Chapter 6

And speaking of fish, the old man's next stop was across shark infested waters to the Island of Lost Regret, so named because it was so secluded and so beautiful and peaceful that a visitor could bring any regret-one per guest please-and check it in at the front desk and never see it again. Or so the brochure promised. 


Having missed the main ferry, the old man climbed aboard an old sea worn skiff to take him to across the shark infested waters to the island. The woman in uniform who greeted him was equally old and sea worn, though her face still had a youthful beauty to it, and the old man asked her, "Who is the captain of your ship?"


"You're looking at her," the woman confidently replied,"and crew."


As he was the only passenger, soon after their launch began a casual conversation about the weather which led to a friendly chat about the ocean which led to the captain asking if the old man was visiting the island for the first time to which he answered,"No. The first time I came to leave something behind. But I only managed to take something else that I am coming back a second time to return."


"Without getting too personal, may I ask what you tried leaving behind?"asked the captain.


"Certainly,"answered the old man,"but I will save you the time and go ahead and give you the answer–which I can only get too personal in giving. I tried leaving behind my only regret which was not cherishing every single moment I had with the woman I loved."


"What kind of love was it?" asked the captain.


"As deep and true as the ocean beneath us."


The woman looked to the blue horizon and sighed."I have a similar regret,"she said,"I had the chance for true love, but I did not take it."


"But surely a pretty woman as yourself could find someone-"began the old man.

"Oh, I've had plenty of other someones offer me the kind of love that washes away like words written with a stick on the beach, but I've searched the seven seas for love as painfully true as the one in your eyes and never found it again."


"Well,"  the old man said, "Perhaps, it will find you instead, God-willing."


The woman smiled,"I would settle for the Island of Lost Regret to simply come thru on it's promise for me."


"Perhaps it would be more regretful if it did," said the old man,"For the mark of regret is a stubborn stain, else we return to play in the mud again." 


"Who said that?"


"I did, for once."


"So what is it you are returning?" she asked as a wave crashed against the bow and sprayed their faces.

"This irreplaceable pen made from a rare trumpet shell,"explained the old man. And as he showed her the strange pen, a terrible thing happened...or so it seemed. The boat hit a very large wave and the pen dropped in the water.

The man was about to jump in after it but the captain left the helm and grabbed him. 


"Are you crazy?!"she said,"Those are shark infested waters. You need the proper gear."

And so the captain suited herself and the old man in scuba gear, and, with harpoon in hand, she and he dove into the shark infested waters.


Down they went, deeper and deeper, into the dark abyss, passing unassuming jellyfish by and a large shark going about other business until finally they reached the ocean floor and unexpectedly happened upon the pen lodged between a piece of coral.


But what was even more unexpected was that the shark had a sudden change of plans and possibly a curious interest in pens, for it  headed straight for the old man who was unaware, struggling to free the pen. 


Once freed, the old man held up the pen triumphantly, but the shark ripped it from his hands and swallowed it whole. 


Then, not satisfied with the inky meal, it soon circled back for another course. But just as the shadow of it's jaws engulfed the old man, the ship's captain harpooned the shark and killed it dead.


Still, the old man insisted the shark be dragged up into the boat. Once accomplished, it was slit in two with a knife, and it's innards burst forth onto the boat floor.


"Ah, here it is!" said the old man, pulling the pen out of the gooey mess.

"Look at what else I found," said the captain, holding up what looked to be a passport,"it appears our man-eater has lived up to his name." 


Then she opened it. The picture was of an older, but handsome man,"Pedro Garcia,"she read,"Shame. He made a handsome lunch, for sure."


"Perhaps he is still alive," said the old man.


"Not with my luck,"The woman smiled and had barely set the passport down on the deck rail when another wave hit the boat knocking the passport overboard.


"Then you can borrow some of God's," said the old man, leaning over the side of the boat and catching the passport just before it reached the water,"I seem to have it lately." 


Surprised, the captain put the passport in her pocket and they continued their journey.


Then, as they both looked out at the massive sea that now surrounded them with no land in sight, she asked,"Why would God care about an insignificant little boat on the water like me?" 


"Because we are all vessels,"said the old man,"And He will steer our ship if we let him."

"You're on a roll, I think," said the captain.


"Oh that wasn't from me."


"Who then?"


The old man pointed upward and said,"The Captain."

When they arrived at the island of Lost Regret, the trumpet pen was returned and on the way back, the old man said,"If it's not too personal, I should like to hear from you when you fall in love again." 


"Personally, I would regret it if I did not,"said the captain.


And with that, the captain and old man exchanged addresses, a handshake, and then parted ways.