Algeria Here I Come
by: E Walk
(© 2008-2009 by the Author)
 

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Chapter 31

Cousins and Lovers

We were sitting on the veranda watching as we sailed out to sea.  Allie came out of the suite, “Dad, we’re going to go swimming if it’s okay with you.  Why don’t you and Brahim come with us?  The Generals are going to go with us.  Aren’t you General Khalid and General Amir?”

Amir stood and sighed, “Well, if we have to.  I think you just want to gawk at us in our swim suits.”

Allie started to laugh, “Roommate, you have to be dreaming.  Remember we’ve seen all of you.  You better make sure you don’t wear your Speedo suits.  We wouldn’t want you to embarrass yourselves.”

Allie was laughing as he turned to go into the cabin.  Amir grabbed Allie and picked him up.  “Rat going over the side.”

Allie put his arms around Amir’s neck, “That’s okay.  I'll go get my friends the sharks.  They’ll be waiting to jump when you’re relieving your bladder over the railing in the middle of the night.”

Amir put Allie down, “I wondered who was out here spying on me.  I can’t get used to the new fan dangled toilet fixtures.”

Allie laughed, “I had to go buy a new magnifying glass to help me be able to see what was sending the stream of water overboard.  Grandpa Darryl and Uncle Tom, you'd better be at the pool to keep General Amir from trying to drown me.”

Everyone departed for their own cabin.  When we were dressed, we made our way to the pool area which was crowded.  Allie put his things under my deck chair and went into the pool.  I watched as he seemed to glide through the water.  I challenged Brahim to join me in the water so we could give Allie some competition.  Brahim was a little reluctant because of his scar, but we joined Allie in the pool and were swimming when all of a sudden Allie stopped at the side of the pool, “Dad, I have a funny feeling, that man over there in the white swim suit has been watching us ever since we arrived at the pool.  I don’t remember seeing him around before.”

As nonchalantly as I could,  I turned around to see who Allie was referring to.  I kept talking as I looked around, “Allie, are you talking about the gentleman with the dark complexion?”

Allie nodded, “Yep.”

Our conversation was interrupted by the arrival of David, “Sorry to interrupt, gentlemen, but Captain Brower called and he wants to have a meeting on the bridge in 30 minutes.”

Allie looked at me, “Dad, what’s happening, now?”

I shrugged my shoulders, “Allie, I have no idea.  Let’s go get dressed and find out.”

When we arrived at the bridge, Allie had to go talk to his friends.  He was talking when the handsome black man we had seen at the pool arrived.  Allie was so busy visiting that he didn’t see him at first.  When he did see him, Allie backed against Pietro.

When Khalid and Amir arrived, they hugged the newcomer as if they knew him rather well.  Allie relaxed a little, but still stayed away.  When the Summers arrived, we heard Scott say, “Hi boss, when did you arrive?”

Captain Brower motioned for everyone to join him, Mr. Michaels and Officer Del Rio in the Conference Room.  The first order of business was to introduce the newcomer.  Scott made the introductions, “Everyone, I would like to introduce my boss, Mr. Woodrow Yates.”

Khalid started to laugh, “I wondered where you got the name Woody from.  I thought perhaps it was because…..”

Khalid stopped when he remembered that Angela was present.

Mr. Yates walked to where Allie, Brahim and I were sitting. He put out his hand and I stood, “Mr. Waller, it’s a pleasure to meet you.  I’m a little worried about your young son, however.  He looks like a troublemaker to me.  Brahim it‘s a pleasure to meet you.”

Allie interrupted, “Officer Del Rio, I need my sling shot and I need it now.  We have this maverick aboard who needs to be tamed.”

“Listen, Alexander Graham Bell Safi Waller, if you aren’t nice to me, I’ll call in my two ten year old sons and have them set you straight.”

I could tell that Allie was enthralled by the gentleman.  Allie shook the gentleman’s hand, “Mr. Yates, I have several questions.  First, why are you here?  Second, how do you know General Khalid and General Amir?  Thirdly, how do you know so much about us?  And  lastly why are we having this meeting?”

Mr. Yates started, “Allie, I’ll answer your questions, but not in the order that you asked them.  I met the two Generals when we were at school together at Harvard.  Back then, they were called Meeney and Miney.”

Allie started to giggle, “Well things haven’t changed.  What did they call you, ‘Mo’?

“Actually they referred to me as Hoss.”

Allie couldn’t let that pass by without commenting, “I guess that’s better than donkey.”

Mr. Yates was having a difficult time keeping his composure, “In answer to your third  question, “The United States Intelligence Agencies have been following you since you boarded the Paradise.  We have waited with bated breaths for the next installment of The Adventures of Allie.”

