by RM2 Rick McCusker, USCG
My first ship was a reserve training ship, the USCGC Tanager, out of Alameda,
CA. As part of the regular crew, it was our job to indoctrinate reservists into
shipboard routine.
During one cruise, I was standing lookout watch on the flying bridge and I had
a reservist as my trainee. After a while, his curiosity got the better of him,
and he asked what the big, well-padded and very comfortable chair was for. I
replied that it was for the lookout to rest in, because standing up there for
four hours was very tiring. He said, "Well, I am kind of tired. Mind if
I sit down and relax?" I said go right ahead. Within a few minutes, he
was sawing logs.
About half an hour later, the Captain came up to the bridge, and immediately
noticed that his chair was occupied. He tip-toed up to the chair, put his mouth
about an inch from the reservist's ear and shouted, "What the f—k
are you doin' in my chair, kid?"