Chapter 3
Ling arranged to meet Jonny at the main gate of Tamar, she wanted to take him up to the peak on the tram, whilst up there they had a snack and a cup of coffee, they were sat on a bench seat enjoying the view when they again met up with the American sailor who Ling had had trouble with a few days earlier, he was still demanding she gave him back the money she was supposed to have stolen from him. "Excuse me, my friend". Jonny said in his normal quiet voice. "Why are you accusing my girl of stealing your money, and why are you being abusive to her, she has done nothing wrong, calling her a slant eyed bitch is not the way to get what you want, is it". The American stepped back and apologised. "Sorry mate, they all look the same to me, be glad to get away from this stinking hole". "It's only a stinking hole because you make it so, you're a typical Yank, full of your own, we are the best in the world ideas, the trouble is, you are no better than the rest of us, in fact, you give the western world a very bad name, and to be honest, as a Brit, I dislike your whole attitude". Jonny saw the fist coming his way and sidestepped it, but the yank didn't see what hit him, he hit the grassed area so hard, it took him a good 5 minutes to recover, when he did, Jonny was stood over him his hand outstretched ready to help the yank to his feet. "I suggest you go back to your tin can and think about what I have just said". they shook hands and the yank made his way to the tram station.
Ling was still stood beside Jonny whilst all this took place, with others looking on, including the leading hand of Jonny's mess. He was now having second thoughts about getting revenge for his actions when Jonny had first joined the ship, thinking back it was a long time ago now, and maybe having just seen what Jonny was capable of with an American taller than he was, it would be better to try and make friends with the guy than be his enemy, a lot to think about.
Ling looked at Jonny. "Jonny, how come you say I your girl, I not your girl, am I". "Would you like to be"? Jonny said. "We could make it work, I'm sure we could". "I want to kiss you". Ling said, but with Jonny being 5foot 10 inches tall and Ling being 5 foot 3inches Jonny would have to almost kneel down, so he did the next best thing, putting his hands around Ling's small waist he picked her up so that her face was in line with his own and they kissed, Ling, put her arms around Jonny's neck and for a short time held the kiss, even with people walking and standing around them, they didn't see anyone apart from each other. Jonny lowered Ling back onto her own feet onto the grass. Ling looked up at Jonny, she smiled and taking his hand she said. "Ok I your girl, always".
Over the coming days Jonny and Ling went everywhere together, she showed him the sites of Hong Kong, they went on tram rides to Happy Valley and to the main shopping areas of the Island, as as they were together what they had with each other seemed to be growing. One day, Ling asked Jonny if he would like to come back to her apartment and she would cook him a meal, but Jonny said. "Look Ling, I would love to come back to your apartment, but as you know, I need at this moment to be back on board my ship at midnight, so can we put that on hold for a few days, then when I am allowed to stay out all night, I would love to have dinner with you, and I won't need to worry about getting back to the ship". " Ok". Ling said. "We do soon".
On the Thursday morning, Jonny was stood in front of the captain of his ship, he was dressed in his blue suit with a cleaned pressed collar, the Master at Arms was talking. "Ordinary Seaman Jolliffe sir, to be rated to Able Seaman. Jolliffe, one pace forward march". Jonny stepped a little closer to the captain's table. Jonny's divisional officer stepped forward, the captain looked at him. "Jolliffe has been a good worker whilst onboard sir, he has been in charge of the heads and bathrooms in the bow section, and has done his best to maintain a very high standard, on the gunnery side he is doing very well, he works as starboard side lookout. And over all, having spoken with other members of his mess including his leading hand, Jolliffe will go far in this mans navy". " Thank you, well Jolliffee, it looks like you are doing well, so I have decided to awards you, the rank of Able Seaman as from". he looked at his watch. "10-40 Master". "Awarded Able Seamans rate as of 10- 40, salute, about turn double away". Jonny did as ordered, then outside on the upper deck he waited for the Master at Arms. "Right Jolliffe, you are now an Able Seaman, as from tonight you can stay ashore until 7 am, but be advised, as an Able Seaman you are expected not to be adrift, and if the ship is under sailing orders, you had better make sure you are on board a good two hours before the ship sails if you are late, any stoppage of pay, will be doubled, you understand". "Yes Master, I fully understand". "Good, I also under stand that you are duty tomorrow is that correct". "Yes Master I am, why". "It's just the senior rates mess are having a bit of a shindig on B gundeck tomorrow night, any chance of you playing for us, there might be a golden hand shake in it for you". "No problem Master, you tell me when, and I will be there.
