Norma's Homemade Banana Bar

Day 5 - Farewell

Hello passangers!!!
I hope you have all had a wonderful time this week! Today, as we are heading back to Ft. Lauderdale, you can busy yourselves with the many ships activities. So, what's on the agenda today? Will you hit the casino? Maybe sit by one of the buffets all day or drink yourself silly? There's plenty to do and I want to hear about how you spend your last day onboard.

Friday, May 21
Day 5: At sea
Sail all day and arrive back at the Ft. Lauderdale port in the afternoon.

So, how will you stay busy on the ship today?


Last night I behaved myself. I tried to find the famous pictures of me dancing on the table. But no one will ‘fess up. I know what’s going to happen. The shot will appear on Facebook or Twitter or Instagram.

I can see it now:
NormaJean - famous author - dancing on table with monkey during vacation in the Caribbean.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q0hyYWKXF0Q

My agent will have a cow. He’ll have to do some major damage control.

I finally got some sleep last night. But first I had to chase out Andre and his new found buddies. How do you get four other monkeys on board a ship in the ocean? So you know what’s coming:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-1cyFOW--Tw

When I woke up, I set my worries aside, joined the group for our last breakfast together. PiriPica , Lazy Writer est 4/24/2008 , Apondia , Richard ~ Thankful!! , Brother Nature , and PandaPaws Licensed VetTech were already at a big round table. The breakfast offering of eggs hollandaise, fresh fruit, croissants and mimosas. Lovely.

What everyone has planned for the rest of the day is the topic of conversation. We’re sailing back to Ft. Lauderdale which should take the better part of today.

Casinos, the pool, perhaps a show? But then there are the buffets with unlimited drinks. But my mind wanders as we chat. Where in the world is Andre? Sort of like that game of old, ‘Where is Waldo?’.

The seven of us decide to stroll the decks, take them one at a time. We need to find Andre so he can be taken back to the Banana Blog office/bar when we get back to the states.

We start at the top, no Andre in the wheelhouse. But I do spy my sandals.

“Is there a lost and found person on board?” I ask the Captain.

“You mean, is someone lost?”

“Sorry, wrong wording. No, do you have an office where people turn in lost items?”

“Well now, they wouldn’t be considered lost if someone turned them in, now would they?” he said with a grin. “Go down to the G deck, beside the kitchen. The door is marked.”

I left my compadres, made my way down to G deck. Beside the kitchen was a door marked “Found Items”.

Stepping inside, behind the desk sat a portly man smoking a big cigar. There was a whiskey bottle and two glasses in front of him. Seated on the desk was, you knew it. Andre!

“Have you come to claim this guy?” The man questioned.

“Yes and no. Do you have some shoes, some clothes, a black Gucci purse, and a cell phone that someone turned in?”

Andre whooped and hollered, jumped off the desk. He ran back to the shelves, pulled out a bin then brought it to the desk.

I looked inside and, sure enough, all my lost items were inside.

“Those items belong to you?” asked the portly man. He still sat at the desk, poured himself a big drink of whiskey. Andre pointed to the other empty glass. That one got filled as well.

“Yes, as a matter of fact, they do. Who turned them in?”

Portly man and Andre exchanged glances.

“We have no idea. Our lips are sealed. But your little furry buddy seemed to know just where they were. Sign here.”

I signed my name on a blank piece of paper.

“What am I signing? There’s nothing written on this.”

“Just for the legal department. You know, that you got your stuff. Alrighty then, off with you. I’ve got work to do.” Portly man leaned back in his chair, puffed on that big cigar, dismissed me with a wave of his fat hand. Andre hopped onto his lap.

I left confused, but happy my lost items finally showed up. On the way back to my cabin I saw Elle - on hiatus , JayNaNoOhNo }, Fivesixer , and Write_Mikey_Write! . I know this is a big ship but how had I never seen them before now? Then Bubblegum Jones and Sophurky came running up to me.

“Quick! Come quick! Trouble on A deck. They’re calling for you!” They yelled then scurried off toward the steps.

Did writing.com have a convention on board? All these writers gathered on this small cruise got me to wondering.

I hurried to A deck. Everyone hovered around a table in the middle. Dancing on top of the table was Andre and another monkey. They were dressed in t-shirts that showed the cover of my latest book. Egging him on were The StoryMistress and The StoryMaster . Mixing drinks behind a nearby bar was Lilli 🧿 ☕ .

‘NormaJean! Welcome! We’ve all gathered to celebrate your new book!” Robert Waltz shouted. He held up a copy of my newest book, ‘Jewels’.

Also in the crowd were the authors C.J.Box, Lee Child, Andy Weir, and Julia Quinn. So we had Joe Pickett, Jack Reacher, Mars, and Bridgerton all represented. It was going to be a good celebration.

The party lasted til the stars disappeared. Every one one of them, celestial and earthly. The helicopters landing and departing made quite a racket.

I fell into bed, exhausted. Andre joined me sometime in the night. We slept like little babies, woke every hour and cried often.

When we docked in Ft. Lauderdale, the Captain shook my hand. He thanked me for footing the bill for the ‘Andre the Blog Monkey Caribbean Holiday’. My credit card had been charged, the receipt emailed to me.

My mouth fell open. “Um, how? When?”

“Oh, Miss NormaJean don’t you remember signing the invoice? Yesterday. I have your signature on my copy.”

That little pirate! ANDRE!!!












Queen NormaJean II GreenEyes