I woke to the sound of the newspaper boat. This must be the way papers are delivered at yacht clubs. I ran up on deck and caught the guy's attention as he passed. I slipped him a dollar and he handed me a paper.
I went back downstairs to put on clothes and make coffee. With a fresh cup, I went up to the deck salon and enjoyed my coffee with the San Francisco Chronicle newspaper.
Dewey came up with a cup and helped me read the paper until Sheila and Sue came up to protest we had left them to get cold in bed. We apologized, kissed, and made up, but encouraged our two ladies to dress so we could go get breakfast.
We all dressed to go ashore and took the dinghy into the dock. Everyone just tied up wherever they could find a space, not in an individual marked area like the other yacht club had. Breakfast was good and hearty. They had a buffet for breakfast that included biscuits and gravy, as well as all varieties of breakfast meats and eggs. Dewey and I ate heartily, while the girls were a little more discriminating. Sue ate well too, as she was quick to point out that she was eating for two.
Back on the boat, Dewey started the engines while I untied us from the aft mooring buoy and put a slipknot on the forward one. When we were ready to leave, I pulled the line loose and coiled it on deck as Dewey guided the boat from the small harbor area.
We only went out about eight miles this morning, as we were not going that far before we would sail into San Francisco Bay. We began to turn east about eleven and were in sight of the Golden Gate Bridge by one-thirty. We had reserved a berth at a yacht club east of the bridge and close to the city. Dewey had promised us a grand tour of San Francisco and our destination was the best place to begin.
Dewey had to use the radio often to make sure we were on track and would be able to motor through. We took down all the sails and lashed and covered them as we neared the yacht basin. They actually had lights on the empty large slips. All were showing red lights at the end except one near the middle that had a green light. That was our berth. The girls and I tossed bumpers out on both sides as Dewey eased the big schooner in between the dock walkways. The front of the berth had several tires lashed there in case the boat drifted too far forward.
I jumped onto the dock and caught the forward line. I snubbed it around the bollard, letting friction bring the idling boat to a halt. I tied off the bowline, then went back and secured the aft line, bringing the boat up to the walkway. The dock was a floater so it would follow the tide, as well as the boat that was tied to it.
While I was finishing, two attendants came running up, apologizing for not being there to tie us up when we docked. I told them that there was no harm done, that we had managed successfully. They said they had been helping a hapless captain tie up a fifty footer that he couldn't control.
Dewey said that he and I needed to go into the Coast Guard office since he felt I was entitled to something. When we went into the Coast guard office Dewey got out his captain's license, along with another plastic card. The guardsman on duty pulled out a form and Dewey handed it to me and told me to fill out the full name and address information, along with contact numbers, etc.
I did, but didn't understand what was going on. When it was done, Dewey took it and filled out a bunch of information, signed it, and handed the form to the guardsman who said to wait a couple of minutes.
The guardsman typed information into a computer terminal, then asked me to stand in front of a camera where he took my picture. When it was done, he pushed some keyboard buttons, then a button on a printer.
Out popped a card that he came over and handed to me. "Congratulations captain, I'm glad you decided to learn from an experienced instructor. Not enough people are willing to take a lengthy cruise to learn how to captain a boat over a hundred feet. You're now rated up to and including one thousand tons. You can get an endorsement for more if you were to work a large ship for a couple of days. If you want a harbor pilot's license you will have to take some additional classroom courses."
I looked at the card and it said, "Commercial Captain up to and including two hundred and fifty feet."
Dewey waved me outside the office. I said, "I shouldn't have this. I didn't do anything that should qualify me for this."
"Everyday we were out, I drilled you on onboard information, how to sail, how to motor, how to dock. You have docked, moored, and sailed. You are more qualified to captain your own vessel than ninety percent of the people out there that have licenses. You may never use it, but you never know. You and Sue may decide to get a big boat and come visit me. Just haul ass through the Panama Canal and straight up the coast. It would be a blast for you two to do that. You could bring some of the executives along from your company if you wanted, but the way you two are, you'll probably have a bunch of kids on board."
