CHAPTER 4 PART A

Tintin got up from the table of the pub, “Where do ya think your goin?!” Captain Haddock said grabbing Tintin’s arm.

“I need to go to the loo!” Tintin gave Haddock a strange look. Then Chester grabbed his other arm forcefully.

“Would you like a man to escort you like the lady you are to the little girls room?” he mocked as he and Haddock burst into cackling laughter.

Tintin didn’t know what to think, shocked that his companion, who he had shared many life and death experiences with him, would laugh at his expense. Then the waiter turned to laugh at him and then the other tables joined in, and finally the whole pub was laughing at him. Hurt and angry, he slipped out of his long black trench coat and dashed down the corridor to the bathroom and slammed the door behind him. He washed his face with cold water from the sink and began to look at himself in the mirror. Still the same Tintin he’d always been, only with a more of a toned body. Not wanting to return back to the hall he stared into the mirror making sure that nothing about him looked out of place, until his reflection spoke.

“What are you playing at?” Tintin jumped back completely surprised and scared. “You’re a nobody! You’re nothing but a spoiled grown brat that has some man who’s predominantly been a failure all of his life, get lucky once, and now pays your way!”

Tintin bolted out of the bathroom back into the now dimly lit bar room. It was quiet, and as he walked in the room the tables were empty, the bar was empty, Captain Chester and Haddock were gone. An overwhelming sinking feeling tugged at his heart, “Captain Chester! Archibald Haddock! Stop this nonsense right now!” Tintin demanded angrily.

Suddenly the silhouette of a young boy no older than seven years old sat, sobbing in a corner on a chair. “Hey!” he said walking towards the boy. “What’s wrong? Why are you crying?” Tintin asked with sudden confusion. The little boy stood up out of the chair in the corner and walked into the dim light where he could be seen. He looked almost like Tintin did when he was that age only dressed in Sunday school clothes.

“You abandoned me!” the boy accused. “You don’t care about me, you only care about yourself!” he pointed. Tintin was lost and so full of emotion he didn’t know what to do or say. “I don’t know what you’re talking about?” Tintin explained.
The tears of the child turned into anger, “Just go away! I don’t need you! I’ve always been all by myself and it’s your fault! Leave me alone!” the child screamed running out of the pub.

“Wait! You can’t go out alone!” Tintin ran after the child, but it was like a tunnel of darkness toward a small ray of light. The child seemed to get further and further away until he disappeared as darkness overtook him. Suddenly a persistent banging startled him.


The morning sun had already risen, and the sound of church bells could be heard off in the distance. People were traversing streets making their way to noon mass. The heavy blue curtains blocked most of the rays of sunlight that filtered into Chester’s flat. It only took a second for one to see that it was a disaster area. Half of his books that were on the shelf earlier were now on the floor, the television screen was distorted and moving perpetually vertical. The card table and a chair were lying on their sides, and a box of food lie open on the floor with the contents almost completely empty with Snowy asleep not too far from the scene of the crime. On the sofa, lie Captain Chester & Haddock, along with Tintin in the middle. Tintin had his arms around a throw pillow and his right leg propped up on Captain Chester’s lap. Haddock had an empty bottle of whisky clutched in his right hand and his left arm around Tintin as Tintin was leaned back against Haddock. Chester’s mouth was wide open as he had a huge empty double shot glass with only a drop or two left and his left arm draped above Tintin’s head. Captain Chester and Haddock snore one snore right after the other. Both with their mouth’s wide open.
Tintin could feel his head aching and slowly began to wake as Haddock held him tighter as he began stirring when he realized someone was banging on the door. “Ugh..uh…” Tintin moaned grabbing his head then moved the captain’s arm so he could stand up. Tintin stood still trying to gain his bearings as the banging on the door continued. “Signore Chester! It’s noon! Are you ok?” a voice shouted from outside.

“Captain Chester!” Tintin said gently shaking him. “What!” he jumped off the sofa looking back and forth. “Someone is at your door” Tintin woke him. Chester walked to the door slowly straightening his appearance putting his hat back on. “Who is it?” he demanded and got quiet.

“Si Signore! It’s me Enzo!” Chester unlatched and unchained the door. “What time is it?” Chester shook his head trying to shake off the bad headache he was now having.

“It is noon sir, you were supposed to meet me by the docks almost three hours ago! I came by to see if you had even left yet. I’ve got the yacht ready to leave whenever we’re ready to pull anchor” he explained. “Good God!” Captain Chester nodded shamefully looking at his place, himself, Tintin, and Haddock. “You ragazzis like the alcohol too much?” he said rhetorically.

“Tintin, wake Haddock and we’ll leave less than an hour from now” Chester said going back to his bathroom. “Hello” Tintin waved awkwardly to Enzo. “Buon giorno signore” he greeted back. He was stouter than Tintin and had dark brown hair and green eyes and stood just an inch shorter than he. He also had a sack in his hand which he handed to Tintin.

