We worked on cruise ships a very famous one, it even had its own TV show. I was in the Photo Dept, and I was the MGR. a the time I first laid eyes on Nadine. Nadine worked in the Boutiques. One the ships we called them “The Shoppies” we were “The Photogs” I will get into that on another post.
As I digress, One night, like many nights…ummm EVERY night. My staff and I went to the Crew Bar, usually until it closed at 1am. Then it was off to scourge the ship for the continuing party. This is where I stumbled across Nadine. She was seeing a Casino Dealer at the time whom would be sacked the next week for a fight. That was pretty much be it until 1.5 years later on another ship. Nadine and I really did not talk to one another but she and I always hung around the same group.
I just boarded my new ship, a year and a half later, I was considered “Fresh Meat” as you do until you finish your first week back on board a new ship. The next day was Formal Night, our biggest event on the ship for our Dept. Towards the later part of the evening, I toured around the ship, checking on my photogs, collecting rolls of film to bring down to the lab for processing. Then I would check out the scene in the Passenger Disco, and there was Nadine, with Frenchy, (she was from France, no reference to Grease.) Nadine shouted across the disco, “Hey ELVIS!” yes, Elvis is me…its a ship thing. She gave me a hug and welcomed me back. That’s where I stayed for the rest of the evening until about 3 am or so. I got a round, she got a round, all through the night. Towards the end, we popped outside for some fresh sea air. After walking around and talking outside, I walked her back to her cabin and that’s where I leaned in (halfway) and she leaned in the rest for our first kiss outside of her cabin. I did not see her around for another cruise or two. But that was IT for me, I knew right then and there that we were meant to be. As crazy as it sounds, I knew that we would end up marrying just from that kiss alone.
We had a florist onboard and he was a good friend of mine. In fact, everyone was a good friend of mine, because they all wanted there photos done for free. I would get the Florist to send a big bouquet of Stargazer Lillies to her cabin when she was working so that the smell of the flowers would in gulf her cabin and it would waft down the corridor. People began to know that Nadine had flowers waiting for her before they got near her cabin.
Every chance I got, I would call up Nadine or paged her on the Shop Mgr. pager. The Shop Mgr. knew that I was not calling to speak to her but to Nadine, so Nadine would call back. Me: “Hi, Nadine, how’s it going?” Nadine: “Oh fine thanks.” Me: “Are you going to the Crewbar tonight?” Nadine: “Maybe”. That was the conversation for about 2 weeks or so until an “Hour Back Disco” came along. I DJ’d the crew disco’s at those parties, it was great fun. Nadine would show up surrounded by her witches as I would call them, But I would soon have them on my side. Apparently Nadine was not sure what to do. She was thinking that this was her last contract and did not want to get involved. I only found this out at a much later time, so I am glad I stuck to it. World Cup Soccer was going on about this time and I found out the Nadine had the day off in Aruba, I got right in there to ask her out and SUCCESS she finally accepted. This was actually the first real date, we went to Iguana Joe’s and sat outside. All the crew were there so we got our looks, especially the PSD, my boss on the Ship. Oh man did we hear about it when we got back. Not in a bad way, just fun teasing, like…How are things developing…Doing any shopping today elvis???
That night in the CrewBar, England was playing Brazil in the Semi-Finals. I kept buying the drinks and stood near the bar with my Asst., I knew Nadine was really wanting to see this game in its entirety. The PSD had the game piped into the Crew bar on this huge movie screen…LIVE, it was awesome. This was my first World Cup, I had no clue about soccer or as the Brits call it, Football or Footie. England lost that night and Nadine as with the rest of the British crew, were absolutely devistated! I felt so bad seeing Nadine in tear almost. I tried to console her the best I thought at the time. I looked at her and tried to put my arm around her and said, the worst line ever! “Don’t worry Nadine, it will be better next year!” OMG! I got the nastiest look that I ever have gotten from someone. Her jaw dropped to the floor…”WTF!!! Alot YOU KNOW, YOU STUPID AMERICAN TWAT!…The World Cup is EVERY 4 YEARS!” I handed her another drink and said, “Do you want to stay and see the USA v. France game?” then she stormed out of the bar and I did not dare speak to her for 2 weeks. My Assistant, who was a Brit, put his head in the palm of his hands and shook, then looked at me, gave me the OKAY sign and said, “SMOOOOOTH, now lets get another drink in before the bar shuts, cause you are not seeing her for awhile!”
