It was my first day on deck of a tug.

When the girl in the office finally called, she told me to be to the dock at 7 am sharp. 

I was there early and didn't see a soul when 7 o'clock rolled around.  I thought there wasn't a soul around.  They have a guy who lives on the little tug.  He was funny looking:  Crazy big mane of hair, real skinny, two fucked up fingers on his right hand.  And he talked in this high pitched, sing-song kind of voice with a little big of a Scandinavian accent.  It turns out that he was the deck hand and engineer.  The boat guys call them deckineers.  The coast guard guys call them utility-men.

The captain rolled up next.  He was more civilized looking with a nice haircut, trimmed mustache, and store-bought clothes.  He asked me if we were ready.  I was almost funny.  How the fuck did I know if we were or not? 

The skinny guy started the boat and we left the dock to head to our jobs.  We ended up at a shipyard a short distance away and moved deck barges around for the yard guys.  I learned how to put up pushing gear.  When we were finished and just about to head back, the captain yelled down and said that we had to go help the bigger of the outfits' two boats in from here sea trip.  She had lost one of her engines.  It turned out to be a longer day than they said it would be.

It would take about an hour or more to get to the meeting place so the captain told the deckineer to make lunch.  He grumbled about this.  He tried to say that the Old Man wouldn't like it if we ate any of the grub.  Sounded more like he was willing to eat the grub, but not willing to cook any of it.  I helped him and he shut up for a while.  Hot dogs and canned beans.

We met the big boat later.  She was towing a barge full of containers from Bermuda.  First we tried to tow it along and broke the small towing wire.  Next we made up alongside and pushed the barge along to lighten the load on the big boat.  I got to look around the barge a little.  When we got to the terminal, the deckineer showed me how to handle some lines.  Once the barge was tied up, we headed back.  The captain of the big boat said that they'd be alright to get home alone.

The captain liked me.  When we got to the dock, he shook my hand and said that he hoped to see me again.  The deckineer didn't not like me, but warned me not to trust that captain too much.  He said he'd turn on me.

Anyone anywhere can turn on you.  Until I know more about these boat guys, I'll just keep my eyes open until I figure out who to trust.