Are You Kamphey Approved?

Last night looking at today’s schedule I realized that I had to work the rock wall again this morning.  I had just worked it and my only rock wall shirt was soaked wet with sweat.   I woke up this morning at 8:30am in order to do laundry and be ready to work at 10:30am.  While walking to the laundry room I knocked on Madoka’s cabin door.  We were both waking up early to go eat breakfast.  She answers the door groggy and says she’s feeling sick.  Oh no, I guess she’s not coming to breakfast.  I tell her to get more sleep and I’ll see her later.

Throw my laundry in the washer set my watch for 45 minutes and head to breakfast.  While walking there I realized I had a bagel and lox every single time.  It was finally time to change, at least try something new.  Grabbed a plate and walked around the buffet.  I don’t want those grits, don’t want to try that sickly oatmeal, don’t know what that white stuff is, the fruit is hard, the sausages are dry and withered,  oh omelets… are cold.  Alright bagel time.

The staff mess is on deck 5 aft.  after breakfast I have to walk down 4 levels to walk past the crew mess then down another flight of stairs to deck 1.  On deck 1 I have to walk to the forward of the ship.  Take the stairs to deck 0, then 1 more flight to Tween deck, then the crew laundry room is one more deck below.  Put my clothes in the dryer, set my watch for another 45 minutes.  climb three flights of stairs to deck 1, walk back to the aft,  head to the crew mess up a flight of stairs, grab a cup of coffee then head up one more flight of stairs to the back deck to just chill.  I’m pretty much sweating now from all that.

45 minutes later I grab my clothes rush to my room with only 15 minutes to change into my rock wall uniform and head up there.  The rock wall is all the way on deck 13 aft, I’m right now in my cabin, deck 1 forward.  At least this time there’s an elevator I can take from deck 1 to 12.  Only one more flight of stairs to the sports deck.  While at breakfast I heard a rumor we might not dock in San Juan due to inclement weather.  These rumors happen a lot but nothing much ever comes with them.  The only two ports I have missed while on a ship was Labadee once due to a storm, and two weeks ago San Juan due to Hurricane Ike.  Some people who didn’t get off a month ago in San Juan are itching to get out today so they won’t be too pleased if we miss the port.

Rock wall is canceled as it rained all morning.  The rock wall is dangerous when wet but the real reason it closes when it rains is that the gear can’t get wet. If the harnesses get wet they deteriorate very quickly.  All the laundry I did, didn’t have to do.  Head to the back deck for some more coffee, it’s too early still.   There is one show tonight at 7:45pm so we have to change over the room at noon from All Skate to Show set up.

After that I’m done until 6:15pm when we set up for the show.  I might actually get to go out in San Juan today.  Madoka had practice at 1:30pm and then nothing until the show either.

Madoka and I have a 20 minute conversation about going to La Floren.  I think she wants to go to some spanish restaurant but it ends up that I still can’t understand some things she says.  We end up going, not to La Floren, but Ralph Lauren.  She doesn’t buy anything so my wallet looks nicer.  We do head to a cheap chinese food place she saw last time she was here.  It’s really seedy and it’s called Chinese Food, Comida China.

Looking over the Denny’s-esque menu my eyes gravitate to the rarity of Chicken Gizzards.  I freak out, scaring the cashier girl and promptly order the Chicken Gizzards.  They are oh so tender and juicy.  Really well made in a sauce that is reminiscent of brown stew from Jamaica but with more viscosity and more sodium.  We both get dizzy and dehydrated from walking around after chinese food so we head back to the Ship to nap for 4 hours.

Half way through the show when I see Madoka backstage she mentions that she’s dizzy.  I feel bad for her but really can’t do anything.  Does she need an ice pack? no, well that wouldn’t do any good anyway.  For a show that is smack dab in the middle of a port day there is a sizable audience. Almost 75% full.

During the finale I have to open the curtain for the Cruise Director as he enters the backstage area.  I am 2 seconds late and my foot gets caught in the curtain.  Tumbling forward while still trying to open the curtain for him he doesn’t notice that I’m caught and keeps going thinking the curtain will open.  I nearly tackle him.  Thankfully he’s a big guy and doesn’t fall.  But he does exclaim “What are you doing?” as I run into him.  Even more thankfully he’s leaving Sunday.  Richard Spacey is coming back and then I won’t have to do silly things backstage for a Diva of a cruise director.  Instead I’ll do silly things with a silly Cruise Director.