I just boarded my new ship, a year and a half later, I was considered “Fresh Meat” as you do until you finish your first week back on board a new ship. The next day was Formal Night, our biggest event on the ship for our Dept. Towards the later part of the evening, I toured around the ship, checking on my photogs, collecting rolls of film to bring down to the lab for processing. Then I would check out the scene in the Passenger Disco, and there was Nadine, with Frenchy, (she was from France, no reference to Grease.) Nadine shouted across the disco, “Hey ELVIS!” yes, Elvis is me…its a ship thing. She gave me a hug and welcomed me back. That’s where I stayed for the rest of the evening until about 3 am or so. I got a round, she got a round, all through the night. Towards the end, we popped outside for some fresh sea air. After walking around and talking outside, I walked her back to her cabin and that’s where I leaned in (halfway) and she leaned in the rest for our first kiss outside of her cabin. I did not see her around for another cruise or two. But that was IT for me, I knew right then and there that we were meant to be. As crazy as it sounds, I knew that we would end up marrying just from that kiss alone.
We had a florist onboard and he was a good friend of mine. In fact, everyone was a good friend of mine, because they all wanted there photos done for free. I would get the Florist to send a big bouquet of Stargazer Lillies to her cabin when she was working so that the smell of the flowers would in gulf her cabin and it would waft down the corridor. People began to know that Nadine had flowers waiting for her before they got near her cabin.
Every chance I got, I would call up Nadine or paged her on the Shop Mgr. pager. The Shop Mgr. knew that I was not calling to speak to her but to Nadine, so Nadine would call back. Me: “Hi, Nadine, how’s it going?” Nadine: “Oh fine thanks.” Me: “Are you going to the Crewbar tonight?” Nadine: “Maybe”. That was the conversation for about 2 weeks or so until an “Hour Back Disco” came along. I DJ’d the crew disco’s at those parties, it was great fun. Nadine would show up surrounded by her witches as I would call them, But I would soon have them on my side. Apparently Nadine was not sure what to do. She was thinking that this was her last contract and did not want to get involved. I only found this out at a much later time, so I am glad I stuck to it. World Cup Soccer was going on about this time and I found out the Nadine had the day off in Aruba, I got right in there to ask her out and SUCCESS she finally accepted. This was actually the first real date, we went to Iguana Joe’s and sat outside. All the crew were there so we got our looks, especially the PSD, my boss on the Ship. Oh man did we hear about it when we got back. Not in a bad way, just fun teasing, like…How are things developing…Doing any shopping today elvis???
That night in the CrewBar, England was playing Brazil in the Semi-Finals. I kept buying the drinks and stood near the bar with my Asst., I knew Nadine was really wanting to see this game in its entirety. The PSD had the game piped into the Crew bar on this huge movie screen…LIVE, it was awesome. This was my first World Cup, I had no clue about soccer or as the Brits call it, Football or Footie. England lost that night and Nadine as with the rest of the British crew, were absolutely devistated! I felt so bad seeing Nadine in tear almost. I tried to console her the best I thought at the time. I looked at her and tried to put my arm around her and said, the worst line ever! “Don’t worry Nadine, it will be better next year!” OMG! I got the nastiest look that I ever have gotten from someone. Her jaw dropped to the floor…”WTF!!! Alot YOU KNOW, YOU STUPID AMERICAN TWAT!…The World Cup is EVERY 4 YEARS!” I handed her another drink and said, “Do you want to stay and see the USA v. France game?” then she stormed out of the bar and I did not dare speak to her for 2 weeks. My Assistant, who was a Brit, put his head in the palm of his hands and shook, then looked at me, gave me the OKAY sign and said, “SMOOOOOTH, now lets get another drink in before the bar shuts, cause you are not seeing her for awhile!”
