Day 05 2/15 - An Agony in Three Fits

3/22/2023

Day five of my cruise brought action, adventure, history, and some really nice slide shows, according to my editor, and love of my life, Mike Jensen.

The desiccated flower is something I found in my jacket pocket after I got home - it is the national flower of Saint Croix and was blooming everywhere during my brief time on the island. The fresh blooms picture below are just a quick grab from the internet.

You can find my new writing under Non-Fiction/Memoirs/Cruise-Log 2023/Cruise Log - Day 05

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Dr. P-J
3/22/23

10 Comments

Michael Jensen

3/22/2023 11:23:49 am

Action on the Seas! Social injustice! Slide shows! Fabulous dinners!
It's got everything!!

Dr. P-J

3/23/2023 09:32:02 am

Thank you!
YLW

Jay

3/22/2023 01:44:51 pm

Quite the story—both yours, and that of the slavery on which the prosperity of the island depended upon for so many generations. (The story about American indifference to the plight of the environment and the tunnel rats was illuminating.)

Dr. P-J

3/23/2023 09:33:43 am

The treatment of people of color by the US military during the Vietnam War was reprehensible. I wish I were not the same today, but American imperialism and colonial attitudes continue to this day, unfortunately.

Jean Cory

3/22/2023 07:02:26 pm

I didn't remember that you taught 8th grade--thought it was 5th. If you had taught 4th maybe you would still be there. I had a similar dream once. I took the kids outside for PE and they all scattered and wouldn't come back. I think I had the dream after Kathy told me about a non verbal student of hers who ran off, and was brought back naked. At least the kids in my dream kept their clothes on.

Dr. P-J

3/23/2023 09:40:39 am

I only taught eighth grade for one year, my first year. Then they reorganized the eight grade to remove the "self-contained" class and I was offered the position of teaching fifth grade at the middle school.

I never had to deal with a naked kid . . . but I did have one student, poor little Matt who was struggling with his life, never come back from lunch. They found him hiding behind the dumpsters by the cafeteria. He ran off and the principal and the custodians gave chase. I think they caught up with him about a block away in the little grocery store.

His mental problems ended him up in the Country Day School, which is like continuation school for elementary students. We sent kids as young as kindergarten there.

I still have a picture Matt drew and gave me of him and me holding hands. We were both same height in the picture.

His mother was super creepy, but no one ever listens to the teacher about these things . . .

monique

3/23/2023 11:51:54 am

I think that the cruise ships have the moral and possibly legal responsibility to advise passengers in writing of the dangers posed by people afflicted with serial pooper syndrome who may be squatting amok on any given cruise. I am glad you brought this odious problem to the forefront.

Dr. P-J

3/24/2023 10:35:28 am

I would assume you are being ironic . . . I think with all the old people on the cruise - and given that they have security cameras (there is a notice ten feet away from the entrance to that particular bathroom, as a matter of fact, that they could do a MUCH better job of dealing with what, it turns out, is a normal event on cruise ships.
It is their job to keep the place safe.

I don't feel that they did enough to compensate me for my injuries. It was not an act of God . . .

But I am not the lawsuit kind of person. I'll just use it as fodder for my stories . . .
sjpj

Monique

3/31/2023 09:02:10 am

Not being ironic. The cruise ship management could be liable for a lawsuit. They should be aware of this potential danger to passengers, and yet, say nothing to protect their customers.

Dr. P-J

4/2/2023 08:24:37 am

Thank you for your clarification. I agree!

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Day 05 2/15 - An Agony in Three Fits

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