I just shook my head, knowing I would take more instruction if I was ever able to have a big boat like he had.
We had left the girls to look through the shops at the yacht club, so we gathered them up to walk around the marina. Just to the north of the yacht club was a huge fish market. There were literally hundreds of vendors and customers. Men were cleaning fish, others were wrapping fish in newspapers for sale, a guy from one stall hollered to another guy, and a fish was tossed fifteen feet to be caught and shown to a prospective buyer. The place was a madhouse of movement and noise. We were fascinated with the non-stop activity.
We broke away to walk up a street that seemed have us migrating into another land. In just a couple of blocks, we were now walking on a fairly narrow street, with shops on each side and with people of obvious oriental heritage surrounding us. They were walking, riding bicycles, and driving small pickups overflowing with merchandise. There were banners hanging across the street with what I assumed were Chinese characters, probably advertising a restaurant or nightclub. Who knows, maybe it was an advertisement for a law firm.
There was a street vendor with a small cart. An older, small, oriental man asked us, "You want egg roll?" We were all startled by the loudness of the question, but then reacted in time to smile at the man and decline the offer. As we passed, he handed each of the girls a wrapped fortune cookie. He looked at Dewey and me and gave us the quick eyebrows raises, and flicked the ashes from an invisible cigar like Groucho Marx used to do on TV when he saw a good looking lady. Dewey and I broke up over the imitation and applauded the mini show.
We turned back to the yacht club to clean up and dress for dinner. Dewey made some calls to arrange for reservations and transportation.
I didn't have any fancy clothes with me, just a nice shirt and a decent pair of slacks that I planned to wear on the flight home. Dewey brought out a sport coat that matched my pants and shirt. We took a taxi to downtown San Francisco and were let out of the cab on a carpeted sidewalk by a uniformed doorman. As soon as we were out of the taxi, another man opened the door for us. A guy in a tux, who inquired what name our reservations were under, instantly met us. He took us through what looked like small pods of privacy booths. Each booth had a curtain surrounding it. You could hear noises that you would associate with a restaurant, but you couldn't see any customers, just the pods, with a waiter occasionally walking past.
We were shown to a larger pod where the Maitre D drew back the curtain for us to enter. The booth was a large leather circular booth. He had the ladies sit on the inside and the men to the outside then asked us what type of music we would wish.
Dewey requested gentle jazz and the Maitre D tapped a code into a keypad by the entrance and soft jazz surrounded us. He advised that our waiter would be with us momentarily and for us to enjoy our evening.
I asked Dewey if he had been there before and he said he had not. He said he had heard so much about the place, he thought it would be a neat place for us to go.
A man came through the curtain with four glasses of water and introduced himself and asked for drink orders. We ordered two Beefeater martinis for Dewey and me, along with mimosas for the girls. Sue ordered hers without liquor. Now the surprise, the waiter chatted just a couple of seconds with us then reached back with his hand, only to reappear with a tray holding our drinks.
That was unique. He then reached back and brought his hand back with four menus. Perhaps this was a semi-magician show. Our waiter bowed then left with a flurry of curtain. The restaurant was obviously expensive, as there were no prices on the menu. I'm pretty backwoods, so this was the first time I had ever encountered a menu with no prices.
We talked about some of the dishes they had on the menu. I asked Dewey what Abalone steak was. He said it was a shell fish that was harvested by deep sea divers, the kind in suits with the big round hats. He said that properly prepared, it was delicious, but if it wasn't prepared correctly, it was tough and unpalatable. I really wanted to try different foods, so I wanted to order that. Sue thought that the abalone might be good as well, so we both decided to order that.
