Page 11 of The Butler

“Mr. Carrington,” Starr greeted when she caught me inspecting the main salon. “Welcome aboard. I hope you’ll find Action up to snuff, sir,” she added, accustomed to my pre-sail walk about.

“Come here, kiddo. Give me a hug,” I said, walking toward her. Starr was a statuesque beauty. A real throwback to the glamorous beauties of the early sixties and seventies. She had an upscale fashion sense with just a touch of the past included. Her uniform dress was a proper knee length while at the same time hugging her curvy body and hiding not a single detail. She wore her hair up and in a tight bun, usually a pencil stuck haphazardly in the pile of jet-black hair.

We embraced and she stepped back. “You’re looking particularly handsome, sir,” she lied.

“Starr, dear, I thought we agreed to always be truthful with one another,” I said. “You and I both know I’m a little ragged around the edges lately.”

She fawned over my sport jacket’s lapel, tapping on my chest. “I think you look younger than ever,” she stated, adding to her pile of untruths.

“And that’s why you’re my longest employed team member, young lady,” I stated, letting go of her hands in case another crew member arrived in the salon. I pointed to one of the sofas and invited her to sit for a moment so we could get caught up. “Catch me up,” I said, sitting across from her. “What has happened to poor David?”

“I’m sorry, sir,” she began. “I should have called you, but Bob always asks that I save the more serious of issues for you and to call him for the many lesser things he feels comfortable handling.”

“I liked David,” I reminded her. “Very much actually.”

Her face flushed and she probably felt I was about to give her a dressing down but I knew my favorite employee had my best interests at heart. I just wanted to take the moment and use it as a training opportunity.

“You must have been alarmed if you recommended David be terminated,” I stated. “So what did he do?” Starr nervously wiped the glass top table between us with a cloth from her apron pocket. “Go on. I’m not angry but these types of events are important to discuss, especially when the employee had been so well regarded, Starr.”

“He attempted to steal from you, sir, and I’m not certain he wasn’t successful in the past but that would be unfair to accuse him of something I am not certain of,” she said. “However, one of the deck crew claimed that David offered him a thousand dollars to carry one of your expensive watches off of the boat in his luggage at the end of the Panama Canal trip, sir,” she explained.

“I see,” I said. “And why would we believe the employee that turned him in?”

“Primarily because he had very specific details of where he was to meet David after he disembarked, and how he was to be paid, sir. The other employee refused and came directly to me,” she said. “After hearing the news I took him to the captain and shared the same story with him.”

“Excellent use of the chain of command, Starr. What did the Captain do at that point?” I asked.

“I suggested Captain set up a mandatory inspection of all departing crew member’s luggage, per ship policy and at the captain’s request,” she stated.

“Well, look at you using your knowledge of ship’s policy,” I stated. “And let me guess, David had one of my watches.”

“Yes. I’m sorry, sir.”

“You handled it with class, Starr. Now we move on,” I said. “So tell me about my new butler. First off, is he trustworthy?”

“I would trust Deklyn with my own personal property,” she testified. “Not that I have half-million dollar watches of course, but Deklyn is a good person and he’s served with us in the past, sir.”

“He has?” I asked.

“Yes, sir. A couple of times actually,” she confirmed. I believed her but wondered how I could have missed a boy as handsome as my new butler. “He’s loyal and he’ll work hard, sir. I personally guarantee that,” she stated.

“Wow. A personal guarantee even?” I chuckled and stood. “Sounds like you hired a winner then.”

“Deklyn is a little . . . uhm . . . well, a little bit green, sir,” she admitted, biting her lower lip and looking away.

“Who did he work for before me?” I asked. “He must have come with a strong recommendation, correct?”

If Starr hadn’t been squirming in her seat a moment prior, she sure as hell was then. “Not exactly, sir.”

I sat back down and waited for the rest of the story. “Please enlighten me about his experience.”

“He has none, sir,” she confessed.

“None?”

She nodded and the grip her teeth had on her lower lip concerned me she might draw blood.

“None? As in zero?” I asked again.

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