Living with Dementia

 The letters that Nann wrote were beautiful, she was telling him that the wedding plans were all going as they had wanted, and she couldn't wait for him to return. She also told him that her father had found them a nice little flat in Sliema, which would be available the week of the wedding. She also said that she and Anita had met up, and gone out for afternoon tea, they had gone to there a favourite cafe in Valletta for cheesecakes and had gotten on really well. Then after there meal, they had gone shopping together, and Anita had shown Nann some of the smaller shops that were good value for money, and apart from a few of the naval wives, most of the English people used the more expensive shops, because they thought that was the right thing to do. She told Mike that she and Anita became almost instant friends, like she said, when they were sat eating, they were a little shy of each other, but once they started shopping, then they became almost like sisters. It also seemed that Anita, with Shinner when they got back, would be arranging that the four of them go out to dinner and maybe a dance. Nann had also asked Anita if she would be her maid of honour, as Shinner was to be Mike's best man. Anita had also said she would like to help with the cost of her own dress for the wedding, but Grace had said, it's up to the bride's parents to fork out for the wedding. As Mike read the letter, he was very happy that everything was going to plan, and he knew, that when he wrote back to her when he found the time, he would tell her how happy he was, and how happy he was that Nann and Anita had hit it off, he felt that with Shinner and Anita as friends, when they did have to go to sea, then the girls would be able to join forces and help each other and look out for each other when needed.

The exercise had now been going almost non stop for the past three weeks, in that time the crew had had one weekend off when all three ships in the squadron anchored in a small bay off Gozo called Ramia Bay. They all arrived late on Friday night and were told, that for the next few days, they could relax, swim and catch up on much needed sleep, but no shore leave, the exercise was still going strong, and all hands were needed on board, just in case plans changed.

Mike's first duty was on the Saturday afternoon, which he did on the bridge with Shinner, the ship was at anchor, and on the bridge, they could keep an eye out all around the ship. Both Shinner and Mike hadn't seen each other for over two weeks, and apart from the odd hello mate, they had been doing their own thing, Mike being on the bridge, and Shinner in the wheelhouse. "Well peddler, how are you bearing up," Shinner asked him. "Not too bad, I suppose, though I must admit, it has been hard, and as for coffee, I reckon I have drunk enough of that stuff to sink a battleship." Shinner laughed. You'll be ok mate, this is the big one, and it is only twice a year, we do go on the odd two or three day exercise, but those are a doddle, this is the one that separates the men from the boys, and what I have heard, you old son are now one of the men." he said. "And think about it mate, we only have a week to go, then its off to show the flag, we're going to Sicily for a few days, there you can really catch up on your sleep." Mike looked at Shinner a sort of twinkle in his eye. "I have never been to Sicily, what's it like there." "It's great," Shinner said. "If you are a single man, the birds in Sicily are to die for, but if like us you are spoken for unless you like a drop of wine, then forget it. have you got a camera." "No," Mike said. "I haven't," . "Well in that case," Shinner said. "Best stay on board and catch up on your sleep. However, if you fancy a run ashore, to pick up a few rabbits." Mike looked at Shinner. "Rabbits., what the hell would Maureen want with a couple of rabbits." "Not bunny's. " Shinner said with a huge smile on his face. " I'm talking presents, gifts, goodies from a place she has never been to. We can go ashore tomorrow in the afternoon and do a spot of shopping, what do you say, Peddler, are you up for it." Mike looked at his friend, then with a smile on his own face, said. "Yes. why not, let's get some rabbits."

At six the pair of them were relieved, there next duty being midnight. back in the mess, Mike stripped off, and with a towel wrapped around him, he headed for the shower, as he came out, Shinner was stepping into the next shower, while Mike was at the sink, Shinner joined him, their towels again wrapped around there lower bodies, they were both shaving and cleaning their teeth. Shinner asked Mike if he had had any news from Nann, and Mike said he had, it seemed that the wedding plans were all going ahead nicely and that Anita and Nann had met up in Valletta and had gone shopping together, had hit it off and were planning something when the ship got back to Malta, but he didn't know what as such, something about dinner and dancing. Shinner gave Mike a slap on the back. "I told you, didn't I tell you. our two women would hit it off, there like peas in a pod, those two. I know my misses is Maltese, and yours is English, but they like the same things, and that's good. And to be honest, when I married Anita and took her away from her family, I didn't want to cause her heartache, but like she said, I love you, and I will be yours forever. Trouble was we didn't have that many friends that were prepared to help Anita join their sort of groups, so she was really left out. Now that your misses, to be has taken her under her wing, and she is getting to know your new family, I can see things going from strength to strength for my wife." Mike looked at Shinner, they were both in the proses of wringing out there dirty socks and putting them on the rail to dry. "You know what mate," Mike said. "I think you are right, those two will be good for each other." Mike laughter. "We, mate are going to be bullied rotten by those two. I love it."