Dewey and Sheila both had a taste for the crab and lobster dinner tonight. Just about the time we had made up our minds, the waiter reappeared, suggesting that our choice of abalone was a good choice tonight as they were fresh, as well as properly prepared, so they would be tender and delicious. He turned to Dewey and Sheila, suggesting that they separate the tail from the body instead of bringing the entire lobster to the table. He said he would bring the claws for their enjoyment though. He asked if they would prefer to have the crab legs opened or would they wish to do that themselves. Both of them said opened would be wonderful.
The waiter said he would return with our Caesar salads and another round of drinks. I guess he only had to step out to the aisle as he was instantly back with our salads and fresh drinks.
We all agreed they must have a video camera, as well as a listening device in order to know who was going to order what. It was a unique approach for a restaurant, different from any place we had ever been.
We ate our salads at a slow pace, enjoying the tasty dressing and commenting that it was very good. Just as Sue had put her fork down, the curtain swished aside, and the waiter gathered our salad plates and took up our drinks.
As soon as he turned out with the glasses, he turned back with the lobster and crab platters for Dewey and Sheila. He turned back and then brought Sue's and my plates to place in front of us. He then placed a large platter of various cooked vegetables in the center of the table. Each type of vegetable had a sauce with it.
He then placed wine glasses in front of each of us. First he poured a little wine for Dewey to smell and taste. When Dewey nodded, he poured wine for Dewey and Sheila. Next, he poured from a different bottle for me to smell and taste. I copied Dewey by nodding approval and poured wine just for me. He then surprised us by pouring a small amount in Sue's glass and had me smell and taste it. He said it was Ariel non-alcoholic wine. It tasted good to me so I nodded again and he poured Sue a glass.
The abalone was delicious. It tasted like a cross between a good steak and a fish. The piece was so big, I couldn't eat it all. Sue couldn't either and we were almost embarrassed to waste such good food. Dewey and Sheila were sitting back holding their stomachs, as they also had filled themselves to maximum capacity. When the last fork was put down, our waiter magically appeared, gathered plates and asked us if we would prefer a fruit treat, a chocolate treat, or a combination. Knowing women loved chocolate, we opted for a combination for all of us.
The waiter reached back and brought a large platter with sliced sweet fruits smothered with rich chocolate syrup. He reached back again and his hand reappeared with four dishes for us to ladle out the dessert.
He then set four more glasses on the table, poured us a half glass each, then vanished. I suspected the new wine was the non-alcoholic wine as he didn't use a different bottle for Sue.
We dug into the dessert, even with our full bellies. It was so good we were going to make ourselves ill from overeating.
As we put down the last fork and spoon, the waiter appeared and handed a bill wallet to Dewey. The surprise was Dewey's American Express card was stuck out the top. Dewey looked at the card, then pulled his wallet out to find his card was not there. Dewey looked at the waiter strangely.
The waiter then said, "I have not been a very good representative of Merlin's tonight." With that, he held his hands over the dessert platter and raised it into his hands. He put it behind him then came back with gloves on his hands. He made a gesture toward Sheila and two red roses appeared in his hand. He handed them to Sheila then made the same gesture toward Sue. Two white roses appeared in his hands.
"How did you know I love white roses?" Sue asked.
"Merlin knows many things," he said, and he then laid his hand out with my cell phone in it. I had left it on the boat. How did he get it? "You have a call from someone in Florida. You should call them."
He smiled at all of us and said, if you wish to be entertained by more of Merlin's magic, please close your eyes so I may transport you upstairs. We all closed our eyes and we felt movement, but kept our eyes closed.
A new voice said, "Welcome to Merlin's living room. Let us entertain you."
I excused myself, walked out to a smoking balcony, and called back to the number for the missed call. Tiny answered. "Steve, you're not going to believe this, but your company has just sold an order for over five hundred million dollars. It's unbelievable. Phil proposed a group of Saudi U.S. citizens equipment for their construction company a couple of months ago. They had consummated that order, but when they found out we dealt in the super lifts for shipyards, Phil had me work with him so we could make a good deal for the customer and keep some profit for ourselves. I thought we were giving away most of the profit to get such a big order, but somewhere along the line, I got the dollar conversions mixed up and we are making an unheard-of percentage. But the best part is that the customer feels like they are getting a great deal. Such a good deal, they are picking the equipment up right here in Tampa and will deliver the equipment to their ports themselves. Steve, it's unbelievable. Phil got back, immediately called these people back, and we have been dealing with them almost non-stop since. You need to go on more vacations."
