Book Four - Chapter Two: Bumbling
As Jack was returning to the pier he caught sight of a familiar scene. A man Jack once knew quite well was being roughly thrown out of an establishment by two large men who took hold of an arm and a leg each.
"And stay out!" they shouted as the man hit the dirt road on his stomach.
Jack approached the poor wretch as he stumbled to climb onto his own feet.
"I see you're luck hasn't much changed since the last I saw of you, Bimbly," Jack laughed giving his old friend a hand.
"Why if it ain't ol' Jack Sparrow! My ain't we all la-de-da?" Bimbly said regarding Jack's dress. "I thought you got out of the noble trade for good."
"And I thought that you were getting back in it," Jack said. "Look at you, you're turning into me, and not my better half."
Bimbly laughed.
"Aye, I always suspected of havin' a little Sparrow rub off on me. Knew it must be true when me own face was bein' slapped by every skirt from here to Dubai," Bimbly said.
"Dubai?" Jack asked.
"That or Dublin," Bimbly said, "frankly I can't quite recall which."
With that Bimbly burst out into laughter and repeated the word "Dublin" to himself. Jack joined in the terrible joke.
"But seriously," Bimbly said, recovering from his hysterics, "it's good to see you, lad."
"Aye, and you," Jack said
"You know I hate to ask, old friend," Bimbly started.
"Aye, and so you shan't need to. I'm sure I can spare a dime," Jack said.
"Bless you, Jack. You always was good to a poor man," Bimbly said. "And it just so happens that there's a nice place not too far from here."
"A nice place, you say?"
"Aye, very nice. They ain't given me the old boot yet," Bimbly bust out into more laughter.
Bimbly put his arm over Jack and led him down the street. The establishment Bimbly was referring to was not especially nice, in fact it was one of the more rundown back alley lots in the town. As promised, Jack bought his old friend a round. The conversation between the two was kept in short and quick sentences which transitioned into short and quick sentence fragments.
"You never did say what the occasion was?" Bimbly said, calming down from his latest laughing fit.
"Occasion?" Jack echoed.
"Aye, for the niceties."
"Just some side business that needed to be taken care of," Jack said.
"So you still goin' strong, eh?"
"Ups and downs, as always. Can't complain," Jack said.
"Aye, I hear you. I ain't got it in me to work for meself. Tried. I ain't got the discipline," Bimbly admitted.
"So what brings you to these parts?" Jack asked.
"Business…well, in a matter of speaking. Business got me near here. Distraction what got me here."
Jack laughed, "Aye, and what's her name?"
Bimbly took a moment to find the joke and then erupted into his usual laughter.
"Aye, her name! You are good, Jack, you are good!" Bimbly said with tears swelling up in his eyes. "Nah, I could only wish for a Bessy, but none'll have me. I work for a big wig now, mate. Very big wig."
"Them's the worst," Jack added.
"Aye, aye. 'Fraid of gettin' his own hands dirty. Got me runnin' half way 'round the bloody Caribbean. Supposed to get south of here. Fool that I am, finds me purse empty - no rhyme of reason to it. None but a fierce bellyache," Bimbly laughed. "No coin, no passage. Got as far as here."
"It's a fine mess you're in, mate," Jack said.
"Aye, a bloody fine one."
"How far is it you're needing to go, mate?" Jack asked.
"Far enough," Bimbly said. He leaned in towards Jack and spoke softly, "Feersen sends me to do business with the witch."
"You mean – "
"The man's a fool, Jack. Hears a few rumours and thinks he knows what's what. A trinket he's after, no more. It's a steep distance to be goin' for a trinket, and lord only knows what it'd really do."
"Good luck finding passage there. I barely have the heart to go near the place again," Jack said.
"Aye, and that makes me job that much harder," Bimbly said. "Those that know it, or think they do, them's is what wants nothing to do with it. Only great fools with nothin' to lose go there. Fancy that now bein' me, eh?"
"I will be heading south as the days press on," Jack said casually.
"Aye?"
"The crew and I have other business to be sure, but when we swing 'round again, we could get you close," Jack offered.
"I warn you, I ain't tellin' no lie when I say my purse is dry, Jack," Bimbly said.
"We're planning a few raids when we get off of this side of the rock. Put you're efforts in the pile and you may get yourself a share, savvy?"
"Aye, like the good ol' days, eh?"
"These days can be good, too, mate," Jack said.
Bimbly laughed.
"I thank your generosity, Captain," Bimbly said with a salute.
Jack took his friend back to the ship. Barbossa recognised the man at once, though he was never as fond of Bimbly as his captain was. Bimbly was signed and sworn into the crew to hold his service until the end of the month. Bimbly felt at home on the Pearl, though he was slow to take duties on his own. That being the case, everyman aboard had become his supervisor, ensuring that Bimbly was putting his work in. Needless to say, the work sobered him up quickly.