"Shift to the port"....or it could be to "the starboard" some other time. These often used terms for directions that'd make me looking confused ever more. That's supposed to be the left or the right side. For the people who can't figure out. I still can't get the hang of it myself. For a person who has to look at the eating hand (right hand) to check the right or the left side; port and starboard are a bit too much ...Greek!
I recently discovered that there's a term that describes my condition and its called direction dyslexia. I wasn't too pleased with the discovery though. Can you imagine a Professor describing herself like that. Well the other day I happened to talk about it to some friends of course in the third person. Guess what? I learnt that it wasn't me alone. There were others who faced very similar challenges! I call it a challenge as there have been instances when I am in an auto or a taxi and give direction to the driver. When he goes exactly in the opposite of where I mentioned, it gets tricky to tell him, " Oh am sorry I meant the other way."
Let me not add bow and stern, for that matter not even aft. Lets keep our directions to good old Left and Right. All those who get confused with even these, like me let them check with their (eating)hands. That's right (or left if you are a left handed person).
The Captain or the Master is often referred to as the 'Buddha', not as in Lord but buddha that's old in Hindi. I am certain that the maritime world knows what Buddha is! I discovered this term even before hubby told me. Soon after our marriage, when I went back to work a colleague who happened to be a Chief Engineer's wife called me a Buddhi... I was wondering why and she explained that my hubby was a Buddha in waiting; hubby was sailing as Chief Mate that time though he had cleared his Masters written as well as orals. Next contract he did become the Buddha! On a lighter note it also shows the great camaraderie between the Deck and the Engine sides.
Everything you buy worth thousands will only be so many dollars for your sailor! I often laugh at that I 'd think it to be so expensive if something costed 7 or 8 thousand rupees but for hubby it would only be 100 something Dollars. Perception is different you see!
Leaving aside perception, there are also certain qualities that set the sailors apart. Lets look at some of them.
Leaving aside perception, there are also certain qualities that set the sailors apart. Lets look at some of them.
The conservationist - Save water! for that matter save everything possible, all resources are to be judiciously used. I can't even keep the tap on while doing dishes, if hubby is around he'll come and turn it off anyway. No food will be thrown ever and absolutely no wastage of anything. Lets not talk about money here, money is just a couple of dollars and they work so hard to earn them, hence the family deserves indulgence! So they don't save that commodity.
No littering around - Swatch Bharat Abhiyan came into practice now in our country, and government has levied a tax too but we have been living with it ever since. So much so that my kids put chocolate wrappers in their pockets and bring them home if they can't find a dustbin around.
Safety First - Whatever is attempted has to be done with utmost safety in mind. If there is a doubt that means 'doubt exists' and something needs to be done about it! This applies every single time.
Know it all - He is the electrician, plumber, tailor, cook, driver, accountant, housekeeper, doctor so on and so forth. When he is around there'll never be a need to call anyone as the sailor knows all these jobs, you see he is a jack of all trades. I call mine a Neem Hakim as he has a solution for everything. Your problems will be expressed later but his solution will be laid on the table first.
Spendthrift - They are big spenders.They work so hard and are away from their families for long periods of time so that they can give their dear ones the very best. They rarely spend on themselves though. Its always for their near and dear ones. That gives them true happiness. What else will you call selfless?
Too trusting - They trust every telecaller and ever banker who calls them. These NRIs are called to look at great investment ideas and schemes that'd be too good in the long run. They generally oblige, trusting everything that's told to them. They don't understand numbers much when it comes to adding zeros behind the notes though. Our Rupee hasn't been strong in a long time that could be the reason why the investments don't look too big ever.
World language - They would have worked with so many nationalities that they could speak quite a few languages. Generally grammar may go for a toss as they are so used to not using proper English or proper sentences for that matter. Just for the ease of making things understandable to all. So that all can comprehend whats spoken. Imagine Italian, Russian, Filipino, Bangladeshi, Indian, Ukrainian, Chinese or Thai all working as one team. The language needs to be global, ...truly!
Ship as the home - When they are on work, the ship is home for the next 4-5 months. So every time you speak the general topic will be concerning weather, port, loading, discharging, crew change, dry dock, port state, vetting, pre- vetting etc. But they'll love to hear everything from you, all the happening around you, even the daily chores.
Routine - Everything is clockwork, the watches, time for meals, sleep or wake up time. No one follows routine like a sailor does.
Understanding Timezones - The Shippies are just too good when it comes to understanding the weather, time zones, tides across the globe and also identifying the stars and constellations.
Expressive- They are quite the non expressive kinds. For that matter most men are but the sailors score a century here. Thanks to having "all boys" work teams. I guess they just learn to not express and its for others especially the spouse to understand. Their actions will speak for them, they don't ever depend on words. So if you don't hear," Baby I love you" or "I've been missing you". Its absolutely normal. They mean all of these that's why they call you using satphones. Over the period of time you begin to love this particular quality of his.
The beverage love - They love their drinks whatever spirit or alcohol they prefer. Its a luxury when they are on land Most shipping companies don't allow consumption of alcohol while onboard as certain countries have laws against them.
Cosmetics- They understand the importance of beautification and cosmetics. The big lady they live with is extremely demanding. They do the regular cleansing and painting work to keep her in top shape and with all aesthetics in place. Guess the sailor expects his own lady love to be the best! He surely knows the maintenance part.
Ladies man- The sailors are quite popular with the ladies from time immemorial. Women have always loved to hear the stories of the seas and their adventures. Not to mention they getting jealous of the mermaids, believed to be every sailor's fantasy and imagination.
Eye for detail - It is said that women have great eye for detail, I wish to add that the sailors are equally good if not better. They take in details of every little thing. It 'd be a surprise though when they wouldn't notice what you wear but will know that the eyeliner on the left eye was thicker than the right one. They are that precise!
Love these lines by Joseph Conrad, A British marine,
"Nowhere else than upon the sea do the days, weeks and months fall away quicker into the past. They seem to be left astern as easily as the light air-bubbles in the swirls of the ship’s wake, and vanish into a great silence in which your ship moves on with a sort of magical effect. They pass away, the days, the weeks, the months. Nothing but a gale can disturb the orderly life of the ship; and the spell of unshaken monotony that seems to have fallen upon the very voices of her men is broken only by the near prospect of a Landfall".
That makes me love and value my sailor!
That makes me love and value my sailor!
No comments:
Post a Comment