I had never heard Tiny that excited. "Take a breath, Tiny. I know you're excited, but relax a second and enjoy the success a minute."
"Shit, enjoy the success? I thought Phil was going to have a heart attack when the Saudis said our offer was agreeable. I wanted to ask you if we could get a couple of their mechanics and send them to school. It's expensive, plus we would be picking up their expenses for almost a year. What do you think?"
"What's the expense you figure on?"
"When you put their salary that we would pick up for the period, housing, transportation, and general expenses, about a quarter, maybe a little more. You know, between two hundred fifty to three hundred thousand."
"You say you're making better than the fifteen to eighteen percent on the deal, right?"
"Steve, this is premium equipment. We should normally make almost twenty-two percent, but like I said, I screwed up somewhere and it comes out our margin is right at twenty-eight percent."
"Tiny, you guys can train a couple of dozen guys on our nickel for the extra six percent you got. Look what six percent of five hundred million dollars is."
"But look at what the commission is going to cost you."
"I'm not worried about the money, I'm worried about losing Phil when he gets that much money in his hands. I'm afraid it could cost us Phil."
"The hell with Phil, my name's on half this order. It's a good thing Phil and I just rewrote the commission schedule to set some more realistic commission amounts on orders over ten million. It's also a good thing this didn't come in last month. Christ, with double commissions, this order would have been a triple windfall."
"Am I going to lose you and Ruth, Tiny? Are you going to take an early retirement?"
"Not a chance. Ruth might get the fancy Mustang convertible she wants, but we're not going anywhere. I'm having too much fun right here. So is Ruth, now that she has enough help. We're happier now than we have ever been. Besides what boss is going to pluck you up and send you off to a ritzy resort in Hawaii for week on a whim? Why would we leave?"
"Congratulate Phil for me, I'm not sure, but I think Sue and I may be winding down on our trip. Your news is staggering. The company is going to have some rewards for everyone with the profit we make on this one."
Tiny almost sounded choked up, "See, Steve, that's what I mean. The first thing you think of when you get a bunch of money is "what can I do to for my people?" Call me when you want us to pick you up." Tiny hung up quickly, leaving me standing with my cell phone to my ear.
I closed my phone and put it in my pocket and just stood there for a few minutes, considering how much a five hundred million dollar order was. I wonder if the factory was going to be able to produce sufficient product for the order. That is a lot of what Tiny was calling super lifts.
My mind was calculating how much profit twenty-eight percent of five hundred million was. Holy shit, that's a hundred and forty million. We are going to owe so much income tax, we'll finance half the government.
I dialed Tiny back.
"Steve?"
"Yeah, it's me again. I want you to look into a couple of things. We are going to be paying so much corporate income tax this year we are going to go crazy. You and Phil will be too, but I have an idea for the company. You'll know better than me, but look at the property surrounding the business and see if any of it is for sale. We may want to buy anything that is available to build additional clothing factories on, as well as possible storage locations for equipment before it is refurbished. We need to invest as much as we possibly can to offset the taxes. You need help? Look for someone you can groom to help you out, to begin doing your grunt work so you can use your imagination to help Phil and to promote the company. You'll still be CFO, but the company is wasting your talent. What do you think about all that?"
"Good idea, Steve. I've been looking around as I know Sue needs more production, but I haven't found the right place. Tropicana sportswear is up, then they're down, so you never know whether they are going to sell out or expand. Perhaps you should just build on Sue's property plus any other place you can get. Oh yeah, the golf cart guy is going to retire and he said his business and his property is for sale. You want me to look into it?"
