March 24 Post

There is a certain roar on a ship with

1000 people on it.

Well, it's not a roar at first

but after two weeks or so

of group conversation

certainly never one-on-one

my ears began to ring.

At lunch, I thought John said

“Could we have much depth on the ship?”

“Yes, and more width too.” I replied.

“No, I meant debt—how much student debt is on the ship?

You know, to pay for the tuition.”

I misheard him. That happens a lot.

Mary Gail sat beside me at the third party table last night

and slowly, and V-E-R-Y clearly so all might hear, said

“I think we need to be mindful

that these birthday cakes cost $30.

Perhaps we should pitch in some money toward it.”

I hoped no one else heard her

since she was saying it to Marla, one of the birthday people.

We usually can't hear each other,

but just in case Marla might have heard, I covered it

and said, “Oh, they already have a budget for cakes.”

I didn't kick Mary Gail under the table.

This morning at breakfast Yolanda told me

she thought I was lucky because I'm leaving the ship

as it pulls out of Cape Town.

One of the reasons she wants to go home is because of the noise.

I acknowledged it is loud.

“I know it's loud in here,” (meaning the cafeteria)

“No! It's the toilets! The toilets!

I can't stand the noise!”

I hadn't thought of that but she's right.

They're loud.