In answer to your first and last questions, “I am here at the direction of the President of the United States.  He has become personally involved in this affair and wants to stop things like what these people have been doing.  We have received some information that your adversaries are going to try and do something while we are in Bergen.  Once we leave Bergen, their movement can be more closely monitored because Iceland is an island with limited ways in and out.  Once we get to Canada, the Canadian government is providing the United States their full backing.”

“We are having this meeting at my request.  First, I wanted to meet the people who are causing me to miss the vacation of a lifetime.  I also wanted to meet you because I have heard what a monster you can be.”

Allie got serious, “Mr. Yates, this is not the time to try to be funny.  What is that you would have us do, tomorrow, when we’re docked in Bergen?  Should we cancel our trip with Liv and Lars?  Should we tell everyone else that we don’t want them to be bothering us?  I’m confused as to what you want us to do.  We certainly can’t risk having any more people being injured or killed.”

Woody realized that he had made a strategic mistake and misjudged Allie, “Allie, I’m not trying to be an alarmist.  The worst thing that could happen now, would be for you and your friends to change things too much.  If you did, that would send a signal to the adversaries to let them know we are on to them.  Son, I know this is probably going to be hard for you to do, but you need to pretend as if nothing big is, or could be, happening.”

Allie looked at Captain Brower, “That means that me and Brahim can’t do anymore shows, right?”

President Michaels interrupted, “Excuse me, Allie, but if we cancelled the show for the night after tomorrow, people would be sure to wonder what was happening.  At least you and Brahim have an entire day and a half to practice for your show, this time.”

Allie put his head on the table, “Dad, I’m feeling very ill.  You’d better call Doctor Sorenson and tell him I need some pills that will make me sleep the rest of the cruise except when I’m eating.”

Woody added, “I’ll be joining you when I’m not seasick at your table in the dining room.  We have arranged for me to be seated at your table so you will have a token black American at your table.  When Philippe brings me to the table tonight, pretend that you have never met me before.  That way you could invite me to go on your tour of Bergen tomorrow, and no one would think anything about it.”

Allie looked at Woody, “Why are you talking about race?  Don’t forget that Brahim, the two Generals and I are also from Africa.  While we may not have the same pigmentation as you, we are all descendents of African people.”

The silence in the conference room was almost deafening.  Woody finally said, “Allie, I’m sorry if I upset you.”

“Mr. Yates, I’m not upset with you.  But I can’t understand why people look at people to see if they’re black, white, yellow or red or shades in between.  Why can’t people look at others for who they are on the inside.  President Michaels and Captain Brower, I really don’t want to make a spectacle of myself again, and I think Brahim feels the same way.  Dad, I need to go get something to eat.  Please excuse me.”

Allie got up and left.

Amir looked around, “Allie will be okay.  Just don’t push him.  Woody’s presence has probably pushed his anxiety level up a notch or two.  He’s a trooper and he’ll come through this just fine, but let him do it on his own schedule.  President Michaels, you, or someone, probably should have had the decency to have asked Allie and Brahim if they would do another show, rather than dropping it on them today on top of everything else.  I’m going to go make sure Allie is okay.”

The meeting was abruptly adjourned with the departure of Allie and Amir. 

Brahim, Khalid and I went to our suite and Amir was holding Allie, “Allie, it’s okay.  I agree with you.  People need to ask you what you want to do.  But, you need to realize that you and Brahim are better than any the other entertainers on the ship, including the production staff.  The two of you make people feel as if there is hope for all of us.  Allie, if Mr. Waller hadn’t found you first, Khaly and I would take you home to be our son in a minute.”

Allie looked up at Amir, “Uncle Amir, that could never happen in Algeria.”

Amir started to laugh, “Well, you could be the son of my dear departed sister and her husband who perished in attack from the aliens from outer space.  The aliens didn’t see you, so you survived and I was your only living relative so now I have to figure out a way for me and Khaly to support you.”

Allie was laughing so hard that he mumbled, “But what happened to the rest of our relatives?”

“It was reported that a big orange blob came and absorbed them.  Onlookers reported that orange bob plopped down from the tree and consumed them.”

 

Allie was having trouble getting his breath because he was laughing so hard, “So, how did they miss getting you?”

Amir responded, “Probably because I changed my name to Amir Smith when I was going to college at Harvard and I was probably in bed with my friend Khaly Jones when they arrived.”

Allie looked up at Amir, “Your names aren’t really Smith and Jones are they?  How come you never use your last names?”

“Allie, people couldn’t pronounce our last names if we told them what they were.”

“Uncle Amir, please try me.”

“Allie, my name is Amir Bouteflika.”

Allie looked at Amir, “That’s the same as the President of Algeria.  Are you related to him?”

“Yes, he’s my uncle.”

“Okay, so what’s Uncle Khalid’s last name?”

“Allie, our last names are the same.  Khalid is my cousin.”

 Allie stood up and put his hands on his hips, “Uncle Amir, you’re making fun of me.”

