​

 

 

 

​

 

Danny was leaving.  To him it had been a casual job – a job that earnt him enough money to leave.  That had always been his intention and he had always been straight with Larry, his boss.

 

Danny and Susie were to travel the world – back-packing and seeing the sights their little world could not imagine.  They had been together since school and had planned their future outing and their future together.  They had the world in front of them.

 

Within a month Danny was back.  It seemed that Susie was more adventurous than him.  Danny had made it as far as Belgium – Susie had made haste; with someone who was not Danny. So, his savings were gone and so, unfortunately was his job.

 

Fair’s fair.

 

*

**

 

Dermot loved the job.  It was his first job and, as he saw it, it would be his job forever.  His cousin Danny had recommended him as his replacement.  So, there wasn’t really an interview process.  Danny was well liked and respected, and of course he knew the job – it had been his job.  Danny’s word was his bond – and he did not let them down in recommending Dermot.

 

Dermot was a terrier for work.  Most of all he did not mind the constant routines – the to-ings and fro-ings.  It became part of his day.  Backwards and forwards.  Dermot never tired of this.  Even when Danny returned, he could not bear a grudge towards his younger cousin who had secured his job.  Danny had always wanted to go far in life.

 

Dermot was happy to travel backwards and forwards every day.  A fifteen-minute round trip – over 100 times a day.

 

Dermot was as happy as Larry.  And Larry was happy too.

 

*

**

 

Dermot had never been a forward lad.  The others used to jibe him.  That’s what they called it then.  Now they would call in bullying.  They would call him backward – today there were other words.  Words just danced in front of his eyes.

 

Dermot found other ways to be clever.  He was the class clown and he deflected any criticism aimed at him from his teachers.  Dermot knew how to play the part, so expectations were set low – and he never met them.

 

Danny had always seen through Dermot.  Danny knew the secret of his younger cousin – the secret Dermot always tried to hide.  It wasn’t that Dermot was backward.  Danny could see that Dermot was bright.

 

It was their secret.

 

*

**

​

What Larry liked most about Dermot was that he never questioned – never questioned what was ahead of him and never questioned what was behind him.  Dermot just got on with it.

 

Dermot had pride.  He helped out and did anything that was asked of him on the ferry.  But one job was his, and his alone.  And Dermot took pride in it, in the responsibility.

 

The essential task.

 

It started in Munster – the blue and white decorations.  At Leinster Dermot’s job was to change the colours to purple and gold.

 

A hundred times a day.  Backward and forwards.  Passage East in Waterford to Ballyhack in Wexford.  Ballyhack in Wexford to Passage East in Waterford.  Munster to Leinster.  Leinster to Munster.

 

Dermot was responsible, and his sole responsibility was changing the flags at the right place and at the right time.  He never missed a turn.  Larry thought that Danny had made a splendid suggestion for his successor.

 

Dermot never questioned anything asked of him.  That was why Larry liked him.

 

*

**

 

One day Dermot refused.

 

*

**

 

Larry needed someone to be the First Aider and he needed someone to go on a course.  It was the law.  Danny had readily complied and easily completed the course so it seemed apt that Dermot would also undertake the role.  Larry assumed that Dermot would be happy with a day away from the ferry.

 

Dermot refused.

 

The lad who was uncompromising felt compromised.

 

Dermot walked away from Larry, and walked away from his job; the job he had loved.

 

*

**

 

Larry was baffled.  It was a low-paying job and he could easily find a replacement.  Dermot could be replaced.  If truth be known, Larry did not want to replace Dermot.

 

But fair is fair.

 

Larry had been working on the ferry for 20 years – backwards and forwards.  He did not know a lot about life.  Larry did not sail on the open seas.  But Larry was fair and he thought Dermot deserved a fair hearing.

 

Dermot would not talk and Dermot would not move.

 

Dermot stood his ground.

 

Terra firma.

 

*

**

 

It was a stalemate.

 

Larry had considered Dermot to be his first mate but Dermot had walked the plank.

 

*

**

​

Over a pint, the Irish way – whether in Waterford or Wexford.  Larry was standing the ground, standing on dry land.  Larry was doing the buying; Danny was doing the drinking.

 

Larry explained his position concerning Dermot and Danny explained Dermot’s position.  It had been their secret. 

 

The fact that Dermot was bright.

 

*

**

 

There was a knock on the door and Larry marched straight in afterwards.  Doors were not locked in this part of the country.

 

Larry told Dermot how he needed him to return to the ferry.  He had decided that, as Captain, he was the one who needed to attend the course and he, as Captain, needed someone to steer the ferry for one day and, as usual, change the flags.  Larry told Dermot he needed him.  Everyone wants to be needed.  Everyone wants to be appreciated.  Dermot wanted to be needed and Dermot wanted to be appreciated.  Larry did not know very much about life, but he knew enough.

 

Dermot returned and, for one day, Dermot was Captain.  Going backwards and forwards.  Different colours and different provinces.

 

He did a grand job.

 

*

**

 

Larry returned and things returned to normal.

 

Larry knew Dermot’s secret but never questioned him – the lad who never asked questions, who just got on with it.

 

Dermot was a bright lad.

 

*

**

Dermot could not read.

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