“Anyway, chap, could you, uh...?” The large waiter said nothing, but a sad sigh slipped through his lips. “Dreadfully sorry old boy, but I seem to have forgotten your name.”
“Again,” replied the waiter, barely maintaining professionalism.
“Again? I know you coloured people have some exotic names but 'Again' just doesn't sound right...”
“My name is not 'Again.' My name is Jamie, sir.”
The hunched old man sneered and looked over his thin, golden-rimmed glasses. “You shouldn't have bloody said it was then. Jamie, eh?” He furrowed his brow and looked at Jamie quizzically. “No. That can't be right.” The old man turned back to the sea and stared out absently.
That was the last straw for Jamie. He had stopped and chatted with the old man as a courtesy as he made his way across the deck of the ship, and he seemed nice enough at first, but it was clear after those short three minutes that he was either massively racist or criminally insane. Jamie needed an out. One that wouldn't lose him his job. It was only a part-time thing serving old white people martinis on a cruise ship, but he was seeing the world and getting paid for it.
“Can I offer you a drink, sir? Another Bloody Mary, perhaps?” The words trickled out through gritted teeth.
The old fellow thrust his glass out towards Jamie without turning away from the sea. “Try not to drown it.”
When Jamie returned with a fresh tray of various up-market alcoholic beverages, the old man was in the exact same spot, still staring out at the ocean. Jamie, having calmed down significantly thanks to a sneaky swig of vodka in the kitchens, tapped the old fellow on the shoulder. His head snapped back in surprise, snapped out of his thoughts, and he took the drink.
“Ah, Jamie, my boy! I thought you'd forgotten about me.”
“No, sir.” Jamie felt a pang of sympathy for the old fool. He had been alone every time Jamie had seen him. “Can I get you anything else, sir?”
“No, no, that's fine, lad, you've done plenty. I like you, Jamie, I do. You're a nice young man.” The old man's mouth sagged into a sad smile.
“Thank you, sir.”
“Yes, yes... glad to meet you, indeed.” The sadness left the old man's smile. “It's nice, getting out here, meeting new people, on this little African cruise adventure, eh? Must be a wonderful job.”
Jamie closed his eyes and sighed again. “This is the Caribbean, sir.”
The old man paused, and slurped his drink. After a moment he looked at Jamie and frowned. “Which is in Africa, yes?”
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