Captain watches from the den

Look at her, sitting on that lounge chair by the water with her eyes closed relaxing in the sun. She brings so many memories back to me. I had thought I had forgotten about. Now, her coming here and her intellengence and her commitment to her writing and her ideals  have brought back things that I thought were long dead and gone. I stand here by the patio doors and look out of my den and can see all the way to the cove and I can feel the old feelings starting to haunt me again. What am I going to do about all of this. I promised her a book, I promised to tell her all about my adventures, but how can I be so close to her and not feel anything any more. It has been too long. Way too long and I must restrain myself from doing anything foolish and making her move away.  I will have to be very careful when I am around her not to touch her or hold her hand again.  I can still feel the sensations as I held her hand in mine and stroked her fingers. Such long beautiful fingers. Soft hands that turned my thoughts to long ago when I held anothers hand and stroked her fingers. but not like long ago also. There were real feelings there for her, that she must never know.  This is going to be hard for me to do, but I must. What future is there for her with me? I am a ghost, a mere light. And yet, she can touch me and I her?  I don't understand that my self. The others could not touch me when I chased them out, but she can. I have felt it and should I be able to feel like this? I am confused and I must think these things out. So for a while I will stay away and see if I can come up with an answer to all my questions. 

"I wonder where the Captain has gone." "I feel so good sitting in the sun, but it is time to go and try and do some writing and I should stop thinking about him. " "Oh! Dear!, now I am talking to myself, if anyone should hear me they will think I am going crazy ."

I quickly picked up my things and walked back to the house and as I did so , I glanced up at the den and saw the Captain in the patio doorway, I waved and called him, but he just disappeared. He didn't answer me or acknowledge me in anyway. I will go up there and see if he is there and find out what is going on. Why won't he talk to me and where is he all day and night?  I will find out soon enough. I am almost to the house now and I know he was up in that den.

McCain Castles

Today I haven't seen the Captain at all. I had wanted to ask him a few questions, about the chapter I am writing for this book but, he doesn't seem to be anywhere. I have called his name and walked through the house, but he has not answered me or appeared.  I wonder where he is?  I have stumbled unto another room today and on the wall of this room are hanging four hugh pictures of castles and each has the name of a McCain on them. They all must belong to different members of the McCain family.  How beautiful they are and I can imagine how they look inside. If the Captain were here today, I would ask about each one and how it looked and who it belonged to.  I will remember to find out all I can about these hugh castles. 

I feel sort of all alone here without the  Captain. I really shouldn't , not really. After all, He is a ghost. But I do miss him.  I hope he is alright, I don't think anything can happen to a ghost, right? After all they are dead already.  Oh! I have to stop thinking this way. Why am I so worried about him. He has been here forever and he is ok. I don't think he aged one minute. I never saw such a gorgous man in my life. Oh, dear!! I have to stop thinking that way too. What would people think of me if they knew I was living here and thinking about a ghost. 

Time to get some serious writing done, but I don't seem to be able to concentrate now. Maybe if I take a walk down to the cove and sit by the water for a while, I will be more relaxed and in the mood for writing.   I feel so mixed up today. My mind is so unsettled.  It has alot to do with the way the Captain held my hand and stroked the fingers and when I looked at him he seemed so far away as if he were remembering something. Then when he realized what he was doing, he pulled away abruptly and moved away.  That was unsettling for me and him I think.  Humm, I just can't stop thinking about that moment.

Time to get back to reality and go down and see the cove and the people there. Maybe even go for a swim, if the water isn't to cold.  Then I will be more sensible and able to write.

Today as I was sitting and writing the Captain came in and said."Come with me lass, I've something to show you that I feel will make you see my homeland better." "I didna show you this room before and I would like to show it to ya now."

I got up and the Captain reached out and put his hand in mine and you know, for a ghost, his hand felt very warm and he held my hand tenderly and just looked at it for a second as if he was thinking of something, and the abruptly let it go and told me to follow him.

