The First Mate has no Dilemma

"Sorry, I need to go check up there for a bit and then I'll go back," says the man of the sky. "It would be trouble if something from afar is going to us, or rain clouds were crash our drinking."

The crew raises their mugs, a toast to him. He is at that moment happy. That previous talk he had with the captain, helped him understand a thing or two. He sometimes wonder why though, it seems the captain no longer visits his bird's nest.

Dancing clouds happily graze the field of sky. Here and there a star would twinkle their gentle eyes. The moon in its crescent hue silently reflects on the still ocean. The ship is in the middle of the ocean, and not a single light nor land is nearby.

The man of the sky effortlessly climbs the mast. He must see to his duty but he must not forget the minute. He smiles as he grasp the edge of the bird's nest. And there he finds the first mate sleeping. A paper beside him tries to fly as his pocket watch holds it down. It is odd to see the first mate on the bird's nest, let alone be there to rest and sleep.

He tries to get in quietly but a creek on his footing sounded. The first mate opens his eye and gives the man of the sky a smile.

"Good evening," says the first mate. "I'm sorry, if I'm taking a rest here."

He tries to get up. The man of the sky smiles and waves at him, it is fine. The first mate gives him a smile..

"Why are you here, sir?" asks the man of the sky. "Shouldn't you be there down below?"

"Why shouldn't I be here?" asks the first mate. The man of the sky backs. Have this happened before? "Maybe," the first mate continues. "Or maybe not."

"Sir, I mean," the man of the sky tries to speak.

"- I just want to look at the sky, that's all," says the first mate.

"Really?"

"I might have fallen asleep while I was here," says the first mate as he sits up. "I'll be going down in just a bit. I just want look a bit more. I hope it doesn't bother you."

"No, sir," the man of the sky replies.

"Why are you here, might I ask?" asks the first mate. "You're having fun down below, am I right? Or is it duty?"

The man of the sky and nodded. The first mate gets up and stares at the evening sky.

"You have the best duty," says the first mate. "You have lots of things going on here. The wind is great, the view is amazing, the silent is just pure. Away from us down below, chaotic, nothing else to see but the constant faces. Not to mention the constant things we do down below. It's becoming a bit redundant. While you get to see a lot of things. The first star to rise, the last star to disappear from the sky. Face of clouds from the distant, that we are from below to busy to see. A new land greets you first before all of us, even the captain. I am sure."

"You're looking at the big picture," says the man of the sky. "You have to see the minute details. It's what the captain once told me. You may see it that way but you forget to see the small things."

"I don't understand," the first mate says. "Small things? big picture?"

"I mean, if you're just looking at the bright side of what I do, you have not yet seen the bad side from my duty up here. The weather is sometimes cold, the fear of enemy attacking us lingers from the back of my mind. Storms from afar may be brewing, I have to keep track of them. I'm afraid of going to those, it is very cold up here. Yet it is my duty to be here. As for new lands to greet me. I often get left behind on the ship to guard it here. I want to walk on many land as well, if not all of the land we've seen and were to see.

"It get's lonely here sometimes," the man of the sky confesses. "But the captain's visits were what held me. He taught me that, to look on the small details as well. You guys down below are not just working the same work everyday, you're having fun with everyone. The evening drinking as well as the laughter I hear from below. It makes me envious at times. I usually go down there to join them. But I'm not abandoning my duty."

"You've grown quite a bit," the first mate says. As he stands up. "I'm going down now. But do please take care."

"Are you mad at me, sir, for abandoning my post?"

"Why would I? You're happy, am I right?" the man of the sky smiles. He is. "Look further. And look even more at the most minute detail. Perhaps you'll understand something a bit more."

It is the first time he had a talk with the first mate. But it seems they've been friends for a very long time. Mayhaps it wasn't the captain he was speaking with most of the time. It was always dark there and all, perhaps he was always talking with the first mate all along. Or was it a trick?