At 8 pm on the Friday, Jonny was all set up with his keyboard, the first guests arrived at 8-15 and Jonny was playing some quiet background music, then at around 9, one of the petty officers asked Jonny if he would play something they could dance to, and he did, within half an hour most of the senior rates who had ladies with them were dancing, and it went on until midnight, the master at Arms asked Jonny if he could play a nice slow one for the last dance, and Jonny played a real classic, Who's Taking You Home Tonight. As the party broke up, the Master at Arms lay an envelope in the top of the keyboard. "Great music lad, and a great party, thank you". With the keyboard back in the locker and Jonny heading for his mess, he opened the envelope to find inside £25 in crisp £5 notes, Jonny put the money in his personal draw inside his locker, a little bit of extra cash if needed. Jonny was making his mark on this ship, at sea on a Sunday he would play the keyboard for the church service, and with his group, they would do little concerts on the quarterdeck, and when the wardroom had their big parties, then again Jonny was there doing his bit.
It was Saturday, and Jonny had agreed to meet Ling at the Tamar main gate, as he walked through it, he saw Ling leaning on the railings looking at the water and the Star Ferry going between Hong Kong and Kowloon, as Jonny walked up behind her, she turned, he picked her up and they kissed. "Jonny". Ling asked. "Do you still have to be onboard your ship at midnight". "Not anymore". Jonny said. As of Thursday, I turned 18, I am now an Able Seaman, and can stay out all night if I wish to do so, why"." I promised to cook you a meal, remember, so how about tonight". "ok". Jonny said. "Tonight it is".
During the afternoon Ling took Jonny to Kowloon, they did a bit of shopping, but Ling made sure that Jonny paid the right price for everything, as the sun went down, they were sat in one of the coffee shops by the ferry having a coffee and Ling was saying. "It will be dark soon, let's go back to my place and I will cook you a nice Chinese meal, on the ferry it was a little crowed, but they found a couple of seats and sat down, the crossing was a little choppy, but nothing the ferry could not handle, and within a few minutes they were making there way into Wanchai.
Ling's apartment was on the second floor of a six story building, it was very small and compact, a lounge with two chairs, a cupboard unit and a table with a T.V. stood on it. A kitchen with a cooker and worktop, a top loading washing machine and a table that was next to a wall with two stools underneath. The bedroom was small as well, the bed came down from the wall, and in one corner was a curtained area that had clothes in it, when the bed was down, there was just enough room to get around the bed. The bathroom was typical Chinese, a hole in the floor for number 1s and number 2s, how you kept your balance, was a mystery, a small sink with a mirror and a shower that came down from the ceiling. All very compact, and looking at Ling and the way she always looked clean and smart, worked. With the apartment being on the second floor of the block, and Wanchi being the main area for drinking and Hong Kongs nightlife, the apartment seemed very quiet. Jonny looked out of the window and what he saw was life, people going about their daily lives, doing what they had to do to make a living for themselves and their children.
Ling called Jonny into the kitchen, on the table were two bowls of rice, and in the middle of the table. a bigger bowl that contained prawns, chicken and egg, also on the table were two bottles of Tiger beer. Sat at the table they talked, laughed and giggled, Jonny tried to use chopsticks but failed, in the end, Ling gave him a Chinese spoon made of bamboo which he found much better, but he did say, he would try and get the hang of using chopsticks, again they fell about laughing.
After the meal and the washing up had been done by the two of them together Jonny was asked to sit on one of the comfortable chairs in the lounge, and Ling sat on his lap, they were holding each other and with Ling's arms around Jonny's neck and their mouths joined, things were getting very warm in the lounge. "Jonny, Will you stay with me tonight, I want you stay, please". Jonny looked at Ling, he really wanted to stay with her, and told her so. "Ok Ling, I will stay with you, but I need you to promise me you will have me up in the morning, I must be back on my ship before 7 am". Ling got up from Jonny's lap and went to a phone on the wall, she dialled a number and spoke to the person at the other end, she was looking at Jonny a smile on her face and she was nodding her head, She put the phone down and said. "A taxi will take you back to your ship at 6-30 in the morning". going back to the chair, she put out her hand to Jonny, he took it and Ling pulled Jonny out of the chair and lead him to the bedroom, standing alongside the bed she said. "Jonny you undress now". Jonny watched as Ling removed her clothes and put a towel around her body, then waiting for Jonny to do the same, she gave him a towel to wrap around his own nakedness, then again taking Jonny by the hand she lead him to the shower, removing her own towel and then Jonny's, she pulled him in under the warm water with her, and with a large flannel, she washed his back.
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