Page 19 of The Sailor in Polynesia
“It is not so bad. Finding a good coconut is harder.”
“Okay, my turn.” I picked up a coconut and hip-checked Jonas out of the way. I raised it above my head and eyeballed the stake. “Jesus.” Then I did a stupid thing: I closed my eyes and attempted to impale the coconut on the stake.
Thank God, I managed to hit the stake, but instead of piercing the husk, the coconut bounced off and out of my hands and thudded into the sand. Jonas burst out laughing, bending in half and gripping his stomach.
“Hey now,” I protested. “Not bad for the first time.”
He was still chuckling when he cocked his head at me. “Not bad?”
I held up my hand and wiggled my fingers. “I still have ten fingers. And thank God we weren’t filming.”
Jonas smiled at me, wide and bright. He picked up the coconut and handed it to me. “This time, eyes on your coconut.” He tapped my temple. “Keep them open.” He helped me slide my hands around to keep them out of the way. I tried again, this time with a better grip, and I impaled it on the stake with a solid thunk.
I pressed the coconut onto the stake with my body, jiggling it, leaning all my weight onto it and trying to separate the husk, and suddenly it gave.
Twisting was hard; the outer shell was slippery in my hands and I couldn’t quite get a grip on the crack like Jonas did. I wrestled with it for a little bit while Jonas watched, but I finally got it. The rest of the husk came off more easily and we had two husked coconuts.
I wiped the sweat off my brow. “Easier than some of the more creative ways I’ve tried to get one open.”
Jonas smiled and offered me another coconut. I did it, but my hands were getting tired and I let him husk coconut number four.
“So,” I said slyly. “How many of these are for me?”
Jonas threw his head back and laughed, Adam’s apple bobbing. “How many do you want?”
“Well, at least one.” He nodded. “I know you have quite a few people on board who might like a coconut.”
He waggled his head back and forth. “I do not think any of them will get the enjoyment out of it that you do. Maybe Lila.”
“How about a compromise? You take one back to Lila and leave me three.”
“That does not sound fair. After all my work today, picking a coconut and husking it for you, I do not get one?”
I smirked at him. “Negotiate with me.”
“One for Lila, one for me, and two for you.”
“One for Eivind to give to Lila, three for me, but I’ll let you drink one of mine on my boat this afternoon.”
“Only if it’s cold.”
“Deal.”
Jonas shook his head, laughing. “But now we have to paddle all four of the coconuts back.”
“Oh God.”
Eight
Jonas and I got the paddleboards back in the water and let the coconuts bob next to us while we climbed on. It was like a Three Stooges show: Jonas balanced two coconuts on his board, two on mine, but when he tried to get on his board, one rolled off. I helped him get the coconut back and both of mine rolled backward off the board.
We were both laughing so hard that Jonas fell in, and I had to drop to my knees and paddle around, rescuing his wards.
Finally I wedged three coconuts between my shins and stayed on my knees, paddling back toWelina. Jonas waved and headed towardEik, and I knew I’d see him soon for cold coconuts.
* * *
It was later in the afternoon than I expected it to be when I heardEik’s dinghy sputter to life. Instead of coming to my boat, though, the dinghy was full of the entire crew and they motored to shore.
