I never did get all the details of Mrs. Monroe’s voyage, but I know that by the time Nickel’s ship sailed into port on the island of Singapore there was an irate, but very beautiful woman waiting for them on the dock. Pete once told me that when he first saw that woman standing on the dock, it never crossed his mind that it was his own mother. Gone were the fancy society dresses, the soft slippers, and the perfectly styled hair. In front of him stood a woman with her feet planted firmly on the ground, hands on her hips, and a look that could melt ice. She was wearing a leather vest over a blouse with the sleeves rolled up, a light brown skirt, and tall boots. Her hair was wild and wind-blown and she had the deep tan of a field worker.
“By gosh Peter, ain’t she a sight!” exclaimed Nickel. “It’s my own sister dear lookin’ like a she-devil. I’ll be darned if she’s not the most beautiful woman in all the Far East. She might be a Monroe by name, but she’s a Ramos in her soul! She looks a might upset over you’re departure my good nephew, so if you’ll excuse me, I think I’ll just sit out this little reunion.” At that moment, Nickel jumped over the rail of the ship and started swimming toward another dock.
“Niko!” yelled Annie, “don’t think you can get away from me. As soon as I have a little talk with my son, I’ll come find you.” The name ‘Niko’ was what his sister called him growing up.
Pete never did tell me all the details of their reunion, but I eventually learned that his mother decided as appropriate punishment, she would not let him out of her sight until they sailed into Boston Harbor. It was more than a year before they arrived in Boston and it was during that time at sea, that Peter got to know the true Anna Maria Ramos Monroe. She seemed to be an altogether different person than the mother he had always known, and their relationship was rather awkward at first. But as the months passed they developed a deep bond that would stay with them always. Pete once told me that it was probably the happiest time in his life. For the first time he felt he could talk to his mother about anything, and he frequently did just that. Yes, once in awhile she made him a little uncomfortable when she would introduce him to a cute girl, but even those minor matchmaking efforts were a small price to pay for the friendship that Peter shared with his mother. As far as this matchmaking business, one day Annie just pushed him one time too many, and Pete decided to put an end to it once and for all.
They were in Bangkok one afternoon having lunch in a small café. Mrs. Monroe pointed out a beautiful young Thai woman sitting across from them. She kept urging him to go over and introduce himself. Like I said, this always made Pete a little uncomfortable.
“Mother, do you dislike spending time with me so much that you want to get rid of me?”
“Why no, son, whatever gave you that idea?”
Peter finally told her how he felt when every time they saw an attractive girl she would try to steer him toward her. Mrs. Monroe looked a little confused at first, then burst into laughter.
“Peter, dearest Peter, I only thought that’s what all young men wanted. My only wish is to see you happy. I’m certainly not trying to marry you off. You’re only fourteen years old!” From that day on, she left Peter alone about girls. But she always smiled to herself whenever she caught him taking a second glance at a pretty young woman.
Mrs. Monroe saw a lot of her father in her son. They had the same taste for adventure, an inquisitive mind, and solid morals. While Nickel had that same wild streak and had always loved the sea, Peter seemed to enjoy the beauty of it more than its unpredictable nature. He was more interested in hearing about the horse ranch where they had grown up. Many of their long days at sea were spent telling Peter stories of wild horses, sleeping under the stars in an endless sky, roping cattle, and the joys of delivering a newborn colt.
Rarely had Peter heard his mother laugh when they lived in Boston. Now a day never passed when his mother’s delightful laughter couldn’t be heard throughout the entire ship. I reckon that’s why when the ship finally docked in Boston Harbor, everyone on board seemed a little sad and at a loss for words. Seeing all those rough old sea dogs lined up in front of Annie Monroe with their hats off and tears streaming down weather-beaten faces must have truly been a sight. She shook the hand of every sailor and took a few minutes to speak with each one of them. After all had said their goodbyes, she and Peter walked off the ship and headed for home. Nickel remained on board. I reckon he felt that the Monroe family needed a little private time to get reacquainted.