“I was told for all of us to put these uniforms on since the American sailors are strolling we won’t be spotted so quickly if people look for us” he replied. Tintin took the bag and pulled out one of the folded white uniforms. “I’m not sure the captain would want to wear uniforms under his status” Tintin laughed inspecting the white trousers slacks and white tunic with a black handkerchief hanging around the neck. Tintin saw how convincing it looked on Enzo, “You really look like an American sailor!” Tintin smiled.

“Someday I want to become an American sailor” Enzo laughed. “Captain!” Tintin shouted.

Haddock jumped up off the couch and threw his hands up, “What? Where? Who?!” he said with a start looking around. “How did we get back? Where’s Chester?” Haddock asked confused.

“Right here, get it together Haddock! Sorry about our tardiness Enzo—aw I see you brought the uniforms, looks like they were able to get them!” he smiled looking through the sack to find his size. “Come on Haddock, you too Tintin, the loo is free!” he pointed as he went to his bedroom.

“Blisterin’ barnacles! You want me to wear a mere sailor’s uniform?!” he gasped. “I’m a captain!” he bellowed.

“Swallow your pride Haddock, so am I, so if you don’t want trouble crossing the English Channel I suggest you quit your griping and do like the rest of us” he said disappearing to his chamber. Tintin continued to look through the bag and found a bigger size and another that still was a bit bigger than he. He frowned as he took the smaller uniform going to change.

Enzo began to pick up the rubbish on the floor of Captain Chester’s flat since they weren’t leaving for a few more minutes. After a moment, Chester came out of his room with both sleeves rolled up and a small carrying sack with the clothes he would change back into, and the sailor’s cap perched on top of his head. The sailor cap really set the uniform off, Haddock’s mood went from grouchy to silly in that moment as he began laughing.

“Why Chester, you look the proper sailor mate!” he grinned widely.

“Hold your laugher Haddock, it’s your turn” he said as he began helping Enzo clean the place. Haddock looked doubtfully at the uniform.

“You think whoever is following us is going to fall for this silliness?” He ridiculed. Chester shook his head.

“We have a better chance of fitting in which means we won’t be spotted as easily” he rationalized. Captain Haddock sighed and took the uniform to Chester’s chamber to change.

“Good times?” Enzo said looking at a couple empty bottles of whisky. Chester began picking up the books, and just as he picked up a rather old large one, something fell out onto the floor.

“I guess you can call it that…” Chester shook his head picking up what had fallen out of the book. It was an old photo of himself and Captain Haddock that was taken almost twenty years ago. Both he and Haddock were dressed in sailor uniforms standing by a gangway each holding up a fish as a bucket sat next to Haddock’s feet. A few moments went by as nostalgia began seeping from him. Chester was trying to remember exactly where the photo was taken but couldn’t quite recall it at the moment. “Well here I am!” Haddock said making an entrance just as Tintin came out of the bathroom. “Chester! What are you looking at?” Haddock immediately became curious.

“Look at this” Chester said handing him the huge photo. Captain Haddock looked at it for a moment as his face melted into smiles. “Where did you get this?” he asked happily.

“I can’t remember… I think this was the second merchant ship we sailed on” Chester concluded. “The Hastings!” Haddock shouted remembering. “Oh I remember that day!” Haddock said triumphantly. By this time, Tintin and Enzo were both trying to get a peek at the photograph.

“Those were the days” Chester nodded. “Well, let’s go… the yacht is ready and if you want to have time to catch a fish or two we’d better scram” he said giving Tintin and Enzo a moment to look at it before carefully placing it back in the book he kept it in. Tintin couldn’t believe that was both captains. Both were robust, tall, and young, but Haddock had a slightly bigger fish than Chester; also a bigger smile. Chester had his fish up high too but his gaze looked distracted. They gathered the rest of their personal articles quickly and locked up. Snowy finally began barking approving of his masters outfit.

“Oh that’s right, Snowy” Captain Chester said forgetfully.
“Is there a problem?” Tintin asked. Chester glanced at Snowy then Tintin’s burlap sack of clothes.
“Your dog may give us away, maybe you could carry Snowy in your sack” Chester suggested. “What?!” Snowy growled. “Here I’ll cut a small hole so Snowy can poke his nose out to breathe” Chester did just that.

“Come on Snowy” Tintin said sadly as Snowy whined reluctantly getting into the bag.
Tintin began laughing as he realized how they all looked leaving Captain Chester’s flat. “I bet there’s a story to that photo” Tintin commented as they were walking.

“Aye! There is…” Chester smiled. “Once we get out on the water we’ll tell you” Haddock laughed. “This should be interesting” Tintin giggled.

Enzo remained quiet as he was told to be wary of all strangers. Once they got out onto the open streets he realized they were several blocks away from the docks. The streets were so full and so many faces of mostly sailors and locals, but the crowd kept Enzo paranoid as he kept having a feeling something was about to happen.

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