Living with Dementia

 Mike was feeling hot, he told Shinner he needed some fresh air, so with Shinner beside him, they both went on deck. The ship looked a mess, there were hoses everywhere, as water was being pumped out of the ship, to keep her afloat. On the port side of the ship was an ocean going tug, she was tied alongside the ship, with fenders to stop them actually touching, some of the hoses running across the deck were hers, and they also crossed between the two ships. Both ships were making there way slowly along the north side of Malta, heading back to Sliema creek, as Mike was taking a good look at what was going on around him, he heard his name being called."Michael, Michael Palmer." Mike looked up at the bridge of the tug and suddenly recognised the windswept hair and cheeky grin of his old school mate Chris. "Chris you old bugger, is that you." Shinner was looking on with a sort of weird expression on his face. "It's ok mate," Mike said. "That's my old school chum, we went to school out here over a year ago, I left to join the Royal Navy, and he joined his dad to work on tugs." Chris came down from his bridge and standing on the upper deck of his tug, he leaned over and took Mike's left hand in his own. They smiled at each other, then Chris said."Well, you made it, you old bugger, you always said you would be a sailor, and now here you are, how's it going." They talked for some time, then Chris got called back to the bridge. "Duty calls," he said. " My father's not well, so I took on this job, got to look after the navy. anyway, don't you guys fret, you are in good hands, and we will have you back inside the harbour wall by mid morning tomorrow, so get some sleep." he then left Mike and Shinner to go back to the mess. Down in the mess, Mike was called by Jammie, Mike went over to his bunk. What did you think you were playing at Peddler, your our youngest ordinary seaman, not bloody superman, It's my job to look after you, to teach you, not the other way around." Mike smiled at him, "I just knew what the problem was." Mike said. "I saw the lads on the other ship wrap the jackstay around the bollards under the bridge, and when I heard the call alarm aircraft and the Loch Leven move away to port, I realised we were in big trouble. I suppose it was an automatic reaction. Anyway, how are you feeling."" Bloody terrible." Jammie said. "My legs feel as if they are on fire." Shinner came over to Jammie's bunk, he had heard the conversation. "Come on mate, let's have a look at those legs," As Shinner started to remove the bandages, he realised that thing were not good, Shinner asked Irish to get hold of the Jimmy and ask him to come down to the mess. Within five minutes both the Jimmy and skipper were in the mess taking a look at Jammie, the skipper took some cream from a medical bag he had bought with him, and the Jimmy put some cream in the lacerations on Jammie's legs, they then gave him a couple of pills to take, withing five minutes Jammie was sound asleep.

Later that night, as the tug helped the crippled minesweeper back to Sliema, Mike was told to report to the captain's cabin, inside he was asked to sit down. "How do you feel Palmer." the skipper asked. "Well sir, apart from a major headache, I feel ok." The skipper went to a small cupboard and took out a box of tablets. "Here you go, take these two, they will help with the headache." He sat in his chair, then looking at Mike said. "Ok Palmer, so what went on this morning,"  Mike explained about everything he had seen, going on onboard the Loch Leven, the delay in the stores, and that the last men on the jackstay had wrapped it around the bollards under the bridge, so that they, as Mike said could relax, The skipper had his mouth open. "Say that again," he said. "Are you telling me, that the jackstay was connected to both ships at the same time, that the men on the jackstay were relaxing and that the jackstay was wrapped around a couple of bollards?" Mike nodded. "Yes sir I am, because at the time I told Tony Martin, then we all heard the action alarm, and Loch Leven started to turn to port, I watched as the jackstay got tighter and began to pull the ship over." "And so." the skipper said. "You put two and two together and took it upon yourself to disconnect the two ships." "Yes sir, I did, why, did I do wrong." "Bloody hell lad." the skipper said. "You did everything right, it's just that your our ordinary seaman, and if anyone should have done that job, it should have been the leading seaman." "Yes sir." Mike said. "But I think he was already slipping through the guardrails." "Well young Palmer, all the things you were taught in training have, in your case paid off, you did a fantastic job today, its going to be a slow run back, but we will get back, and that's the main thing. We get back into harbour sometime tomorrow morning, then we will get you up to the sick bay and get those fingers sorted out for you, I have sent a signal to the Flag Officer and also one to C.P.O. Writer Taylor, to advise you are well." "Thank you, sir," Mike said. "No Palmer, thank you. Oh, and Palmer, I have had a letter from your father with regards the wedding of yourself and Maureen Taylor. It has been approved, congratulations." he tried to shake hands but seeing Mike's fingers, instead patted him on the back.