We climbed up the stairs to the third floor, which I hadn't been up before, and led me to a room off to the side that had a very special door. The door was curved at the top and very ornate. It had drawings on it as if someone had carved this door by hand. How wonderful it looked and I would get some pictures of it for my book that I was writing. 

The Captain took out a small key and opened the lock and stood aside so that I could enter the room. It was a very bright room as it had windows all around it and there were pictures on every space of wall in that room. Some of the pictures had cloths hanging over them, I guess to protect them from the elements. The Captain went to one side and bide me to come too. He gently lifted one of the cloths and underneath it was a hugh picture of his castle in Ireland. It look majestic on top of that hill. He said that his ancesters built it there because it was hard to penetrate by invaders and easier to defend from that height. It had towers and walls so high that you would need ladders to scale them. Another protective element he said. 

Then he took me to another set of smaller pictures under one cloth and open  that one for me. I was surprised at what I saw there and just looked at him and waited for him to explain what they were to me.

He said that this was the buriel ground of his family and that his great great grandparents were in tombed under that hugh cross in their graveyard behind the castle in Ireland. The other two crosses were his great grandparents tombs and his parents were there also. All buried in Ireland. These were so beautiful and the large one had a special edging all around it and an inscription that I could not read. I asked the Captain what it said and he explained that it was gaelic and it was the language of his great great grandfathers family. They had been highland people and so their inscription was in that medieval language that they spoke.

He explained that it simply stated that this was the McClain Clans cross and marker and it named all the McCains that were laid to rest in this special area. It also had a prayer written on it and a blessing for all the deceased McCains. 

I asked if I could photograph these pictures for my book and he gave me his permission , but once again warned me about letting others know where I got the pictures. I agreed with him. I too didn't want anyone snooping around this mansion if I could help it , and I am sure that the Captain would not be so kind to them if he caught them either.

He handed me the key to the room and said that I could come there anytime to look at the other pictures on the walls and if I had any questions to just ask him, or if I wanted him to be there with me all I had to do was ask and he would come. I thanked him and walked around the room and stopped to look out the window . Because this room was on the third floor, I got a good look of all the surrounding area and it was a sight to behold. The grass and trees and all the wildflowers were an aura of color and light. I must have stood there for quite a long time, because when I turned around, the Captain had left and I was in the room all alone. I wondered why he had taken my hand and looked at it so thoroughly and then abruptly dropped it like it was a hot coal? His hand had felt so warm and soft and gentle. I had liked the way it felt in mine.

Slowly as I was thinking about all this I walked across the room and closed the door and locked it and put the key in my pocket. I must find a place that is safe to keep all these keys that the Captain was giving to me. I also must mark them so that I know which is which. I wonder where he goes when he disappears? I wonder if he would tell me if I ask? I am very curious about that, and when I see him next, I am going to ask where he goes and what he does.  But for now, I have to get back to my writing, if I can stop thinking about him holding my hand that is. I must stop this thinking, he is a ghost after all , isn't he?

Captain McCains Picture

 

There are so many of you that want to see what the Captain really looks like that I have decided to show you a picture of him here. He is 6ft. 4in. tall and has jet black hair and an earring in both ears. He has a small scar by his lip and intense dark eyes. He is of Irish-Scottish desent and has a brougue when he speaks, which by the way is very inchanting. I love to listen to him talk. He can be stubborn at times and very demanding also, but I have found that he is also a very sensitive and caring man too. A man that will protect what is his and relentlessly persue anything he undertakes.  I have become very  attached to him and find that if I don't see him for a day, I am sad. I don't understand it because He is a ghost after all, isn't he?? Well, I have to go into town for some supplies and I will leave you to look at this portrait and let me know what you think of this Captain that is a ghost in my home.

THE CAPTAINS ROOM AND DEN

I have been waiting for the Captain all morning and hopeing that he hasn't forgotten that he promised to show me his special collection today. I have been curious since he told me that what he had was very special.

