Silas Whale was away on a trout fishing week with his cronies when his wife Jessie took a call from a Mr Raymond. She held the call and came out on to the porch fronting the riverbank and asked her brooding recently divorced daughter, "I'm holding a call. Are you willing to take a four-day charter -- it's a photographer."
"No."
"I've told him it's out of season and he said he'd tip the skipper generously."
"No."
Her mother sighed and muttered something about a lazy, ungrateful bitch and returned inside.
"I'm sorry Mr Raymond but none of the available masters want to come out of their winter hiatus they have just commenced. Oh, just a minute."
Jessie returned to Farrah's side. "He'll tip you $500. Come on, don't be a fool. Added to that is what we'll pay you. You love the river and it's better than brooding on this porch."
"Okay."
"Are you sure?"
"I said yes didn't I?"
Jessie picked up the phone. "My daughter Farrah will take you Mr Raymond. She is recently divorced so is not in a sunny mood at present."
"He'll arrive at 8:00 in the morning. You best take Ibis as it's only just come back from refit and your lazy father hasn't laid her up for winter yet."
"Ibis was the only option."
"God, get off your ass and check her out, fuel and provision her. This is your charter. I'll pack the supplies for you."
"Thanks mom. As you say I need to get off my ass."
The well-muffled diesel was turning over quietly when Jessie walked down on to the jetty ahead of the client in his SUV. "This is my daughter Farrah," Jessie said, as Farrah stepped out of the wheelhouse.
"Farrah, this is Mr Raymond from Alton.
"Jesus," gaped Mr Raymond.
"Hi, get your stuff aboard. I guess there must be a lot as my mother has authorized you to drive on to the jetty."
"Yes, a full range of photographic and digital movie equipment."
"Well unload it over the railing and I'll stow it in one of the cabins."
"Thank you," said Mr Raymond fully eyeing the athletic-looking blonde with the apparent only overweight part of her being on her chest.
The thirty-year-old Farrah thought he looked fit and would only be a couple of years older than she was. But he was a pig looking at her like that, already thinking of fucking her ass or whatever took his fancy. Men ought to be castrated at birth.
Farrah's mother whispered, "I'm sorry darling, I had no idea he was so young."
"Don't worry, just have a quiet word and warn him to keep his distance otherwise I'll jam my rifle barrel up his ass."
"I'll tell him to keep his distance darling or else."
They were almost ready to leave. "You can join me in the wheelhouse," Farrah called. "Better views up here. What do I call you?"
"Ben," he said, stepping into the wheelhouse and immediately noticing the bed. "You sleep here?"
"Yes -- it's actually a self-contained suite, miniaturized."
"So you only have short pees?" he laughed but checked himself when confronted by the icy look.
"Sorry."
"That's okay but remember we have four days of this."
"Yes quite. Was there an alternative captain available?"
"No, you are stuck with me. Keep friendly and keep your distance and we'll get along fine."
"Do I get my own meals?"
"No I'll prepare our meals in the galley and will eat with you in the main cabin if invited."
"You're invited."
"Thank you."
Farrah gave a light toot of the horn. Her mom cast off the lines fore and aft and waved them off.
"Right we are restricted by law to a maximum speed of 5 knots on the forty miles of this river that are navigatable, unbroken by dams, weirs or locks, which I assume is why you wish to photograph and film on this river."
"Yes and because your company is the only licensed operator on this waterway that passes through three great parks and is mostly lined by wilderness."
"But including open spaces."
"Yes, of course -- mouths of streams, marshes."
"And drowned valleys from ice ages, if you know where to look as most dried valleys are hidden."
"Dried valleys?"
"Not being bisected by a waterway?"
"Oh."
"There's coffee over there. Like to pour for two?"
"Yes of course."
"Exactly what do your propose photographing Ben."
"I was going to brief you when I felt... er..."
"That I'd be more receptive?"
"Er that the time was right," he grinned and was met by a grin.
"You have become more interesting Mr Raymond."
He handed Farrah her coffee and his eyes paused on her breasts a mite too long. He looked up to find her looking at him. But he got away with it.
"I'm an freelance nomad photographer by choice but take commercial commissions to maintain my standard of living. I've been commissioned by a government agency to supply it with 200 river land scenic shots with emphasis on soft shots."
"You mean dawn and dusk or during late morning mist?"
"Exactly have you been involved in this before?"