“Allie, I’m serious.  Khalid is the President’s son.  We are cousins and grew up together.  We fell in love when were a little older than you.  We were fortunate in that our parents were tolerant of who we were.”

Allie had one more question, “Then why weren’t you circumcised like the rest of us?”

“Allie, I was raised as a Catholic.  My mother was French and she refused to have me circumcised.”

Allie now had another question, “What religion do you practice now?”

“Allie, I am probably a Christian although last Sunday was the first church service I have been to in years.  I have just found that it is better to keep my religious beliefs in my pants like another part of my body.”

Allie, for some reason, looked around and saw Brahim, Khalid and me standing there.   He asked, “How long have you been standing there?”

Khalid answered, “Long enough to know that my cousin spilled his guts to you.  Allie and the rest of you, my father sent Ami and me on this mission to make sure that you arrived safely at your new home.  While I don’t always agree with my father’s methods, I do know that he wants only the best for the Algerian people.  Having said that, Allie and Brahim, I really think you owe it to the people on the ship to do at least one more show.  They have gone way overboard to make sure that the two of you are safe as well as Mr. Waller, even if he is just an oversexed American.”

The conversation was interrupted by Jim and John’s arrival,  “Are the snacks here yet?  Why aren’t the rest of you dressed for dinner?”

We reassembled in the sitting area after our showers, during which there was no time to play, and made our way to the dining room.  We had just gotten seated when Philippe brought Mr. Yates to the table.  “People, this is Mr. Woodrow Yates.  I needed to put him at your table since all of the rest of the tables are full tonight because this is surf and turf night.”

Allie stood and shook Woody’s hand as if he had never met him before, “Hi Mr. Yates, I’m Allie Waller, let me introduce you to the rest of our dinner companions.”

Jacob came to take our dinner orders and everyone ordered the Chef’s special surf and turf until Jacob got to Allie.  Allie looked at him “Josef, I’m sure the surf and turf has been cooking all afternoon.  I have some escargot and some pomme de terre soup.  For a salad I’d like a pear, filled with cottage cheese and for my main course I’ll have a meatball sandwich and a side of home made French fried chips and a vegetable.”

Jacob didn’t blink, “Will that be with Swedish, Italian or American meatballs, sir?”

Allie sighed, “I’ll have some of each so I can decide which are the best.”

We were just finishing our main courses when some of the other passengers started to stop at the table to inform the guys about how much they enjoyed the guys’ performance.  Allie and Brahim were polite to the visitors.  One visitor caught everyone’s attention.

She was an older lady. “Gentlemen, I’m so glad to hear that you will be doing a show in the next several days.  Brahim, I would like to ask you a question if I may?”

“Please feel free, ma’am.”

The lady smiled, “First of all, I would like to say that you remind me of a young Mario Lanza.  You not only can sing operatic arias, but show tunes as well.  You sing both extremely well.  Brahim, you have to have had formal voice training at some point in your life; have you not?”

Brahim blushed, “Yes ma’am.  I studied in Italy for four years, until our parents died.  Then I had to go home to take care of Allie.  I, at one time, thought I wanted to be an opera star, but I have abandoned that idea since opera is not big in Algeria where we lived.”

“Brahim, don’t give up hope.  You’re still young and are very talented.  If I were fifty years younger, I would be chasing you all over the ship.”

Brahim did something that I would have expected from Allie.  He stood and kissed the lady.  “If you were fifty years younger you would probably be chasing after my younger brother over there.”

“I fell in love with Mr. Allie when he sang All Things Bright and Beautiful, last Sunday.”

The lady turned to Reverend Hobbs, “Reverend Hobbs, you are going to include these two young men in the service next Sunday aren’t you.  If you don’t, the congregation will surely fall asleep.  On that note, I need to leave; the other little old biddies are waiting for me.  Talk to you young people later.”

As we were getting ready to leave, Mrs. Hobbs announced, “This may be the last time we will be eating with you, since our sons and two grandsons will be joining the ship in Bergen tomorrow.”

Allie looked surprised, “We’ll see about that.  How old are your sons and grandsons?”

Reverend Hobbs answered, “The grandson’s are ten going on a hundred.  You remind me of them in many ways.

Jim spoke up, “John, I think we’re in trouble if there are two more people like Allie.”

Allie gave Jim the stink eye.  The adults at the table were trying not to laugh. 

Allie stood, “After that comment, I’m leaving.”

He went and was talking to Philippe.  Dr. Roberts asked, “What’s he plotting now?”

To be continued...

Editor's Notes:  Well this was quite an adventure for Allie and the others.  I do wonder what is on Allie's mind. 

I certainly hope that they catch and detain the people responsible for trying to hurt or kill our heroes. Allie is pretty good at taking care of himself and anyone he cares about.  I would definitely not want to be on his bleep list. 

I can hardly wait to see what will happen next.

Darryl AKA The Radio Rancher

Posted: 06/12/09