"Sure, it might me a good business for us. See if we can get it at a reasonable price, and see whether his people will stay if he retires. As you know, people are what makes a company. You do his books and let's see what's what. Anyway, start working on investments to cover our income tax, and perhaps have Ruth look into some charities that we can help with. Go through the employees to see if there is any special-interest group that needs some support. That's enough for now. We'll talk more in a day or two. I have to go tell Sue you guys just made our biggest sale ever."
As soon as I reentered the club area, I saw that a magician was on stage and several other magicians were doing tricks at various tables. The lady on stage caused an explosion of smoke or steam or something cloudy to envelop her. As the smoke cleared, she said, "Someone in this audience has just received some startling news. Everyone, remain still for a minute so I can locate that person and we can all share in the news, because I feel as it is something wonderful."
The lady used a wand and swept the room back and forth, with it slowing down then pointing toward us. With her eyes closed, she began to describe the four of us at our table then she said in a loud voice, "Sharp!"
She paused a minute then said, "Not you, Mrs. Sharp, um Sue, but Steve Sharp. Don't stand up. Sit, and let your mind meld with mine."
I looked at the lady and realized she was dressed in a very sexy magician's costume. There was a lot of skin showing.
She wiggled her wand and said, "Naughty, naughty, Steve. I'm flattered, but keep your mind on your news, not on me. I'm picking up an order, a big order for your company. This order is so big you're worried about the taxes already. Wow, Steve how much is it for? Oh my, I better not tell everyone how big it is. Steve, Honey, do you want a second wife, a mind reading magician, second wife? Sue doesn't think it's a bad idea, especially since she is going to be busy with your new baby in a few months. Oh my, Sue, you are as naughty as your husband."
The crowd was laughing and applauding after almost every comment.
The female magician had stepped down from the stage and was slowly walking toward us. "Now I'm going to enter Sue's mind and Steve's mind and connect them so Steve can tell Sue the news. These two are very close and this will only work when people are close. Sue, close your eyes and think of Steve."
Almost as soon as Sue closed her eyes she opened them again and exclaimed, "Wow, that much at one time? Did they make any profit?" She closed her eyes again and I could feel us connected. It was a strange feeling. Sue exclaimed again then said, "You're right, taxes are going to kill us."
The lady was at our table. She dramatically touched Sue then me with her wand then said, "You two are extremely close. You have shared some exciting times together. Your love for each other makes magic easy with you two."
She turned to Dewey and Sheila then said, "You two are growing closer by the second. Even with this lady trying to hide her feelings and mind in French, I see an aura around you two. Did you know that the four of you share a special bond? Let me connect you, sir. Let's see?" She closed her eyes and stood with her wand over us. "This is Dewey and this is Sheila. I won't use your last name Dewey; you are a very private person. And you, Sheila, were a lost young lady when Sir Galahad Dewey rode up on his white horse and rescued you, and now you two are growing a love bond that will last forever like Steve and Sue's. Do you hear how much this big order is? Do you hear him talking to a man named Tiny? What kind of name is Tiny?"
"You are so open, Steve. Your mind is so pure, so full of love for Sue and love of people that you give off waves of happiness to me. Oh please, Sue, take me in." She closed her eyes and waved her wand over Sue and then said, "I'll come to be with you soon and stay in your special home with you. I'll come to your park to be with you."
The lady whirled around several times then it seemed that she floated up to the stage. "This is a special night. I don't often have someone's mind that is so much fun to get into. But tonight I found four special minds. A couple that is as fascinated with me as I am with them, that they just overwhelm me with their aura. And their friends are another loving couple whose minds just beg to enjoyed." She spun around on stage with arms stretched out then bowed to the fascinated crowd saying, "Now, let me get on with this show and demonstrate some magic."
She pointed at a heavy man near the stage and raised her wand. The man stood up with the motion of her wand then she began leading him to the steps going up to the stage. When he was there she pointed at a lady that had been with him. It was pretty obvious that she was either a trophy wife or a rent-a-date. The magician pointed at her then made her rise then brought her on stage to stand next to the man.
