Ch. 3

It was a beautiful morning in Port Royal, and aboard the Black Pearl, Captain Jack Sparrow awoke. He didn't open his eyes. He had been having a dream, though he couldn't remember what had happened. He simply felt very happy, as though he had just lived out part of his life in his head, and it had gone very well. He rolled over and tried to fall asleep again, to return to the images that he had already forgotten. The content feeling faded, however, replaced by all the thoughts and worries of the present time.

Giving up his attempt at slumber, he sat up, blinking in the sunlight that was filling his cabin. He crawled off his bed and stood up. He was still wearing his clothes from the day before, and smiled happily when he realized that he was already prepared for what the day would bring. He decided not to wash, because Ana Maria hated it when he began to smell, and his filthiness would have to do as revenge for the pelican incident until he thought up something better.

Straightening his hat a bit, he headed for the kitchen, as food was his first and foremost concern. He could eat breakfast, and then proceed from there. Most days he never really had an overall plan. Plans, after all, could be constricting. A day in his life went something like this.

Morning: Wake up. Breakfast. Complain about breakfast. (Too many maggots in toast, rotten papayas, etc. ) Put on boots. Find remains of bad breakfast in boots. Complain to Cook, who claims dog did it. No dog on ship.

Afternoon: Order the crew around. Practice being suave and roguish, while still maintaining charming innocence. Think up nasty jokes involving Jack and Cook's mother. Go to dinner. Check dinner for any surprises. Eat dinner. Nap. Bad dream about Jack and Cook's mother.

Evening: Wake up. Order the crew around. Nothing left for crew to do. Order crew to drink rum and stumble around in drunken stupor for Jack's entertainment. Get in fight with Ana Maria over orders. Ana Maria wins, by suggesting mutiny. Bad experience with mutiny. Order crew to bring Jack rum instead. Crew complies. Go to dinner. Get in fight with cook about wearing hat at table. Perfect opportunity to tell jokes about Jack and Cook's mother. Cook thinks up better joke about Jack's mother and Cook. Take hat off. Remind Cook that Jack is Captain. Cook reminds Jack that he has rum. Stupid cook.

Late Evening: Drink rum.

Later evening: Drink more rum. Begin to feel profound. Share with crew profound thoughts about freedom and sailing. Crew looks confused. Share with crew another nasty joke about Jack and Cook's mother. Crew looks disgusted. Share with crew the story about the time Jack fought giant lobster. Crew laughs. Ha ha. Feel very happy. Start to sing. Mr. Cotton's parrot makes mean joke about Jack's singing and beached whale. Yell at Mr. Cotton's parrot. Make mean joke about Mr. Cotton's parrot and Cook's mother. Get in brawl with Mr. Cotton's parrot. Parrot wins. Advantage of opposable thumbs not enough, as parrot has very sharp beak, and pointy claws. Pout and drink more rum. Fall asleep on deck.

This schedule, of course, was not the norm, and the only events that were consistently repeated were the drinking of the rum and the occasional spar with Ana Maria or Mr. Cotton's parrot.

After breakfast, Jack informed Mr. Gibbs would he would soon be going ashore, and then he went in search of Ana Maria. He had decided it was time for the renowned Captain Jack Sparrow and his loyal first-mate to travel into Port Royal, in search of the people and materials that would be employed towards the repair of his ship. He found her near the stern of the ship, struggling with the riggings holding one of the lifeboats.

'Planning on leaving, were you?" He asked.

"Of course not, Captain. I thought I might lower this lifeboat and then haul it up again. Just to make sure that it is working, of course." She replied sarcastically.

"Your words are like daggers through me heart, love." He smiled.

"And your smell is like a saber through my stomach" She retorted, not missing a beat.

"Is it? I'm glad you noticed." He strolled over to help her, knowing that without interruptions, their verbal exchanges could continue for hours. He began to pull of the tattered canvas cloth that covered the small boat.

In a few minutes, the little boat was bobbing in the cool, blue water. Jack released the rope ladder that was rolled against the side of the ship, and it tumbled down to the lifeboat. He bowed to Ana Maria and held out his hand. "After you, love" Seeing this moment of weakness as an opportunity, Ana quickly shoved him over the side of the Pearl. A familiar feeling off guilt washed over her when she heard him splash into the water below. After all, she was always fighting with him, or sending pelicans after him, or insulting him, and he WAS the Captain. He had always been nothing but honorable towards her. Nevertheless, she couldn't have him walking into Port Royal smelling like he did. The dip in the sea would do him good. She would make it up to him by rowing into shore.

She climbed down the ladder, where she was met by a sopping, bedraggled looking Jack. Realizing that his hat was still floating in the water, Ana plucked it out of the water and tentatively handed it to him. He stared at it for a moment, then daintily reached out his ring-bedecked fingers to take it from her. Placing it atop his head, he slid off the bench of the lifeboat and spread himself out in the sun, closing his eyes, and to all appearances, fell asleep.

It was not until they were halfway to shore that he spoke.

"You know, love, if me clothes don't dry out by the time we reach the shore, I'll have to leave them to dry. I can't stand having people seeing me all wet and drippy. I'd much prefer they see me in nothing but my hat. "

Ana Maria didn't want to think about that. She slowed her rowing pace. Jack looked up at her and gave a small smile, then he closed his eyes and stretched out a bit more. The hot Caribbean sun dried him quickly, and he was able to saunter fully clothed onto the hot beach, much to the relief of his first mate.