole that the Professor says was made by the Kupaki tribe of headhunters. And the head on top looks just like me! I don't know how it happened, but I think that's my great-great-great-great-whatever-grandfather! I can't think about anything else.
December 9, 1967
Poor Gilligan! Even though Mike has tried to explain genetics to him, he's convinced that he's descended from a Kupaki headhunter, just because of a resemblance to a totem pole head. In the unlikely event that one of Gilligan's ancestors was in the South Pacific, or a Kupaki came to America (or Ireland) and intermarried with the Gilligan family, that would have to be a very small percentage of his genetic makeup. And the Gilligan we know, except when he's fighting crime, is generally a gentle soul.
The Professor even handed Gilligan an axe and offered to sacrifice his own head, to make a point, but Gilligan was horrified and threw the axe out the window, narrowly missing Alice! Gilligan is still worried that the "headhunter in him" might come out, like when he thought he had a secret "Hyde side." He's chopped off one head, the head on top of the totem pole, but it hasn't eased his anxiety.
December 10, 1967
The Kupaki showed up on the island! They saw that someone (I) had chopped the head of their dead king off the totem pole and they got really mad. They kidnapped everyone but me and I had to pretend to be the ghost of their king to get them to release the prisoners. The Professor tried to teach me some Kupaki but my accent was bad and the headhunters weren't sure whether to believe me. I tried to run away, but I tripped on the head of my ancestor, which really freaked them out. They left the island and I was able to free everyone. So I guess I'm a good guy after all, but I've replaced my ancestor's head with one that looks like Mr. Howell, just in case.
December 25, 1967
Another Christmas on the island. I'm glad we've survived the craziness another year, including Gilligan scaring off headhunters as the ghost of their "mutual ancestor." We've all exchanged presents, although I suspect Greg and Marcia no longer believe in Santa Claus, yet they play along in order not to spoil it for the younger children.
And I got a very unexpected gift: an engagement ring! Obviously, there is no jewelry store on the island, so at first I couldn't imagine where Mike had gotten it. I remember Barbara's rings and this isn't one of them. Then Mike admitted he bought it at a bargain price from Mrs. Howell, who has jewelry to spare, even on the island, and of course she's a matchmaker who's thrilled about our romance.
I know it may not seem like a very romantic romance. Yes, it's on a tropical island, but with six children and eight other adults. Mike and I didn't even admit our love for each other until tonight. But when he said, "Carol, you're the most wonderful, beautiful, brave, and intelligent woman I've ever met," what could I say other than, "And you have very good taste, Mike"?
Yes, we joked but we did also more seriously exchange words of love, there in the moonlight after the children were asleep. Words too personal to write, especially since I know how little privacy there is on this island. Even girls as well behaved as mine might someday snoop and read this diary, although of course Cindy can't even read her ABCs yet. And I know how nosy the other adults are.
So far, Mrs. Howell is the only one who knows that Mike planned to propose. Her husband won't notice a missing ring from her jewelry box, and if he does, she'll say that one of the criminals on the island must've stolen it months ago without her realizing it.
Mike and I need to discuss the engagement with our children, and then we'll officially announce it, assuming our kids approve. The girls like Mike, and the boys seem to like me, although I know Bobby less well since I haven't yet been his teacher. Of course, he probably doesn't remember his mother too much, since he was only two at the time of her death, but it'll still be an adjustment for him.
We've decided that since our first kiss was on Christmas, and the proposal on the following Christmas, we'll have a Christmas wedding next year. The Skipper can perform it, preferably on a lagoon-worthy vessel. And a year will give everyone time to adjust to the idea, and time for Mike to build a bigger hut that we can all share. Yes, I hope Alice will stay with us. I'll still need her help with the children, and I like her. She's very funny and she's very loyal.
Yes, I wish I could have a big church wedding, where we could invite all our friends and family. But I've got my daughters and some dear friends here, and really, an island wedding should be pretty romantic. Unless it's crashed by headhunters of course.