The two people were standing there in a trance as the magician waved her wand over them. She brought the wand down and slapped it against the man's waist. His pants dropped to the floor revealing boxers that were red and white striped, very gaudy.
Next she pointed at the lady's waist then slowly brought the wand down. As it neared the hem of her dress, the audience could see that her panties were falling down her legs. The magician took them down to the high heels to show everyone they were some fancy g-string panties, then brought them back up her legs with a couple of upward waves of her wand, making the lady jump a couple of times.
The lady magician said, "It's pretty easy to give wedgies with a g-string." The audience broke up in laughter and applauded.
She had the man pull his pants up and buckle his belt then she asked him, "How much is this date costing you, show us."
The man took out his wallet and counted out ten hundred-dollar bills. The magician then looked at the lady and said, "I think you're not getting your money's worth with this one, I should enhance her for a little more fun.
She pointed at the ladies chest then whipped her wand away. A bra came flying from her sleeves and across the room to land on the couple's table. Then the magician held her wand and pointed it at the lady's chest and blew into the end of the wand as if she were blowing up a balloon. Amazingly the rent-a-date's top began getting bigger. When the dress was stretched tight, the magician said, "That should make her worth a little more." Then she tapped her wand on the girl's head a couple of times and said, "Hmm, empty, just like I thought. Perhaps I can help these two form a more permanent bond. She pointed at their hands then pointed at each of their heads and said, "By the power of Merlin, you are now a couple and only have eyes for each other. You, sir, go be successful so you can take care of your new lady. You, lady, be a faithful loving companion to your man. Now go, I'll take care of your tab."
The couple, holding hands as they went down from the stage, picked up the lady's handbag and left the room.
"Don't doubt me, they did, now the doubters are joined from now till then. Steve and Sue, do you doubt that I'll come to see you?" She paused then said, "Oh, Sue, you are so naughty. Of course I'll come to you soon."
With that, another cloud of smoke enveloped her and when it cleared she was gone. Another man walked out on the stage and waved his hands around the audience, "I'm not nearly as telepathic as the daughter of the great Merlin. I'm just a lowly understudy with many years to go to learn what I may. Now let me begin with some simple card tricks." He did the thing where he took a deck of cards and sprayed them. Usually fifty-two cards would be scattered on the floor, but not this time, the cards all hung in the air in front of him.
"Now you, sir, he pointed at a man sitting near the stage, close your eyes and think of a card. Think of the suit, as well as the number. Keep your eyes closed. He pointed to another table and asked, "Do you know the man thinking of the card?" She could only shake her head no. The magician said, "The others can't hear your head rattle, so please rise and tell the audience."
The lady levitated in her chair to above the table, and with the look of fear on her face, said, "I don't know him, I don't know him at all." Her chair with her in it sunk back into position at the table.
"Let's see, Oh yes, a good choice" as a card came from the group of cards frozen in the air to slowly go toward the terrified woman. First, the card tried to hide in her hair, then the card swooped down to try to slide under her hand, which she raised instantly and then it settled down and laid face down half inside her buttoned blouse.
"Now, sir, you may open you eyes. Oh, we don't need these other cards anymore." The magician took a top hat that was on a stool behind him, pulled a rabbit out of it and let it hop off the stage, then tossed the hat on the floor. As soon as the hat landed with the opening up, the cards all fell into the hat.
"Now, what was the card you chose?"
The man smiled as if there was no way the magician could know, "Nine of diamonds."
He turned to the lady and said, "Could you show us the card in your blouse?"
With an extraordinary blush, she pulled out the card and gasped. She held the card up so everyone could see the nine of diamonds.
The audience was hollering and applauding the magician as he began another trick. This place was really magic.
A waiter came to table and said, "Steve, Sue, Dewey, Sheila, your limo is waiting for you. I think Mercy wants to show you the town."