Last Evening , A Rather Dramatic Departure!

The all aboard yesterday (at Laem Chabang-- the port for Bangkok) was 6:30.  As has occurred quite a few times this trip , an announcement came from the purser, Mr. and Mrs. so and so, etc. (there were several yesterday) are requested to call the purser's office, urgently.   Well, this means they are not onboard, or possibly, the computer somehow didn't log them in on entry--not likely.   Well by the third announcement the list was down to two.   David somebody and (I include the the name here because it's so good) Mr. Francois Presley.  The funny thing was the purser kept pronouncing the final s, thus Francoise--feminine version.   Mr. Francoise Presley.  Well, by this time quite a crowd had gathered on the starboard deck,  looking down at the quite lonely dock.  One gangplank was still in place, tended by a small knot of men.  Another announcement,   then the Commodore's, signaling departure.   Yet another from the purser, this time with a sort of quiet, almost plaintive note to it.   Everyone at the railing knew this was it.  We had waited by now for a full hour and a half-- eight p.m.    I was standing with the couple from New York via North Carolina who I had become friends with,  right above the gangplank.   The chief purser emerged, walked down,  handed two passports to the ship's shore agent, and then back up the plank.  The crowd watched all this is near silence.  All kinds of thought roaming through your head--you can imagine.    They pulled the plank, let go the lines,  the ship eased back from the pier-- but wait!   We heard someone on the pier call out "they're here, they're here".  Talk about in the nick of time!   Next thing these two bozos are running across the concrete expanse, up to the dock edge, now with a good  eight foot gap.   You can only imagine their state of mind!   A minute watching them looking helplessly up at the ship, now easing back to the pier. The gangplank emerged, the agent gave them their passport,  the assembled crowd erupted in cheers and jeers and cat calls of all sort.  They managed to plonk the plank on the dock.  An officer greeted them with life jackets, put them on them, and escorted them aboard.   I'll bet they recieved a good lecture!   Do you suppose they keep a low profile?    Another something I'll remember, for sure!   The ship's whistle gave three extra long, mighty blasts,  to more applause and cheers,  and we were off into the night!