Suddenly he appears at the door and bids me to follow him to the stairs. We climb up to the third floor and he takes a key out of his waistcoat and opens a hugh door. He then tells me to enter and he goes and puts the lamps on in the room. It is so large. There are pictures on the walls and cases with various things in them. He takes me by the hand and we start to walk around the room as he explains to me what each thing is. The first thing he shows me is a picture of one of his fathers first boats.It is beautiful and in full sail. He said his father used that boat to go to India for the dyes he transported to Ireland. The next thing he shows me is a case that has a picture of General Lee and his revolver and holster in it. This amazes me. I ask him why he would have this and he simply states that he is very much interested in the Civil War period and has been reading about that period in our history for a long time.  Amazingly enough, the next case contains the gun and holster and picture of General Grant. I am slightly dumbstruck by this case. I just look at him and he smiles and pulls me forward. This case truly is the cope de gra. Here is Abrabham Lincoln and his famous speech that he made. "Fore score and....." there is also his pipe. I am at a loss for words. I ask him if these are all real and he nodds his head and says,"Yes, they are all real" "I bought them at an auction many years ago and they have been here ever since, and I will not let them leave this house." "Now that is another reason why I didn't want anyone to come in this room and find these treasures of mine and destroy this room." "I looked all along the walls and on the tables in the room. There was so many things of history there. Books and books about the Civil War. Illustarated and beautifully bonded. How wonderful a find. I gently ran my hand over the books and asked if I might open a few and look at them more closely . The Captain smiled and said that I might touch anything in this room , but that I had to promise never to let anyone else see his treasures. He stated that this is where he stayed and read well into the night each and every night. He had a library of books in here scattered all over the room. Most on shelves but others stacked here and there on different tables.  What a magnificent room full of things that musuems would fight for. How lucky for me. I decided that I would not write about this room because it would bring attention to the relics here and might make people come here to see if they are real. I would do nothing to hurt the Captain after all his kindness to me, but I would be back again and again to look and read for myself whenever I could. 

I turned to thank the Captain and he was no longer there. That man had a way of disappearing on me all the time!!!! He had left the key on the table by the door so I picked it up and put it in my pocket and would make sure that no one ever got ahold of it. I would keep my promise to the Captain.  I just wish he would let me know he was leaving rather than just disappearing.

I felt sort of lonely without him there. I didn't understand that either. Well, I had better get down stairs and back to my writing , before the day turned to night. I haven't had much chance to write much lately with moving in and I still haven't been in every room either. Well, that can wait. I am going to get a cup of coffee and sit down at the computer and write about his adventure at sea that he had told me about yesterday.  HUmmm this coffee is sooo good.

 

Captain McCain and I

Today the Captain and I have settled down in the study to have a talk about his adventures that he had on his ship. I am so excited to be getting this first hand. I can't imagine anyone could be so lucky as I feel now. He seems deep in thought and I don't want to interrupt him, so I am puttering around with things on my desk and getting my computer all ready to type in his stories. I have decided to just type them all in under separate folders and then compile them into a book at a later date. Finally, the Captain looks at me and he gets up and walks to the window and puts his hands behind his back and clasps them together. He is looking out at the cove when he begins to tell me his first adventure.

He said that his father and grandfather had taken their boat out and they had decided that he was old enough to come on the trip, after all he was 10 years old and should be starting to learn how to handle a boat and crew if he was ever going to be a Captain of his own boat one day. So he boarded his first ship with them both and was given chores to do every day just like the other sailors on the boat. He did his work every day digently and had no problems with doing them. Some of the sailors slacked off and they were reprimanded and warned by his father and grandfather about not doing there work. He said that back in those days, if you didn't listen to the captain and disobeyed his orders you could be punished severely and it was not unusal to have some one get a lash or two for his lack of respect for the captain. When he said this, he looked at me I think to see what my reaction would be like, but I just kept typing. I didn't want to say anything that would make him stop talking or get angry.