Back in the mess, some of the lads were sat at the mess table eating, as he looked at one plate, Mike saw eggs sausage beans and chips, and bread and butter, he also noticed that some lads had bowls of fruit with evaporated milk. Mike looked at Shinner. "What do you reckon," he said. "Do you fancy some of that?" Shinner just smiled." beats three weeks of pot mess, let's go." At the gally hatch they didn't have to hang around, all the food was laid out, and it was a case of help yourself. Mike asked the chef if he could have two eggs. "Fill your boots mate." the chef said, but if you want fresh chips, then they will be ready in about five minutes." Both Shinner and Mike stood at the galley hatch waiting for the fresh chips, they were making small talk until they heard the chips being put in the tray, then with the chip scoop, they both helped themselves to some chip, and with their plates full headed back to the mess. In the mess most lads had eaten, so they were either sat on there bunks writing letters, or they were on the upper deck watching a movie. Which meant that both Shinner and Mike were able to sit at the table and eat in relative peace. The lads in Mike's mess, all worked as a team and would give there all for the ship, and the skipper and Mike was now apart of the team. Over the few months, he had been on board the ship, he had tried very hard to do his duty in a right and proper manner, and the reports that slowly filtered back to him said he was fulfilling all the requirements of a good ordinary seaman.

Mike lay on his bunk and wrote to Nann, in front of him were the two special pictures, which, when Mike had opened his bag that Monday morning on getting back to the ship ready for the exercise Nann was sat on the top of his kit looking up at him, Mike put them both under his pillow where he knew they would be safe, no one on this ship ever went to another mans bunk without asking, like his locker, it was his personnel domain. With the pictures was a note saying, this is to remind you of what you have waiting for you when you get home. Mike wrote three pages to Nann that night, and after putting the letter in an envelope with a stamp, he climbed out of his bunk and headed for the galley, because that was where the post box was situated, then heading back to his bunk, he got his head down for a couple of hours.

The weekend went very well, everyone on board was able to catch up on there sleep, the chefs on board were able to provide some slap up meals, even to the extent, on the Sunday they had a roast, chicken and stuffing. Mike and Shinner even had time for a swim, and when the two of them were on watch, they talked about the Sicily trip and home life, they even discuss the idea of the four of them getting together for a good shindig before there wedding. Mike and Shinner were now firm friends, and even though Shiner was 21, he looked on Mike as someone who knew his job and would carry it out correctly. In fact, as he told him. "Peddler you are a well respected on this wooden tub." Mike in the meantime produced the letter about Nann and Anita and their shopping trip together. "Does you misses work," Shinner asked. "Yes, she does, she works in the N.A.A.F.I. shop in Valletta, in fact, she has worked there since leaving school out here last year, we met up as school kids, our fathers worked together on Manoel Island, they became firm friends, and Maureen and I were hitting it off at the same time, so when I passed my exams to join the Royal Navy at school, I went to H.M.S. Phoenicia as a volunteer trainee, that's how I had a day trip onboard Bossington, I was so keen to join up." Well, all I can say, mate." Shinner said. "It looks like you got your wish, but how did you get back out here, most lads who join up, get the Far East for a couple of years./" "Yes, I know, but it would seem, that the skipper wrote to someone high up, aking if I passed out with flying colours, he would like to have me back as a member of his crew. And with Maureen still out here, it was right to get her mum and dad to sort out our getting married, I would have hated being here with Maureen at home in England, so we did our best to convince them that if they let us marry, we would both be happy. And that is my life story, Maureen looks after me, she does my washing and ironing, she even cooks some of my meals, in fact, she is a good allrounder and I love her to bits."