First mate's log:
January 15, 1972
I've been looking in on the Brady kids while their parents are at the Howells' ski chalet in Colorado. There's nothing too big going on, no fights or anything. The main news last week was, one, Jan has entered the Honor Society's essay contest, "What America Means to Me," and Greg has been taking boating lessons from the Skipper. Greg turns sixteen tomorrow, and he wants to get his boating license as soon as possible.
He's got $109 saved for his first boat, which isn't a lot considering how long he's been saving, but it's better than nothing. The Skipper joked that Gilligan can buy what's left of The Minnow for half that.
Carol Brady's diary:
January 17, 1972
The ski trip was lovely, even though we spent most of it curled up in front of the fire. We got back in time for Greg's birthday. He's sixteen now and plans to take his boating test tomorrow. I'm more nervous than he is. I worried enough when he was on the high school football field, but soon he'll be out at sea, dealing with not only other boats but storms and sea creatures! After all, we wouldn't have ever come to this island if not for a terrible storm. And he's just a boy.
I suppose if we were back in California, or even on Blenford, I would worry about him driving a car. But somehow this feels more serious. Still, I knew this day was coming, as it will come for the other five children. But I don't want to imagine Cindy getting her license in seven years!
January 18, 1972
Greg passed his boating test on the first try! I didn't even learn that fast in the Navy.
He showed me some beautiful boats in Popular Sailing and other magazines, even an issue of Yare Yachts he borrowed from the Howells' nephew.
"How are you gonna afford anything like these?" I asked.
"Well, I'll probably have to get something used."
I bit my tongue. He'll find out soon enough what one hundred bucks can buy. Or maybe he's hoping he can borrow some from his parents.
January 19, 1972
Greg has wasted no time buying a boat of his own, but I wish he had had talked it over with me and Mike first. In fact, Mike asked Greg to let him see any boat he was considering first. Greg says his friend Eddie told him he had a bunch of other guys interested in the boat but he wanted a friend to have first chance. Some friend!
The boat is a mess. I mean, it looks almost as bad as The Minnow did after the shipwreck. Greg is convinced he can make it seaworthy.
Mike told me, "Well, Carol, you can stop worrying about Greg out on the high seas. He'll be lucky if he can get that clunker out of the lagoon."
I did not find that joke funny. What if Greg gets the boat in good enough condition to go somewhere and then he hits bad weather?
January 20, 1972
Greg bought a boat, and it's not exactly a yacht. In fact, it's kind of a wreck. I'm surprised it hasn't sunk in the lagoon.
He's trying to salvage it, and he's got his brothers and sisters helping him. I've reluctantly agreed to help in my spare time. Both Mary Ann and the Skipper are disappointed about this, but they understand that I feel obligated to the Brady family. And Greg's kind of like a nephew or a kid brother.
The Skipper says it would take years to get the ship in ship shape. But hopefully by then Greg will have enough money saved up to buy a decent boat.
January 22, 1972
Not only am I worried about Greg, but now Jan is going through some more preteen turmoil. I don't know if it's because she and Peter are the middle children, but they seem to have more issues with their identities than their siblings.
Jan got a compliment from the sixth-grade teacher but it was one she'd rather not have heard. Mrs. Watson never taught Marcia, because three years ago Mrs. Whitfield taught all the students in fifth to nine grade. However, this is still a relatively small place, and all the teachers know each other. So Mrs. Watson has heard what a wonderful student Marcia is, with a wide range of interests, from acting to student government. (She was elected Junior High Student Body President last Fall, after Greg lost his bid for Sophomore Class President against Warren Mulaney.)
Mrs. Watson told Jan, "I'm sure you're going to be as remarkable a student as Marcia when you get to junior high next Fall."
Then when Jan got home, she saw Marcia's batch of awards on top of their dresser. They made Jan feel even more inadequate. She hid them on the closet floor, just so she wouldn't have to look at them.
When Marcia came home and noticed her awards were missing, she was understandably upset, but Alice and the boys didn't know anything about it. Then Cindy came into the family room with the awards in her arms, asking Marcia if she could have them since it looked like Marcia didn't want them anymore.
When Marcia confronted Jan, Jan immediately admitted it. The girls started arguing so loudly in their room, I could hear them downstairs in Mike's den! I met Jan on the staircase and called her into the den to explain.
She's tired of being in her sister's shadow. She said it feels like all she ever hears is, "Marcia, Marcia, Marcia." And she thinks Marcia is always being given awards, but Mike and I reminded her that Marcia works hard for her achievements, and she doesn't win everything, like when she lost a spot on the cheerleading squad to Kathy Lawrence. We told Jan to find what she's good at and pursue that.
Unfortunately, Marcia rushed in, excited about being named this semester's editor of the school newspaper. Well, Mike and I are obviously happy for her, but her timing couldn't be worse. Still, I hope Jan will stop comparing herself to her big sister and find what makes her best self.
