Alone, at the Bottom of the World (part 12)

Ram Reddy

As the SS Australis inched toward Fiji, we noticed the weather becoming incrementally warmer: sultry; sweltering. It was - positively feverish! Hot is something I do not like and shall not remember kindly. Could this not be escaped from? Was it some kind of joke? But we were approaching the Equator. What, exactly, had I expected? 

Four days after departing from Auckland Harbor, we touched ground in Suva. I was very excited because a resident of Suva was to meet me there. Ram Reddy, of Capernwray Lodge. A fellow student! 

My new friends had gone sight seeing while I stood at the dock and waited for Ram. I listened as an announcement was made, over and over, that 'Ram Reddy, of Suva, should come immediately to the SS Australis meeting point.' But, I stood alone, hoping, then despairing.

Ram Reddy did not, in fact, come. It was a sad mixup! I think we went over the International Dateline, and I had miscalculated the days.

One of the sweetest of the students of Capernwray, Ram Reddy was also kind, funny (always laughing, revealing the most shockingly white teeth), and eager. Sitting here in my snowy woodland cabin, it is hard now to remember the feeling of being scorched practically to death that day as I stood waiting. A tear once in a while moved down my cheek. 

Ram Reddy: top row, second from left

After a while, I noticed someone standing shyly near, quietly waiting. Richard. 'Has he not come?'

'No', I said. Sadly.

'No Ram Reddy?' 

'No Ram Reddy.'

'Too bad! Want to play some Shuffleboard? Want to get a coke?'

http://www.flickr.com/photos/daniel_gies/3855182202/

I was sorry I had missed Ram, by now having realized my own sad mistake. It would not do to waste the entire day, broiling and standing there.

'Yes! Let's go get a coke. And then play some Shuffleboard.'

'Too right!!' said my young Aussie friend.

Off we went. And the day, though broiling, was suddenly revived by a tall glass of icy coke, a Shuffleboard game, and a shy fellow who also just happened to have the most shockingly white teeth.

See you along the way!

the SconeLady

photo credit: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/daniel_gies/3855182202/">~dgies</a> via <a href="http://photopin.com">photopin</a> <a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/2.0/">cc</a>