Down to the Sea in Ships

Years ago, I was a contributing editor for the newspaper of the Seafarers International Union.  I was the Great Lakes editor, so I went to the Lakes in the spring for the annual fit out of the Lakes' fleet, and I usually went around this time of year, right before the Lakes froze and shipping pretty much stopped. There was usually a ship or two that was out just a minute too late and got stuck mid-Lake in the ice; I'm not sure that happens anymore.

There's a superstition about women on ships and some of the old-timers weren't too happy to see me, but mostly it was fine.  I interviewed a lot of seamen.  That's when I learned everyone has a story (except one man.)  I also learned there are some really good cooks - stewards - on ships.

Once, about this time of year, I met a chief steward who was famous for his fruitcake.  We always made a number of stops at different port cities, one of the paper's photographers and I, and everywhere we went, we heard about the fruitcake.  He made them a year in advance, wrapped them up and doused them with brandy every so often.  And when I got to his ship, he gave me one.  It weighed about five pounds and I carried it with me until I got back to New York, where I brought it to a Christmas party.

Everybody has a story.  (Except that one man.)