The gentle man bunked in the cabin below had been living in the grounded hull of a derelict boat on Daufuskie Island. Surviving on scarce odd jobs and handouts, barely keeping body and soul together, he had come near the end of his tether. But now I had a capable hand to perform some very necessary work, and he had a comfortable paying berth. Funny, sometimes, how things work out.

And then the vision of a tiny old woman came to my mind; a woman with a soul as old as humanity itself. An ancient woman she is, but one with the brightly flashing eyes and the musical voice of a young girl.

Cyriah, I thought, how well you know us, the people in your life.

With that thought echoing in my mind, I went below for the night, seeking the rest and repose that is found only in the unconsciousness of sleep. But in that final instant of waking cognizance, just as my mind made the short slide into oblivion, I heard an echo of the words spoken by a famous Georgia girl from a time and place long ago: Tomorrow is another day.

CHAPTER 10

CHAPTER 10

I FOUND THAT PARKER, LIKE ME , WAS an early riser, and that also he was a quiet house companion. We must have each heard the other rustling around, and by the time we met in the salon I had the coffee going, and sliced fruit, warm bread, and marmalade on the galley counter. We took our breakfast up on deck. Bundled in jackets and hats, we sat under the forward canopy, eating in companionable silence while staring out across the waters of the creek; watching as the early morning breeze stirred and ran its fingers through the marsh grass with an invisible but chilly hand.

After breakfast we made a technical walk around of the boat. I took Parker from one end to the other, and he, with a pad and pen in hand, made notes of the work I wanted accomplished. Following that, we went below to the engine room, and there, Parker was in a near state of bliss. Again, he made notes and sketches in his book, and even pointed out a couple of areas needing attention that had caught his engineering eye but had evaded mine. Returning to the galley we freshened our coffee cups and then went, one by one, down the list of items in the notebook.

Parker took a sip of coffee and, setting down his cup, directed my attention, once again, to the several pages he had written.

“First, I’ll draw up a list of materials and determine their costs. I should have that available for you by the end of the day. Then, I’ll prioritize the schedule of work. That way, you can determine which areas are the most critical tasks to accomplish and what is the most cost-effective. Once you give the okay to the scope of work, I can begin.”