Bossington entered harbour at midday, with Mike in his usual place, on the bridge, as he said, he still had a good left hand, and being left handed, was as he said, able to carry out his duties properly. Once alongside, some chiefs from the Fleet Maintenance Team came on board to inspect the damage, they also bought over a crane lighter with weights on board, these were transferred onto the Bossington and placed on the bows to lowed the bows and raise the stern out of the water. The damage was substantial, but as a chief said fixable in time, The floating dock was being used at present, a frigate was in her having two new screws fitted and a couple of coats of paint added to her bottom, once that was completed at the end of September, then Bossington would take her place and the work would begin.

Mike and Jammie were sent up into the Island hospital, they had to see the commander surgeon. At the sick bay, they both had full medicals, Jammie had to go into the small hospital, where his legs were properly cleaned and new dressings placed on his legs. Mike was given a local anaesthetic on his hand so that his fingers could be realigned, splints were then laid over each finger and the whole lot bandaged up, Mike was asked if he wanted a sling, but he declined saying, he was left handed anyway, so that his right hand could stay dormant as long as necessary. The doc did say he would write to the captain, advising that Palmer was to remain on light duties for a month. But like Mike said."I'm a watchkeeper how more light can that be, stuck on the ship's gangway for twelve hours a day." Mike asked the doc if before he left, he could see his mate, Mike was shown into the small hospital ward and found Jammie in the end bed, he was awake and reading a book. Mike sat alongside him and asked him how he was. "Hi Peddler, hows tricks, yes mate, I feel fine, they have cleaned up the cuts and hopefully, I should be out within a couple of weeks, how are you." Mike showed Jammie his hand, two broken fingers, and a few bruises, but I'm good, the doc has put me on light duties, but to be honest, watchkeeping is light duties, so no difference there. "That's good," Jammie said, but tell me, peddler, why did you do it." "Well," Mike said. "I was the nearest to the post at the time, and what I saw, the ship rolling over and you holding on to the guardrail, I felt that I was the closest to getting the job done." "You were." Jammie said." I was thinking we were going to roll right over, and getting myself ready to swim for it. Then when I saw you hitting the quick release shackle, something inside of me said, I should be doing that, not an ordinary seaman, it was then that I grabbed your legs to try and steady you, the next thing I remember was sliding across the deck, then looking at the sea whilst holding onto the middle guardrail and my legs felt like they were on fire. As they were talking a lady walked into the ward, she had worry written all over her face, but when she saw Jammie sat up in bed talking her face seemed to relax, as Jammie saw her he gave her a smile. Mike stood up and let the lady sit down. "It's ok mate, this in the wife." As Mike made to leave the ward, he turned at the door and saw Jammie and his wife kissing, she had her arms around him and as Mike watched he could see the pure joy on Jammies wife's face, her husband was back, safe and sound.

As Mike walked across the top end of Manoel Island parade ground, he heard his name being called, looking towards the voice, Mike saw Roger, going over to him, they made to shake hands, but both Roger and Mike knew that for Mike that would be painful, so Roger put his hand on Mike's shoulder and gave it a squeeze, just like his father use to do when he was worried but also happy to see him. "How are you son,"Roger asked. "I'm ok." Mike said, "A couple of broken fingers and a few bruises, but the doc says they will soon mend and the bruises will fade in time." "I here you did the Palmer name proud," Roger said. "Seems there is to be a full investigation, so it looks as if heads will roll." "I don't understand that," Mikie said. " We did nothing wrong." "Not you son," Roger said. "Loch Leven, it seems that their captain and number 1 didn't have a clue what their crew were doing, they have put it down to sleep deprivation of the crew, even though they had the same hours off as yourselves." " How's Maureen," Mike asked. "Worried sick," Roger said. "I got the signal yesterday, and you would have thought, you were on your death bed." "Tell her I'm ok, I'm on duty today, but will meet her at the usual place at the usual time tomorrow." "Ok son will do."

Mike headed back to his ship, from the square she looked very odd, the weights that had been placed on the bows had really lifted the stern out of the water. Onboard Mike was asked to go straight to the captain's cabin, inside with the Jimmy they came to the conclusion that with only Jammie away, and Mike back on board being able to carry on with his watchkeeping duties, they were only one man short, but like that Jimmy said,  "We are going nowhere for a few months, so we don't have a problem." The skipper gave Mike some A4 paper and told him, he needed a full report on what he saw during the jackstay transfer, to leave nothing out because there was to be an enquiry, and he would be called as a witness. Mike left the captains cabin followed by the Jimmy. "Palmer," he said. "Don't worry about this, put it down in your own words, and don't worry about spelling mistakes, we can sort that out afterwards." " Ok, sir," Mike said and made his way to the mess.