[Gpdd] [Virtual] Fair Winds and Following Seas: The Last Adventure of Beans Farkas

[Sandra Oliver-Poore]

The night was black and still, the air dripped with the moisture so pervasive in this sun kissed part of the world. The zodiac sliced the silent waters as it approached the dimly lit pier, its rows of ships secured against the coming weather. Shipwreck Sam whispered to the other black clad guinea pigs huddled down to keep stray light from reflecting the red in their eyes alerting watchers to their approach. Which one is it? Algernon Rat, world traveler, part mystic - part pirate and considered by some to be a stuffed shirt, squinted through his night vision goggles. “I can’t tell at all, no markings, all under wraps, no flag, no markings, no nutin!”  “Do you see guards?” cut in Patches Misfit. AR waved an arm across his throat, “no guards, but der’s a small fire up in front of the office, looks like da guard are roasting marshmallows, da diversion is working, hurry!  So the zodiac tied up and the pint sized crew poured silently out, backpacks with tools and supplies strapped on, knives tucked in the front straps.



 “Which one” they all looked around. “Spread out and find her” ordered Patches. AR scampered off, Sammy in the other direction, piggies everywhere. Presently they met up, “I can’t tell” whispered AR, “all signs have been sanded off, refitted or removed”.” They all look da same” Garnet PiggyFriend piped up, AR hushed him. Sammy whispered “I think it’s this one, he pointed to the fourth ship down, the berth looks right, the feel of the wheel, the tilt of the deck, I feel it in my bones.” “Of course it’s the right one” chipped in a tiny figure in the back, “it’s just like Beans said, quit wastin time mates” he said with a bit of a lisp and an air of command. 



Just then tiny the Secret Agents appeared from several directions at once, “yeah we’re pretty sure too, mates! At any rate She’s seaworthy and pretty to boot! Da tide she turns on her own time, we will have her back before any one misses her anyway, and we be wit da tide or we are caught.” 



And so the unlikely company set to work, it’s hard work to rig a ship and make her seaworthy in a few short hours but there were many piggies arriving with bundles, boxes and crates. Every few minutes the Secret Agents would make sure chocolate, marshmallows and grog remained plentiful at the garbage-can fire that attracted the paid watchers.  As the night slipped towards dawn the guards became less likely to see anything or else didn’t believe their eyes when even balloons descended and jettisoned tiny four-footed passengers bearing bundles and packs.



As the horizon peaked pink in the east the two zodiacs and a balloon alternately nudged and pulled the mighty ship into the harbor and out to sea, and tiny rowers strained. As the breeze freshened the sails were dropped and brought tight, the ship creaked and popped as she was brought-to for the first time in two years, sailors appeared decked out in pirate gear and the tiny white rat ran up the mast and loosed the flag to a gasp of delight amongst the host. Shipwreck Sam, a host of Misfits and PiggyFriends, Friday, and three gorgeous pirate gals all put paws on the wheel and declared as one “THE BLACK PEARL SAILS AGAIN”   A sailor with a slight list hanging off the rigging put a flask to his lips and whispered” Here’s to you my brother” he called to the wind,” may you always have Fair Winds and Following Seas”! He drank deeply and called out the cheer again, and it was repeated and repeated back and forth as the Pearl (or not) sailed straight into the sun.