They had an uneventful journey all the way to India, but on the trip back to their home port, they encountered a vicious storm. the water lashed the boat from starboard to port and they had all they could do to get the sails down so that they would not be destroyed. He admitted that he was scared but he did as he was told by his father and helped tie the sails down with the other sailors. They didn't have life jackets back then so it was a dangerous thing to be on deck during this horrable storm. It seemed like it would never end and it thundered and lightening all night long and the rain pelted the boat and the water was coming over the rails and washing over the boat . The men lashed themselves down on to the rails and the masts of the sails. His father told him to go below and to stay there until he was told to come back up. As he was doing his best to get below he could see his father and grandfather lashing down the sails and tying them so that they were secure and all the others were lashing themselves down so they wouldn't go overboard.

The next day , the sea had calmed down and he awoke to a peaceful sunny day. All the sailors had all fallen asleep eventually and now were all waking up . soaked and worn out from fighting that storm last night. But the water was calm and the wind was perfect for them to open the sails again and continue on home. It was a long way to Ireland and they had a few more days of sailing yet, so they all started to get the boat back in shape for the rest of the trip.  They continued on and had no more problems and reached their home safe . No one was lost on that trip and that was a blessing indeed.  After he had told me this story he asked me if this is what I had in mind for that book I wanted to write and I smiled and said yes   it is exactly what I needed to write a book.

As I was putting some things away and still talking as I was doing it, I turned to see that the Captain had vanished again. He was gone. I settled in and started to edit the story he told me. I was smiling and happy to have finally be able to write something again. It had been awhile since I had the chance to just write without being interrupted. I must have been there for hours because when I looked up again it was dark and the lighthouse was blinking on and off in the cove. I got up and went to the patio and just looked out into the cove and enjoyed the scene there before my eyes.  Tomorrow would be another wonderful day in my new home.

The Captains Birth Place

I was looking out of the patio doors when I spotted the Captain standing on the top of the cliff overlooking the cove. I decided to walk out and talk to him. When I approached he turned and bid me a good morning.

I asked him why he was out here and he said that at times he gets lonesome for his home. His real home. I didn't know what he meant and asked him to tell me about it.

"Well Lass," he said. " I come from Ireland and I had a great great grandfather that owned a castle . It was hugh and wonderful and my parents would tell me all about the different things that went on in the castle. They took me to see it many times and each time I enjoyed it more. It had been in our family for generations and my clan still live around that castle. My great great grandfather and his sons  and there sons were the Lairds of this castle and our clan. They had fought many battles defending the castle and lands around it. Our lands. Our clans lands. I grew up on all the stories and mysterys of Ireland. The beautiful causway and the sea. These all called to me since I was a wee lad. I was entralled by the long boats and the mighty sails that fluttered in the wind and took these boats to all parts of the world. I decided then and there that I would be a Captain one day and man my own boat and many more . I have sailed up and down Irelands coast and all of the other countries for dyes and spices and many other goods that were not available in Ireland. I canna tell you all the joy being on the boat and letting the wind take you out toward other land feels. It is like being in your own world and you are the master of it and no one can take that away from you."

I just listened quietly and stood there as the Captain gazed out into the cove and watched the boats coming in and going out. He was in his time and on his journeys. He was silent for a long time and we both just stood there, each in our own world just enjoying the scene before us and remembering happy moments from the past.

All at once, he started to speak again and said that he would like me to write a book about his adventures if I felt like it. I was thrilled. I had wanted to aske the Captain if he would let me do just that thing , but I was a little afraid that he would not. I smiled,and said that I would be honored to write his stories down and we could start anytime he wanted.

"well, lass," he said. " I will let you have some time every day and you can write and ask me about my adventures." "but, you must promise me one thing, that you will not mention that I am a ghost and reside in this house. I donna want everyone coming here to bother me ." "Will you promise me that lass?"

I smiled. "Of course, I will promise," I said. "I feel the same as you do. I don't want anyone coming and bothering me either." So we made this deal standing watching the boats and just enjoying the view. Tomorrow I will start writing about the Captains adventures. I can hardly wait.