Oncoming Storms prompt 118.1 Having a bad day
Life on the Ark Royal wasn't that bad, once you got used to it. It reminded Harry of school, living in such close proximity to so many other men. Although there were a few women here too. He'd happily got himself into a routine, seen a lot of sailors' feet and discovered he was terrible at poker.
However, it all went horribly wrong the day they hit a bad storm. The boat was big enough that it wasn't affected too badly, but it still swung from side to side. Harry felt like he'd had half the boat come to him with sea sickness during his morning shift. Fortunately the sickbay was well stocked with pills, but it was the expressions and the groaning of the men that made Harry feel ill, knowing there was nothing he could do to help beyond making them more comfortable until the storm passed.
After a guilty and busy morning he headed down to the mess as usual - and found it empty. "Ow," he exclaimed when the ship lurched and he crashed into a table. As it was held down it didn't give at all, and Harry rubbed his hip as he went through to the galley. If everyone was feeling ill then he'd just have to find some food for himself.
Something in there smelt good, although Harry couldn't see anyone. "Hello?" Perhaps the chef on duty had gone off to be sick. As Harry looked round, trying to work out where anything might be kept, he heard footsteps behind him and turned round to see the chef. Harry hadn't met him before, but he was wearing a white jacket and a white hat that identified him absolutely.
"What are you doing?" the chef asked, frowning at him.
Harry smiled. "I'm just after a bit of something for lunch."
The chef's eyes brightened and he smiled at that answer. "I thought no one would want to eat anything today. Go and sit down, I'll bring it through."
Harry did as he was told, wondering how many other people would turn up. But in the end it was just the two of them. The chef brought through two plates and sat down opposite Harry.
"Joe Baines," he introduced himself.
"Harry Sullivan," he replied, and they shook hands. Rank didn't really seem important at the moment.
"So what do you do?" Joe asked, tucking in.
"I'm a doctor."
"Just as well you're not feeling ill then. What's your secret?"
"I wish I knew." Then he could dose the whole crew with it.
The food, Harry quickly discovered, was delicious. He wasn't sure how anyone could cook with the ship lurching about, but then he was also very glad no one had hurt themselves so badly he'd have to operate. At least, not yet anyway.
However, despite the food and company, lunch had to be short. As the only doctor well enough to hold down the fort in the sickbay, Harry had to spend his whole day there.
When he came for dinner, though, he'd found Joe had been busy.
"I needed something to do," he replied, when Harry pointed out that he needn't have gone to so much bother for just the two of them. "Keeps me out of harm's way, doesn't it?"
Harry had to agree that it did.
In the evening, in sickbay, he found that Joe was just as bad a poker player as he was. But later, once the storm had died down, Harry spent many instructive hours in the galley, discovering that Joe was just as good a teacher as he was a cook.
It wasn't a day he was about to forget in a hurry, what with it being so busy and Harry being on his own, so he had to mop up all the vomit. But he couldn't be sorry it had happened, because even though he and Joe never served together again, Harry found the skills he'd learnt from him put him in good stead when it came to surprising women with his cooking.
However, it all went horribly wrong the day they hit a bad storm. The boat was big enough that it wasn't affected too badly, but it still swung from side to side. Harry felt like he'd had half the boat come to him with sea sickness during his morning shift. Fortunately the sickbay was well stocked with pills, but it was the expressions and the groaning of the men that made Harry feel ill, knowing there was nothing he could do to help beyond making them more comfortable until the storm passed.
After a guilty and busy morning he headed down to the mess as usual - and found it empty. "Ow," he exclaimed when the ship lurched and he crashed into a table. As it was held down it didn't give at all, and Harry rubbed his hip as he went through to the galley. If everyone was feeling ill then he'd just have to find some food for himself.
Something in there smelt good, although Harry couldn't see anyone. "Hello?" Perhaps the chef on duty had gone off to be sick. As Harry looked round, trying to work out where anything might be kept, he heard footsteps behind him and turned round to see the chef. Harry hadn't met him before, but he was wearing a white jacket and a white hat that identified him absolutely.
"What are you doing?" the chef asked, frowning at him.
Harry smiled. "I'm just after a bit of something for lunch."
The chef's eyes brightened and he smiled at that answer. "I thought no one would want to eat anything today. Go and sit down, I'll bring it through."
Harry did as he was told, wondering how many other people would turn up. But in the end it was just the two of them. The chef brought through two plates and sat down opposite Harry.
"Joe Baines," he introduced himself.
"Harry Sullivan," he replied, and they shook hands. Rank didn't really seem important at the moment.
"So what do you do?" Joe asked, tucking in.
"I'm a doctor."
"Just as well you're not feeling ill then. What's your secret?"
"I wish I knew." Then he could dose the whole crew with it.
The food, Harry quickly discovered, was delicious. He wasn't sure how anyone could cook with the ship lurching about, but then he was also very glad no one had hurt themselves so badly he'd have to operate. At least, not yet anyway.
However, despite the food and company, lunch had to be short. As the only doctor well enough to hold down the fort in the sickbay, Harry had to spend his whole day there.
When he came for dinner, though, he'd found Joe had been busy.
"I needed something to do," he replied, when Harry pointed out that he needn't have gone to so much bother for just the two of them. "Keeps me out of harm's way, doesn't it?"
Harry had to agree that it did.
In the evening, in sickbay, he found that Joe was just as bad a poker player as he was. But later, once the storm had died down, Harry spent many instructive hours in the galley, discovering that Joe was just as good a teacher as he was a cook.
It wasn't a day he was about to forget in a hurry, what with it being so busy and Harry being on his own, so he had to mop up all the vomit. But he couldn't be sorry it had happened, because even though he and Joe never served together again, Harry found the skills he'd learnt from him put him in good stead when it came to surprising women with his cooking.